Description

ROTH STRING QUARTET

 

 

 

The Roth Quartet was founded by Feri Roth in Budapest in 1922. The group enjoyed a successful début in Paris in 1924, then set off on a tour of Europe and Africa, and re-organised into the line-up featured on this recording in 1928. All were Hungarians from Budapest. By 1937 they had given 750 concerts. A write-up in 1937 in the Gramophone stated they had ben described as worthy successors to the Joachim and Flonzaley quartets. On an invitation from Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge they undertook their first trip to the USA, at the Pittsfield (Massachusetts) Music Festival, following which they toured the USA, Canada and Mexico. Soon afterwards, because of the rise of fascism in Europe, they became permanent US residents. They gave concerts at the Library of Congress, and introduced many modern works to American audiences at concerts in New York and Washington. In 1937 the Roths joined the faculty of Westminster Choir College, Princeton University, New Jersey. However in 1939 the group was disbanded and re-formed by Feri Roth. After several more years of touring during which their reputation was continually enhanced, the new ensemble settled in Los Angeles and were appointed as the Chancellor’s String Quartet in Residence at UCLA. The Roths appeared at the Buffalo Chamber Music Society for most of the years 1929-1940. Among their very numerous engagements, they also played for the Community Arts Association of Santa Barbara, California, in 1930. The Quartet championed modern music and gave the first performance of many works. Outside university campuses, they continued to tour throughout the USA and Canada and also visited the UK. In 1969 the group was contracted to give a complete Beethoven quartet cycle, but the tour had to be cancelled owing to Feri Roth’s death.

Feri Roth, 1st violin; Jeno Antal, 2nd violin; Ferenc Molnár, viola; Janos Scholz, cello

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

1. Minuet from Quartet in D major Op. 76 No. 5 (Haydn) Columbia LX610 CAX7870, 1935-07-10
2. Quartet in A major K464 Part 1 First movement First part Allegro (Mozart) Columbia LX476 XCO17776, 1935-07-10
3. Quartet in A major K464 Allegro concl. First movement Part 2 (Mozart) Columbia LX476 XCO17777, 1935-07-10
4. Quartet in A major K464 Third movement Andante First part (Mozart) Columbia LX477 XCO17799, 1935-07-10
5. Quartet in A major K464 Third movement Andante Third part Part 6 (Mozart) Columbia LX478 XCO17801, 1935-07-10
6. Quartet in A major K464 Andante concl. Third movement Part 7 (Mozart) Columbia LX479 XCO17802, 1935-07-10
7. Quartet in A major K464 Fourth movement Finale Allegro non troppo (Mozart) Columbia LX479 XCO17945, 1935-07-10
8. Quartet in A major K464 Third movement Andante Second part Part 5 (Mozart) Columbia LX478 XCO17800, 1935-07-10

9. Quartet in C major (The Bird) Op.33 No.3 Part 1 First movement Allegro Allegro moderato Columbia LX538 XCO18401, 1935-12-19
10. Quartet in C major (The Bird) Op.33 No.3 Part 2 First movement Allegro moderato (Haydn) Columbia LX538 XCO18402, 1935-12-19
11. Quartet in C major (The Bird) Op.33 No.3 Part 3 Second movement Scherzando allegretto (Haydn) Columbia LX539 XCO18408, 1935-12-19
12. Quartet in C major (The Bird) Op.33 No.3 Part 4 Third movement Adagio First part (Haydn) Columbia LX539 XCO18409, 1935-12-19
13. Quartet in C major (The Bird) Op.33 No.3 Part 5 Third movement Adagio concl. (Mozart) Columbia LX540 XCO18410, 1935-12-19
14. Quartet in C major (The Bird) Op.33 No.3 Part 6 Fourth movement Finale Rondo Presto (Haydn) Columbia LX540 XCO18411, 1935-12-19

15. Quartet in F minor Op. 20 No. 5 First movement Allegro moderato Part 1 (Haydn) Columbia LX608 XCO18078, 1935-09-13
16. Quartet in F minor Op. 20 No. 5 (a) First movement – Allegro moderato conc. (b) Second movement – Menuetto (Haydn) Columbia LX608 XCO18079, 1935-09-13
17. Quartet in F minor Op. 20 No. 5 Third movement Adagio First part (Haydn) Columbia LX609 XCO18086, 1935-09-13
18. Quartet in F minor Op. 20 No. 5 (Haydn) Second movement Menuetto & Trio conc. Part 3 (Haydn) Columbia LX609 XCO18080, 1935-09-13
19. Quartet in F minor Op. 20 No. 5 (a) Third movement – Adagio concl. (b) Fourth movement – Finale ‘ Fuga a due Soggetti’ (Haydn) Columbia LX610 XCO18087, 1935-09-13