Listening to the Takács Quartet is guaranteed to be a highlight of the musical year, and this recording easily exceeds all expectations.
The ‘American’ quintet dates from Dvořák’s visit in the New World. The string quartet is from his return to old-world Prague. Both are marvellous works, sounding here every bit the masterpieces they undoubtedly are.
Dvorak is a master of painting a melody of the Nature he is describing to us. The Quintet features references to American music which the composer heard during his extensive time he spent in the US.
Dvorak set out for the United States on 15 September 1892 together with his wife Anna and two of his children. Dvořák died at age 63 in Prague.
The Takács Quartet was formed in 1975 at the Franz Liszt Academy in Budapest by Gabor Takács-Nagy, Károly Schranz, Gabor Ormai and András Fejér, while all four were students. It first received international attention in 1977, winning First Prize and the Critics’ Prize at the International String Quartet Competition in Evian, France.
After several changes of personnel, the most recent addition is second violinist Harumi Rhodes, following Károly Schranz’s retirement in April 2018. The group is now the Resident Quartet at the University of Colorado in Boulder, Colorado.
Here are members of the Takacs Quartet in a performance of the “American” quartet by Dvorak:
