Talich Quartet
Czech music is the specialty of the Talich Quartet, which regularly plays Dvořák, Smetana, Leoš Janáček, and Bohuslav Martinů. One of Eastern Europe's most durable chamber ensembles, the group also often essays the music of Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert on recordings.
The Talich Quartet was formed at the Prague Conservatory in 1964 and took its name from that of Czech Philharmonic founder and conductor Václav Talich. The original first violinist, Jan Talich Sr., was one of his descendants, as was his successor Jan Talich Jr. The other original members were second violinist Jan Kvapil, violist Jiří Najnar, and cellist Evžen Rattay. The quartet has had more than a dozen members over the years but has maintained a consistent sound and approach; as of the early 2020s, its members were Talich Jr., Roman Patočka, Radim Sedmidubský, and Michal Kaňka. Despite travel restrictions placed on musicians during the Communist era, the Talich Quartet gained international fame in its early years. The group appeared in Paris in 1975 and made its North American debut in 1987. Since the fall of Communism, the quartet has toured Europe, Japan, and North America as often as annually, and the group has also appeared in the Middle East, Australia, and Indonesia. The quartet made various recordings for Czech labels but soon was signed to the French label Calliope, making 30 recordings for that imprint by 1988.
In performance, the quartet specializes in Czech music by such composers as Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák, Bohuslav Martinů, and Leoš Janáček. The group's recorded repertory, which has won numerous major awards, includes music by Czech and Russian composers but also many devoted to Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert. A Beethoven cycle originally recorded for Calliope was reissued by Harmonia Mundi in 2000. The quartet is a frequent guest at European music festivals, including the Casals Festival in France, the Prague Spring Music Festival, and the Europalia Arts Festival in Brussels. The Talich Quartet remained on Calliope until 2008 and then moved to La Dolce Volta, making occasional recordings for other labels. In 2022, the quartet made a new recording of Dvořák's String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op. 96 ("American").
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Mozart : String Quintets KV516 & 515 - Clarinet Quintet KV581
Talich Quartet, Karel Rehak and Bohuslav Zahradnik
Classical - Released by La Dolce Volta on 1 Sep 1993
Choc de ClassicaDiapason d'orDiapason d'or du siècle16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvořák: "American" Quartet, 8 Waltzes
Quartets - Released by La Dolce Volta on 2 Sep 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Debussy, Ravel: String Quartets
Classical - Released by La Dolce Volta on 25 Sep 2012
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Brahms: The 2 String Sextets
Classical - Released by La Dolce Volta on 1 Sep 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart : The Six String Quintets (Les six quintettes à cordes)
Talich Quartet and Karel Rehak
Chamber Music - Released by La Dolce Volta on 1 Jan 1990
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert: Der Tod und das Mädchen (Franz Schubert)
Classical - Released by Phaia Music on 1 Jan 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven : Quatuors à cordes Opp. 130, 59 No. 2
Classical - Released by La Dolce Volta on 1 Sep 1980
Choc de ClassicaDiapason d'or16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik K525, Adagio & Fugue K546, 3 Divertimenti K136-138
Classical - Released by La Dolce Volta on 26 May 2014
4 étoiles Classica16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven : Quatuors à cordes Opp. 132, 135
Classical - Released by La Dolce Volta on 1 Sep 1979
Choc de ClassicaDiapason d'or16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dvorak: Quatuor à cordes No. 12 en Fa Majeur, "Américain", Op. 96, Quatuor à cordes en Ut Majeur, Op. 61
Classical - Released by La Dolce Volta on 26 May 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart : String Quintets KV593 & 614
Talich Quartet and Karel Rehak
Classical - Released by La Dolce Volta on 1 Sep 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart : String Quintets KV516 & 515
Talich Quartet and Karel Rehak
Classical - Released by La Dolce Volta on 1 Sep 1995
Choc de ClassicaDiapason d'orDiapason d'or du siècle16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Johann Wenzel Kalliwoda : String Quartets Op. 61, 62, 90
Quartets - Released by La Dolce Volta on 1 Jan 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Dmitry Shostakovich : Piano Quintet in G Minor, Op.57 & String Quartet No.8
Talich Quartet and Yakov Kasman
Chamber Music - Released by La Dolce Volta on 1 Jan 2002
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Janacek - Schulhoff : String Quartets
Quartets - Released by La Dolce Volta on 1 Sep 2004
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Joseph Haydn : The Seven Last Words of Our Saviour On the Cross
Quartets - Released by La Dolce Volta on 1 Sep 1995
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Anton Dvorak : "American" String Quartet & "American" String Quintet
Talich Quartet and Jiri Zigmund
Chamber Music - Released by La Dolce Volta on 1 Sep 2002
Choc de Classica5 de Diapason16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 13 in B-Flat Major, Op. 130 & Great Fugue in B-Flat Major, Op. 133
Quartets - Released by La Dolce Volta on 26 May 2014
Choc de ClassicaDiapason d'or16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Anton Dvorak : String Quintets Op. 81, Op. 97
Quartets - Released by La Dolce Volta on 1 Jan 1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Smetana & Fibich : String Quartets
Quartets - Released by La Dolce Volta on 1 Sep 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: The Complete String Quartets
Classical - Released by La Dolce Volta on 1 Jan 1983
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo