BIOGRAPHY THE WIHAN QUARTET has been described by International Record Review as: ‘one of the best CONWAY quartets in the world today.’ In 2015, the Quartet celebrated 30 years since its formation and over the years it has developed an outstanding reputation for the interpretation of its native Czech heritage, HALL and of the many classical, romantic and modern masterpieces of the repertoire. The SUNDAY Quartet’s recording of Dvorak Op. 34 and Op. 105 was chosen as a ‘Recording of the Year’ by MusicWeb International and BBC Music Magazine said of their Dvorák Op. 61 recording: ‘This is the finest recorded CONCERTS performance I have encountered to date’ The Wihan’s recent release of Schubert G Major received an ‘Outstanding’ from International Record Review and a ‘Recommended’ from The Strad. The Sunday Times said of the recording: ‘This is playing of the highest quality from the Czech quartet. Their tempo for the opening movement is unusually broad, which allows you to savour the full the harmonic richness Patrons of this extraordinary music.’ - Stephen Hough, Laura Ponsonby AGSM, Prunella Scales CBE, Roderick Swanston, Hiro Takenouchi and Timothy West CBE During the 2012/13 season the Quartet was Czech Chamber Music Society Resident Ensemble at the Artistic Director - Simon Callaghan Rudolfinum Dvorak Hall, Prague. In 2008 the Quartet completed the first ever cycle of Beethoven Quartets in Prague and also repeated this cycle at Blackheath Halls, London. This landmark series of Beethoven concerts in Prague was recorded for release on CD and DVD for Nimbus Alliance and received many accolades. The Wihan Quartet has won many International Competitions including The Prague Spring Festival and the Osaka ‘Chamber Festa’. In 1991, they won both the First Prize and the Sunday January 3rd 2016, 6:30pm Audience Prize in the London International String Quartet Competition. Since that time they have developed an impressive international career, which includes visits to major festivals in and the . They visit regularly and have had highly acclaimed tours of the United States, and . They are also frequent visitors to the UK.

The Quartet are the ‘Richard Carne Quartet in Residence’ at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London and also coach at the Royal Academy of Music, London. For several years they have WIHAN taught many of the UK’s gifted young quartets at Pro Corda in Suffolk and are also great supporters of the work of the CAVATINA Chamber Music Trust, which gives inspirational concerts and master classes to young people in many parts of the UK. QUARTET NEXT AT CONWAY HALL Sunday January 10th 2016, 6:30pm CARDUCCI QUARTET VIOLIN LEOS CEPICKY VIOLIN JAN SCHULMEISTER Haydn Quartet in A Op. 20/6 Shostakovich Quartet No. 4 in D Op. 83 VIOLA JAKUB CEPICKY Schumann Piano Quintet in E flat Op. 44 CELLO ALES KASPRIK (with Simon Callaghan, Piano)

Concert kindly supported by the CAVATINA Chamber Music Trust

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Conway Hall Sunday Concerts are an integral part of the charitable activities of Conway Hall. Please turn off all mobile phones and electronic devices. Conway Hall’s registered charity name is Conway Hall Ethical Society (n o . 1156033). No recording and photographing allowed at any time. PROGRAMME PROGRAMME NOTES

JANÁCEK QUARTET NO. 1 ‘KREUTZER SONATA’ (1923)

Leos Janácek (1854-1928) All three pieces in tonight’s concert were written by Czech composers from the 19th and 20th century, a period where nationalism expanded from its political shell and emerged as a musical movement. All QUARTET NO. 1 ‘KREUTZER SONATA’ (1923) three composers incorporated folk motifs of various national regions (from Slav to Moravia) as a way I. Adagio - con moto to emphasise their musical character and heritage. Leos Janácek’s Quartet No. 1 is the most musically progressive of tonight’s three works. Composed in 1923, the work’s inspiration stems from Leo Tolstoy’s II. Con moto novella ‘The Kreutzer Sonata’ (which was also inspired by Beethoven’s Ninth Violin Sonata dedicated III. Con moto - Vivo - Andante to Rodolphe Kreutzer). The piece also owes much to Beethoven, particularly the beginning of the third movement, which features a direct quote from Beethoven’s Violin Sonata. A highly distinctive and IV. Con moto - (Adagio) - Più mosso colourful work, Janácek crams a wealth of thematic ideas, dramatic effects and numerous techniques (notably sul ponticello, pizzicato and harmonics) and presents them in various ways under rapid dynamic changes and liberal tempo transitions to convey an all-embracing sense of drama, as Tolstoy did in his writing.

Bedrich Smetana (1824-84) NO. 1 IN E MINOR ‘FROM MY LIFE’ (1876) QUARTET NO. 1 IN E MINOR ‘FROM MY LIFE’ (1876) Smetana is widely recognised as “the Father of Czech music”, yet ironically, he is perhaps a lesser-known figure in the classical repertoire, mainly due to the greater success Dvorák achieved on the same stage. I. Allegro vivo appassionato His first String Quartet (subtitled “From My Life”) is a work of personal significance. After becoming II. Allegro moderato à la Polka deaf, Smetana moved from Prague to Jabkenice, and despite his health he sought to compose the quartet, and the piece received its premiere two years after it was completed (featuring Dvorák on III. Largo sostenuto viola). A highly programmatic piece, he expressed: “My intention was to paint a tone picture of my life”. IV. Vivace The first movement puts a spotlight on the opening viola passage that foreshadows a sense of tragedy, highlighted by descending intervals, along with a restless wave of tremolos thought to represent the 1848 revolution that had affected Smetana greatly. A lyrical violin theme marked dolcissima settles in midway as the movement meanders through different tonalities and melodic variations until the drama of E minor returns in the coda. The Polka showcases an array of Bohemian folk dance motifs, not just in musical form but also the markings, most notably when the viola is asked to play its first solo “like a trumpet on the C string”. The Largo Sostenuto is a reminiscence of Smetana’s first love. A fantasia-like INTERVAL violin melody gushes throughout the movement, and a moment of euphoric sforzando chords asserts (15 mins) an emotional climax. The Vivace launches in E major, driving through a rondo-like momentum for the larger part, until two bars of silence cue shimmering lower string tremolos and a piercing harmonic in the first violin, a solemn presage of his deafness. The melancholy of E minor returns, as the sound gently dwindles away from the players, listeners and inevitably Smetana’s ears.

DVORÁK QUARTET IN E FLAT OP. 51 ‘SLAVONIC’ (1879) Antonín Dvorák (1841-1904) Commissioned by violinist Jean Becker from the then-famous Florentine Quartet, Antonín Dvorák QUARTET IN E FLAT OP. 51 ‘SLAVONIC’ (1879) composed the String Quartet No. 10, a year after the tremendous success of his first set of Slavonic I. Allegro ma non troppo Dances. Becker asked Dvorák to compose the quartet “in the Slavic style”, thus it is commonly known as the ‘Slavonic’ String Quartet. The melodic, harmonic and rhythmic material of this piece exudes a II. Dumka: Andante con moto - Vivace strong folk spirit, a testament to the work’s nationalistic façade. A fine first movement in sonata form III. Romanza: Andante con moto opens the quartet, with glimpses of Bohemian dance qualities embellishing the flow of the movement. The second movement marked ‘Dumka’ pronounces sudden contrasts between reflective and buoyant IV. Finale: Allegro assai material. A graceful Romanze follows, conveying great lyrical warmth and serenity, but quickly makes way for a vivacious Finale sprinting along with gushes of musical counterpoint under an exuberant folk momentum. Its strong folk-coloured melodies, its proliferation of original musical ideas and its fluid journey through different textures and moods make this piece captivating for listeners and equally Tonight’s performance will finish at approximately 8:15pm. enjoyable for players. Programme Notes (c) Isaku Takahashi 2016