Borodin Quartet

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Borodin Quartet
String Quartet
Active 1945present day
Members
First violin Ruben Aharonian
previously Mikhail Kopelman until 1996
  Rostislav Dubinsky until 1976
Second violin Andrei Abramenkov
previously Yaroslav Alexandrov until 1974
  Nina Barshai until 1953
  Vladimir Rabei until 1947
Viola Igor Naidin
previously Dmitri Shebalin until 1996
  Rudolf Barshai until 1953
Cello Valentin Berlinsky

The Borodin Quartet is a string quartet that was founded in 1945 in the former Soviet Union. It is one of the world's longest lasting string quartets, marking its 60th anniversary season in 2005.

It was originally known as the Moscow Philharmonic Quartet. In 1955 the quartet was renamed after Alexander Borodin, one of the founders of Russian chamber music.

The quartet had a close relationship with composer Dmitri Shostakovich, who personally consulted with them on each of his quartets. They also performed with the pianist Sviatoslav Richter on many occasions.

Its recordings include numerous works by many various composers on the Russian Melodiya , Teldec, Virgin, Chandos labels. They have also recorded all Shostakovich's string quartets and all Beethoven quartets.

Their programs also include works by Weinberg (a Shostakovich pupil) and Nikolai Myaskovsky's Quartet No. 13 in A minor.

In later years, the quartet has played programs entirely dedicated to Beethoven and Shostakovich.

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