Virtuoso Quartet

The Virtuoso String Quartet was a British quartet, founded by the Gramophone Company (better known as HMV) in 1924 ^[1] to be the first such quartet established specifically for recording.^[2] In effect they displaced the Catterall Quartet from their position recording for HMV.^[3]

Marjorie Hayward led them for the 15 years of their life.^[4] Raymond Jeremy and Cedric Sharpe previously performed in the Philharmonic Quartet.

Personnel

• Marjorie Hayward, first violin
• Edwin Virgo, second violin
• Raymond Jeremy, viola
• Cedric Sharpe, cello

Concerts

1926/10: The first Bradford Festival of Chamber Music.^[5] Brahms sextet op36;^[6] Schoenberg Verklärte Nacht

1926/12/11: St. Martin-in-the-Fields. Debussy quartet G minor; Mozart quartet in E flat (K.v. 428) ^[7]

1927/6: John B. McEwen: two quartets

1927/10: Second Bradford Festival

1927/9/28, 1927/10/12&26: Aeolian Hall, London

1927: Wigmore Hall, London. Bax: Quartet 2, Oboe quintet, Piano quintet ^[8]

1928/3/13, Town Hall, Chelsea: Chelsea Music Club 36th concert ^[9]

1928/10/23: Town Hall, Oxford: Ravel ^[10]

1928/11/22: Town Hall, Oxford

1930/3/26 Wigmore Hall: Bax ^[11]

1930 As part of the Celtic Congress, University College concert hall, London; concert included work by John McCormack, the Welsh soprano Megan Foster, and the cellist, Beatrice Harrison ^[12]

Acoustic recordings (4 sets; all premiere recordings)

Beethoven: no 8, E minor (Op. 59/2): late 1924

Tchaikovsky Quartet 1 in D, Op. 11: 1923

Franck: String Quartet in D: Premiere recording (1925) ^[13]

Bridge Three Idylls: 1923.^[14]

Electrical recordings (6 sets and some singles)

Ravel: quartet; Introduction and Allegro with John Cockerill, harpist.

Borodin: Nocturne

Debussy: Quartet G minor

Beethoven: No.9 in C Op.59/3

Beethoven: No.6 in Bb Op.18/6.

Glazounov: Orientale: 1928

Thomas: Mignon Gavotte 1928; HMV B 2784 ^[15]

Press Notices

"From the London station [BBC] we have had many good things during the past month, the pick being the Virtuoso Quartet in Mozart and Debussy…" ^[16]

"Good as these Budapest party records are [Haydn op76/1, HMV D1075-7], they are beaten all round by those of the Virtuoso Quartet in Debussy's G minor… For vividness and sonority this is surely among the finest achievements of the [Gramophone] Company".^[17]

"… distinguished themselves as virile performers of Beethoven… put up so excellent a show [in Ravel]" ^[18]

References