Zehetmair Quartett

Founded in 1994, the Zehetmair Quartett quickly gained international prominence and critical acclaim for its vigorous, imaginative, and meticulously wrought performances of the string quartet repertoire. Calling the group "refreshingly iconoclastic," critic Harris Goldsmith of the American Record Guide particularly praised the interpretation of Robert Schumann's String Quartet, Op. 41/3, admiring the ensemble's mastery of the "many aspects of this impassioned piece of German Romanticism." While the Zehetmair Quartett's innovative spirit is undeniable, this, nevertheless, is a first violinist-dominated ensemble, much of its energy flowing from Thomas Zehetmair's strong artistic personality and immense enthusiasm. However, just like Zehetmair, the three other members perform regularly as soloists. Often playing from memory, the ensemble successfully integrates aspects of solo playing, which introduce individual artistic insights, into a exceptionally convincing string quartet idiom. The group's immensely successful first concert tour, in 1998, immediately led to invitations from the United States and Japan. The Zehetmair Quartett uses its annual European tour to perform, in addition to the standard repertoire, important works by lesser-known composers such as Karl Hartmann and Sándor Veress. The quartet's awards include the 2003 Record of the Year Award, given by Gramophone, for the performance of Schumann's quartets; the Quarterly Prize from the Deutsche Schallplatenkritik for the 2000 recording of Bartók's and Hartmann's quartets; the Diapason d'Or prize; and the Belgian Klara Preis. The Zehetmair Quartett undertook a U.S. tour in 2005, and in the 2007-2008 season premiered Heinz Holliger's String Quartet No. 2. The Quartet's recording of this, along with Bruckner's rarely heard quartet and Beethoven's Op. 135 was released in 2013. The current members of the quartet include second violinist Kuba Jakowicz, violist Ruth Killius, and cellist Ursula Smith.
© TiVo