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").
© James Manheim /TiVo
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Beethoven: Opp. 59 No. 1, 74
Classical - Released by La Dolce Volta on Sep 1, 1980
Choc de ClassicaDiapason d'or16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Opp. 130, 59 No. 2
Classical - Released by La Dolce Volta on Sep 1, 1980
Choc de ClassicaDiapason d'or16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bartók: String Quartets
Chamber Music - Released by Supraphon a.s. on Sep 4, 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Boccherini - Haydn - Mendelssohn - Mica : 4 String Quartets
Classical - Released by La Dolce Volta on Oct 1, 1985
Choc de Classica16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Debussy & Ravel: String Quartets
Chamber Music - Released by Supraphon a.s. on Jan 1, 1988
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
"American" String Quartet in F Major, Op. 96 & "American" String Quintet in E-Flat Major, Op. 97
Classical - Released by La Dolce Volta on Sep 1, 2002
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart & Brahms: Quintets for Clarinet and Strings
Talich Quartet, Philippe Cuper
Classical - Released by La Dolce Volta on Sep 1, 1996
5 de Diapason16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Smetana: the 2 String Quartets
Talich Quartet, Radoslav Kvapil
Classical - Released by La Dolce Volta on Sep 1, 1984
Choc de ClassicaDiapason d'or16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Haydn, Martinů, Stravinsky and Míča: String Quartets
Chamber Music - Released by Supraphon a.s. on Jan 1, 1993
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bedrich Smetana : The 2 String Quartets
Talich Quartet and Radoslav Kvapil
Classical - Released by La Dolce Volta on Sep 1, 1984
Choc de ClassicaDiapason d'or16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Boccherini, Haydn, Mendelssohn, Mica: 4 String Quartets
Classical - Released by La Dolce Volta on Oct 1, 1985
Choc de Classica16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bartók: String Quartets No. 1 & No. 5
Lounge - Released by Collins Classics on Feb 27, 1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Ceremuga: III. String Quartet, Dvořáček: I, Too, Am America!, Quintet for Brasses
Miroslav Kejmar, Jiri Pokorny, Talich Quartet, The Prague Brass Soloists
Classical - Released by Supraphon a.s. on Aug 5, 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Týden nové tvorby 1976 (Live)
Jiri Pokorny, Milan Malý, Talich Quartet, Quintet ´74, Prague Radio Chorus
Classical - Released by SUPRAPHON a.s. on Oct 27, 2023
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bartók: String Quartets No. 2 & 6
Lounge - Released by Collins Classics on Apr 22, 1991
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Smetana: String Quartets - Suk: Meditation on an Old Czech Hymn
Lounge - Released by Collins Classics on Feb 9, 1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo