Emerson String Quartet Explained

Emerson String Quartet
Background:classical_ensemble
Alias:The Emerson Quartet
Origin:New York City, United States
Instrument:2 violins, 1 viola, 1 cello
Genre:Classical
Occupation:String quartet
Years Active:1976–2023
Label:Deutsche Grammophon, New World, Sony Classical
Current Members:Eugene Drucker
Philip Setzer
Lawrence Dutton
Paul Watkins
Past Members:Guillermo Figueroa, Jr.
Eric Wilson
David Finckel

The Emerson String Quartet, also known as the Emerson Quartet,[1] was an American string quartet initially formed as a student group at the Juilliard School in 1976. It was named for American poet and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson and began touring professionally in 1976.[2] The ensemble taught in residence at The Hartt School in the 1980s and is currently the quartet in residence at Stony Brook University.[3] Both of the founding violinists studied with Oscar Shumsky at Juilliard, and the two alternated as first and second violinists for the group. The Emerson Quartet was one of the first such ensembles with the two violinists alternating chairs.[4]

The Emerson Quartet was inducted into the Classical Music Hall of Fame in 2010.[5], they had released more than thirty albums and won nine Grammy Awards, as well as the prestigious Avery Fisher Prize in 2004.[6] [7] [8] In 2017, the Emerson String Quartet Institute became part of the College of Arts and Sciences at Stony Brook University. The institute enables members of the current quartet and the quartet's former cellist David Finckel to mentor and coach student string quartets.[9]

In August 2021, the quartet announced its plan to disband at the end of the 2022–2023 season in order to focus on teaching and solo work.[10] In the final season of concerts in 2022-23, the quartet gave farewell performances throughout North America and Europe. The final performance of the quartet took place on Sunday, October 22, 2023, in New York City, featuring a program of Beethoven's Op. 130 string quartet (with its original ending, the Grosse Fuge, Op. 133) and Schubert's string quintet D. 956. The performance was filmed by Tristan Cook for a planned documentary.[11] [12]

Members

The members of the group at the time of its retirement were: Eugene Drucker and Philip Setzer, violin; Lawrence Dutton, viola (since 1977); and Paul Watkins, cello (since 2013).[13]

Previous members were: Guillermo Figueroa, Jr., viola (1976–1977); Eric Wilson, cello (1976–1979); and David Finckel, cello (1979–2013).[14]

History

In the early 1980s, Deutsche Grammophon chose the Emerson Quartet to begin a series of recordings of the string quartet literature to be released on the new CD digital format. Cellist David Finckel called this a "huge break" for the ensemble, allowing it to develop a worldwide audience for its performances.[15]

Instruments

In addition to using their Stradivarius instruments, the Emerson quartet own instruments by Samuel Zygmuntowicz which they often favour in larger halls as they believe they have better projection. Violinist Eugene Drucker even says of his modern violin "In a large space like Carnegie Hall, the Zygmuntowicz is superior to my Strad. It has more power and punch."[16]

Awards and recognition

Grammy Award for Best Chamber Music Performance

Grammy Award for Best Classical Album

Gramophone Classical Music Awards

In 2002 the Quartet were the Music Directors of the Ojai Music Festival. They also played for the Oscar nominated short film, The Little Match Girl. They have also won the Avery Fisher Prize, and in 2010, were inducted into the Classical Music Hall of Fame, with a ceremony held in 2011. In January 2015, the Quartet received the Richard J. Bogomolny National Service Award, the highest award in the classical chamber music world.[17]

Recordings

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Church, Michael. "Emerson String Quartet, St John’s, Smith Square, London, review: Thrilling performance of ineffable Beethoven fugue", The Independent (November 6, 2017).
  2. Web site: Emerson String Quartet. hope.edu. 27 May 2014.
  3. Web site: History of The Hartt School. hartford.edu. 27 May 2014.
  4. Web site: Emerson String Quartet. Carnegie Hall. January 16, 2014.
  5. Web site: View Inductees: Emerson String Quartet. classicalwalkoffame.org. 27 May 2014.
  6. Web site: Emerson String Quartet. smithsonianassociates.org. 24 May 2014.
  7. Web site: Huizenga. Tom. The Emerson Quartet At (Le) Poisson Rouge. NPR.org. NPR.org. 24 May 2014.
  8. Book: Dischel, Robert S. . 2000 . Converging Lines: The Extraordinary Story of the Emerson String Quartet's First 25 Years . London . Risk Waters Group . 1-899332-68-5.
  9. Web site: Emerson String Quartet Institute . Stony Brook University, New York . . 2023-07-08.
  10. News: Hernández . Javier C. . Celebrated String Quartet Will Disband, Ending 47-Year Run . 4 September 2021 . The New York Times . 26 August 2021.
  11. Web site: Announcing the Final Farewell concerts: October 21-22, 2023 . The Emerson Quartet . 2023-07-05 . . 2023-07-08.
  12. Web site: Emerson String Quartet: Farewell Performance . The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center . . 2023-07-08.
  13. Web site: Emerson String Quartet Announces Departure Of Cellist David Finckel | Emerson String Quartet . Emersonquartet.com . February 14, 2012. March 10, 2012.
  14. Web site: Emerson Quartet to retire in 2023 . The Strad . 9 December 2022.
  15. Web site: May . Thomas . The Emerson String Quartet Celebrates 40 Years . 28 September 2016 . 27 April 2020 . September 28, 2016.
  16. Web site: 5 World Class Soloists Actively Promoting Violin Making MyLuthier Blog . 2022-08-08 . www.myluthier.co . en.
  17. Web site: Emerson String Quartet Set to Receive Richard J. Bogomolny National Service Award. Emerson String Quartet. January 16, 2015.

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