Stanford String Quartet

The Stanford String Quartet was formed in 1984 as a special project of the Stanford University Department of Music.

Personnel

Faculty member and violinist Andor Toth became the first violinist. He was joined by Stanford faculty members [http://www.viola.com/zaslav/reviews.htm Bernard Zaslov] , viola and [http://www.ivesquartet.org/harrison.htm Stephen Harrison, cello] . Alternating as second violinists were [http://www.sfcm.edu/faculty/leybin.aspx Zoya Lebin] and Susan Frier.

1987-89 Season

The Quartet's 1987-88 season included the world premiere of Bathsheba and Her Suitors, a composition by Jose Bowen commissioned by jazz flutist [http://www.hubertlaws.com/bio.htm Hubert Laws] and the Stanford String Quartet.

1989-90 Season

The 1989-90 season was built around two compositions commissioned by the Quartet, String Quartet no. 9 by Ben Johnston, and the Tenth String Quartet by Stanford alumni William Bolcom, a faculty member at the University of Michigan. The Quartet also programmed these works on a national tour commemorating the 100th anniversary of the founding of Stanford University. The tour included performances at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington, DC and at Alice Tully Hall, New York City. The Quartet's New York City concert at Alice Tully Hall was reviewed on February 4, 1989 by John Rockwell, music critic for the New York Times. Rockwell said this of the Quartet: ". . . their playing epitomizes central European musicianship at its best: sensible, comfortable, unassuming . . ." [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE5DB1631F937A35751C0A96F948260&scp=1&sq=stanford+string+quartet&st=nyt]

ignature Recording

The Johnston and Bolcom quartets were recorded in 1991 by [http://www.laurelrecord.com/ Laurel Records] in Los Angeles, California, at Paramount Hall and Skywalker Hall. Also on this initial signature CD is the String Quartet by [http://www.presser.com/Composers/info.cfm?Name=MARCNEIKRUG Marc Neikrug] , "Stars the Mirror." This CD gave all three compositions their world premiere recording.

New personnel

After the retirement of Andor Toth in 1989, the members of the Quartet were [http://www.pacser.org/v1/performers/phillip_levy/ Phillip Levy] and Susan Freier, violins; [http://www.viola.com/zaslav/reviews.htm Bernard Zaslov] , viola; and [http://www.ivesquartet.org/harrison.htm Stephen Harrison, cello] . This quartet recorded a [http://www.musicandarts.com/CDpages/CD4823d.html CD] in 1993 that was released in 1994 on the Music & Arts label. The CD included compositions by Darius Milhaud, Frank Bridge, and Gabriel Faure.

References

* [http://www.laurelrecord.com/ Stanford String Quartet Plays Bolcom, Johnston, Neikrug]
* [http://williambolcom.com/index.php?contentID=1023 Bolcom Tenth String Quartet]
* [http://www.composers21.com/compdocs/johnstob.htm Ben Johnston]
* [http://lccn.loc.gov/2002567533 CD in Library of Congress catalog]
* [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE5DB1631F937A35751C0A96F948260&scp=1&sq=stanford+string+quartet&st=nyt New York Times review of the Stanford String Quartet]
* [http://www.laurelrecord.com/ Laurel Records]