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| Emperor Quartet | |
|---|---|
| Name | Emperor Quartet |
| Origin | Vienna, Austria |
| Genre | Classical music |
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Labels | Deutsche Grammophon, EMI Classics |
| Associated acts | Vienna Philharmonic, Amadeus Quartet, Alban Berg Quartet |
Emperor Quartet
The Emperor Quartet is a string quartet ensemble founded in Vienna that became known for interpretations of Classical and Romantic repertoire. The ensemble gained prominence through performances at venues such as the Wiener Musikverein, tours to the Carnegie Hall, and collaborations with soloists from the Berlin Philharmonic and the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Their repertoire emphasizes works by composers of the Viennese Classical and Austro-German traditions while also embracing contemporary commissions from living composers associated with institutions like the Royal Academy of Music and the Juilliard School.
The ensemble was formed in 1989 by conservatory graduates from the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and quickly affiliated with the Mozarteum University Salzburg and the Konservatorium der Stadt Wien. Early residency engagements included the Schubertiade Hohenems and the Salzburg Festival, where they performed alongside artists linked to the Gidon Kremer circle and members of the Amadeus Quartet tradition. Across the 1990s the quartet expanded its touring footprint to include festival appearances at the Aix-en-Provence Festival, the Edinburgh Festival, and the Lucerne Festival, prompting recording contracts with labels such as Deutsche Grammophon and EMI Classics. The ensemble has weathered personnel changes while maintaining artistic continuity through consulting relationships with professors from the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler and mentorship from members of the Alban Berg Quartet.
Original members trained under teachers affiliated with the Curtis Institute of Music and the Royal College of Music. The quartet's first violin chair has been held by players drawn from orchestras including the Vienna Philharmonic and the Orchestre de Paris; second violinists have included alumni of the Berlin University of the Arts and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Viola positions were often filled by graduates of the Juilliard School and the Cleveland Institute of Music, while cellists have come from ensembles such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Guest artists who have collaborated with the ensemble include soloists associated with the London Symphony Orchestra, the New York Philharmonic, and the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia.
The quartet's core repertoire spans composers central to the Viennese Classical canon—Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, and Ludwig van Beethoven—and extends through the Romanticism of Franz Schubert, Felix Mendelssohn, and Johannes Brahms. They are also noted for performances of 20th-century works by Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg, and Anton Webern, reflecting Vienna's Second Viennese School. Contemporary commissions have come from composers linked to the Royal College of Music and the Institute for Advanced Study, including pieces premiered at the Donaueschingen Festival and the Warsaw Autumn festival. Critics highlight the quartet's refined phrasing, attention to period-informed articulation associated with practitioners from the Historically Informed Performance movement, and harmonic clarity reminiscent of ensembles such as the Takács Quartet and the Brandenburg Quartet.
The ensemble's discography includes complete cycles and thematic albums released on Deutsche Grammophon and EMI Classics, featuring the string quartets of Beethoven, the late quartets of Schubert, and rare quartets by Michael Haydn and Franz Xaver Wolfgang Mozart. Their recordings have been broadcast on networks like BBC Radio 3, ORF, and NPR and have been included in serialized programming by the Music of the Baroque ensemble. Performance highlights include residencies at the Konzerthaus Berlin, sold-out tours across North America including venues such as Carnegie Hall and Roy Thomson Hall, and chamber series appearances at the Lincoln Center and the Royal Albert Hall. The quartet has also engaged in cross-disciplinary projects with institutions like the Ballet National de Marseille and the Vienna State Opera.
The ensemble has received awards from competitions and institutions including the ARD International Music Competition, the Leeds International Piano Competition chamber prizes (as part of chamber outreach awards), and honors from the Austrian Ministry for Arts and the City of Vienna cultural program. Their recordings have been nominated for Gramophone Awards and have won industry recognitions such as the Diapason d'Or and awards bestowed by the International Classical Music Awards. The quartet has also been granted residencies and fellowships by the Kunststiftung NRW and the Künstlerhaus Boswil.
The quartet's pedagogical activities include masterclasses at the Royal Academy of Music, the Juilliard School, and the Conservatoire de Paris, influencing younger ensembles such as quartets emerging from the Britten-Pears Young Artists Programme and graduates of the Helsinki Sibelius Academy. Their interpretations of late Beethoven and Schubert quartets have become reference points cited in program notes at institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Bibliothèque nationale de France. Collaborations with composers and commissioners have contributed to the expansion of contemporary quartet literature, while their archival recordings are preserved in collections at the Austrian National Library and the Library of Congress.
Category:String quartets Category:Austrian musical groups