Borodin Quartet

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Borodin Quartet
Origin	Moscow, USSR
Genre(s)	Classical
Occupation(s)	Chamber ensemble
Years active	1945-present
Members
Ruben Aharonian (1st violin) Andrei Abramenkov (2nd violin) Igor Naidin (viola) Vladimir Balshin (violoncello)
Former members
Rostislav Dubinsky (1st violin, 1945-1976) Mikhail Kopelman (1st violin, 1976-1996) Vladimir Rabei (2nd violin, 1945-1947) Nina Barshai (2nd violin, 1947-1953) Yaroslav Alexandrov (2nd violin, 1953-1974) Rudolf Barshai (viola, 1945-1953) Dmitri Shebalin (viola, 1953-1996) Valentin Berlinsky (violoncello, 1945-2007)

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.