Dvořák A., Martinů B., Mozart W.A. String Quartets / M.Nostitz Quartet

Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904) - String Quartet in A flat major, No.14 Op.105

1. I. Adagio. Allegro apassionatto 8:25

2. II. Molto vivace 6:11

3. III. Lento e molto cantabile 8:11

4. IV. Allegro, non tanto 10:15

Bohuslav Martinů (1890-1959) - String Quartet No 2 H 150

5. I. Moderato 7:27

6. II. Andante 6:01

7. III. Allegro 6:05

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) - String Quartet in F major, K590

8. I. Allegro moderato 8:44

9. II. Andante 5:51

10. III. Menuetto. Allegretto 3:44

11. IV. Allegro 4:53

total time: 1:15:50

M. Nostitz Quartet: Petr Bernášek - 1st violin, Martin Kos - 2nd violin, Pavel Hořejší - viola, Petr Šporcl - cello

The M.Nostitz Quartet was established in October 1994 during their studies at the Academy of Music in Prague in the class of Dr Vaclav Bernášek (Kocian Quartet). Following their graduation they continued postgraduate studies at Hochschule fur Musik und Darstellende Kunst in Vienna (Austria ) with Prof.Gunter Pichler and Prof. Tomas Kakuska (Alban Berg Quartet). During this time the ensemble participated several times in masterclasses of chamber music in Austrian Reichenau under the guidiance of Norbert Brainin, Sigmund Nissel (Amadeus Quartet) and members of the Bartok Quartet. Following their award of first piize in the competition Charles Hennen Concours in Heerlen (Holland) in 1997, the M.Nostitz Quartet was invited to participate in Orlando Festival in Kerkrade, where they met Martin Lovett (Amadeus Quartet) and Stefan Metz (Orlando Quartet) and other famous musicians. In 1997 the quartet visited Japan for the first time performing in the Partnership Days of Cities Prague-Kyoto. Since then they have regularly participated in concert tours of Japan, co- operating with a number of Japanese soloists.

1998 brought further successes in international competitions for the quartet. After being awarded the Second Prize and the Laureate Title in the international competition of Prague Spring in Prague there followed the First Prize in the international competition of string quartets in Cremona (Italy), which was held under the auspices of the Rotary Club. The quartet plays regularly in Germany and Spain and has also had concert tours in various countries in Europe including Great Britain, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Italy and Greece. In addition they have had successful tours in the USA, China and Oman. Recently we would like to mention their successful presentation of the Czech Quartet School which was part of the Days of Czech Music in Dresden (Germany). The quartet has also lectured and performed during the summer classes of chamber music during the Divertimenti in Corfu in September 2005 on the Greek island Corfu.

The year 2006 was significant not only for a number of domestic and foreign concerts, but also for recordings. In the autumn they released their latest CD together with the flute-player Jan Ostrý, performing string and flute quartets of J a k u b J a n R y b a. At the begining of 2007 the Nostitz together with the Kocian Quartet made an extensive tour in Spain where the concert programmes included string octets of Felix Mendelssohn Bartoldy and Luis Spohr. The Quartet has been using its name since 1996 with the kind permission of countess Mathilde Nostitz-Rieneck,whose family belonged to the famous patrons of arts in the 18th and 19th centuries.