Végh Quartet
| Company type | Musical ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Classical music, chamber music |
| Founded | 1940 |
| Founder | Sándor Végh |
| Defunct | 1980 |
| Headquarters | Budapest (until 1946), Paris (from 1946) , Hungary (until 1946), France (from 1946) |
Key people | Sándor Végh (first violinist and director) |
| Products | String quartet performances and recordings |
The Végh Quartet was a distinguished Hungarian ensemble specializing in string quartet performances, established in 1940 and directed by first violinist Sándor Végh for four decades. Initially based in Budapest until 1946, the quartet earned acclaim particularly for their interpretations of Beethoven’s string quartets—recorded twice, once in mono during 1952 and again in stereo between 1972 and 1974—as well as for their renditions of Bartók’s complete quartet cycles. The group ceased activities in 1980.
Personnel
Between 1940 and 1978, the ensemble’s members were:
- Sándor Végh (violin)
- Sándor Zöldy (violin)
- Georges Janzer (viola)
- Paul Szabo (cello)
In 1978, the lineup changed with Philipp Naegele taking over Zöldy’s position and Bruno Giuranna succeeding Janzer.
Origins
Sándor Végh, who studied under Jenő Hubay and Zoltán Kodály at the Budapest Academy of Music, previously led the Hungarian Quartet from 1935 to 1937 before founding the Végh Quartet in 1940. The original formation premiered Bartók's Fifth Quartet, worked closely with the composer, and toured major Western European cities by 1938.
The ensemble remained stationed in Budapest throughout World War II but moved to Paris in 1946. That same year, they secured the Grand Prix at Geneva’s first international music festival. Their initial Beethoven recordings were produced in Boston, Massachusetts in 1952. The founding members stayed intact for nearly forty years until personnel changes occurred in 1978, shortly before the group disbanded two years later. Notably, violist Georges Janzer and cellist Eva Czako later joined the faculty at the Indiana University School of Music, where they collaborated with renowned artists such as Belgian violinist Arthur Grumiaux.
In 1958, the quartet undertook a significant tour across Southern Africa.
Recordings
- Beethoven Quartets, recorded in 1952 for Les Discophiles Français
- Kodály – String Quartet No. 2, Op. 10; Smetana – String Quartet No. 1 in E flat, both released in 1954 under Decca
- Mozart Quartets Nos. 14, 15, 17, 18, 21 & 23, studio sessions held in Paris during 1951–52 (Les Discophiles Français)
- Brahms – Quartet No. 1 Op. 51 No.1; Clarinet Quintet featuring Antoine-Pierre de Bavier
- Brahms – Quartets Nos. 2 & 3, recorded in 1954 (Decca Heritage)
- Bartók – Complete set of six quartets recorded twice: once mid-1950s and again in 1972 (Astrée)
- Complete Beethoven Quartets stereo recordings from 1972–74 (Telefunken)
- Schubert – Quartet No.15 in G major D887 (Orfeo)
Several early recordings were digitally remastered in 2008 by Dr John Duffy and Andrew Rose for Pristine Audio.
External links
- ProductID=651 at www.andante.com
- A Biographical notice
- Article on Sandor Vegh by Elizabeth Mortimer
- Review of Bartok recordings