Hungarian Treasures - Bartók, Dohnányi, Kodály Notos Quartett

• Ernst von Dohnányi (1877 - 1960): Piano Quartet No. 1 in F-Sharp Minor:
• 1 Piano Quartet No. 1 in F-Sharp Minor: I. Allegro moderato 12:17
• 2 Piano Quartet No. 1 in F-Sharp Minor: II. Adagio molto espressivo 04:27
• 3 Piano Quartet No. 1 in F-Sharp Minor: III. Scherzo. Allegretto vivace 03:53
• 4 Piano Quartet No. 1 in F-Sharp Minor: IV. Allegro con brio - Allegro moderato - Tempo I 08:10
• Zoltán Kodály (1882 - 1967): Intermezzo for String Trio:
• 5 Intermezzo for String Trio 05:30
• Béla Bartók ( 1881 - 1945): Piano Quartet in C Minor, Op. 20:
• 6 Piano Quartet in C Minor, Op. 20: I. Allegro 09:24
• 7 Piano Quartet in C Minor, Op. 20: II. Scherzo - Trio 06:10
• 8 Piano Quartet in C Minor, Op. 20: III. Adagio espressivo 05:34
• 9 Piano Quartet in C Minor, Op. 20: IV. Finale. Allegro vivace - Presto - Più allegro - Presto 07:42
• Total Runtime 01:03:07

Info for Hungarian Treasures - Bartók, Dohnányi, Kodály

A World Premiere Recording! Formed in Berlin as recently as 2007, the Notos Quartet presents the world-premiere recording of a work by Béla Bartók. For years the Hungarian composer’s Piano Quartet in C minor, op.20, was believed to be lost but was rediscovered following extensive research by the members of the ensemble, who prepared the present edition on the basis of the composer’s autograph score. In addition to this world-premiere recording, ‘Hungarian Treasures’ also features works by two other Hungarian composers who were friendly with Bartók: the First Piano Quartet in F sharp minor by Ernst von Dohnányi (1877–1960) and the Intermezzo for string trio by Zoltán Kodály (1882–1967).

Notos Quartett

The Notos Quartett
is regarded as one of the "outstanding chamber music formations of our time“ (Fono Forum 9/2017). Besides this piano quartet’s "virtuosic brilliance and technical perfection“ audiences and critics worldwide celebrate the Notos Quartett for its "sense of balance and ensemble playing revealing every detail of the composition“ and praise the musicians for their "profound musicality that goes straight to the heart“.

Since its foundation in 2007 the Notos Quartett has won six first prizes as well as numerous special prizes at international competitions in England, Holland, Italy and China. Above that in 2017 the quartet was awarded the ECHO Klassik as newcomer of the year, at the time a prestigious prize that in its history had only been given to ensembles on the rarest of occasions. As a reaction to the ECHO Pop committee’s decision in 2018 to honour an album containing antisemitic and inhumane language the musicians of the Notos Quartett were the first artists to return their ECHO. This triggered a protest movement that many renowned artists such as Igor Levit and Daniel Barenboim followed by returning their prizes. Subsequently the German music industry decided to abolish the brand ECHO completely.

The upcoming season includes concert tours to Australia, South Africa and Hong Kong as well as performances at concert halls such as the Konzerthaus Vienna, Tonhalle St. Gallen and Bruckner House Linz. Furthermore the ensemble will be premiering works dedicated to the Notos Quartett by Beat Furrer, Judit Varga and Bernhard Gander.

The Notos Quartett’s vision is to perform the well-known masterpieces, to reveal lost and forgotten treasures, and to champion the new compositions for the unique genre of the piano quartet. This is evident on the ensemble’s debut album „Hungarian Treasures“ released by Sony Classical/RCA in February of 2017. It includes the world premiere recording of Béla Bartók’s piano quartet, a rediscovery for which the ensemble receives international acclaim.

Numerous broadcasts of concerts, interviews and portraits on all major German cultural radio stations, German TV as well as the BBC, France Musique, Radio4 Holland, P2 Sweden, IPR USA and Radio and TV stations in Japan and Vietnam document the world-wide interest in the Notos Quartet and its extraordinary concert programmes.

In addition to appearances at major festivals and leading concert halls throughout Europe such as the Wigmore Hall London, Philharmonie Berlin, Konzerthaus Vienna, Wigmore Hall London, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, BOZAR Brussels, Tonhalle Zurich and Teatro la Fenice Venice as well as major festivals including Rheingau, Schwetzingen, Würzburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Usedom and Radio France the Notos Quartet regularly visits such exotic locations as Japan, China, Russia and Southeast Asia.

Besides its concert activities the Notos Quartett regards promoting the careers of young musicians as an important part of its work. Thus the ensemble has taught at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, lead the "Saigon Chamber Music“ Masterclass in Saigon in Vietnam and since autumn of 2015 holds the "Notos Chamber Music Academy“, which as of this year will be hosted by Jeunesses Musicales, the most prestigious institution for musical education in Germany.

The Alban Berg Quartet, Mandelring Quartet as well as Uwe-Martin Haiberg, Clemens Hagen, Menahem Pressler and András Schiff count amongst the quartet's mentors, teachers and supporters.

The support of the „Merito String Instruments Trust“ enables the Notos Quartett to play on highly prestigious instruments by old Italian masters and as Pirastro Artists exclusively on strings by the renowned string manufacturer „Pirastro GmbH“.

This album contains no booklet.