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The
Fitzwilliam Quartet first drew international acclaim for its performances and recordings of the 15 string quartets of
Shostakovich. Having met the composer in his last years, the
Fitzwilliam players became instrumental in gaining currency for the
Shostakovich quartets, becoming the first to record them complete (in a series originally released on L'oiseau-Lyre LPs 1975-1979) and reissued later on Decca CDs. But the
Fitzwilliam Quartet has hardly limited itself to
Shostakovich or early 20th century fare, as its repertory has encompassed works by
J.S. Bach,
Haydn,
Mozart,
Beethoven,
Schubert,
Schumann, and a spate of British composers that includes
Vaughan Williams, Delius,
Warlock,
Finzi, and
Bliss. The
Fitzwilliam Quartet's recordings are available mostly on Decca and Linn Records.
The
Fitzwilliam Quartet was formed in 1968 by four Cambridge University students: Christopher Rowland and Jonathan Sparey (violins),
Alan George (viola), and Ioan Davies (cello). The four were mentored by founder/violinist in the
Griller Quartet, Sidney Griller (Royal Academy of Music), who was also instrumental in shaping the
Alberni, Coull,
Lindsay, and
Medici quartets.
There have been several changes over the years in the
Fitzwilliam: the 2011 personnel includes both Sparey and
George,
Lucy Russell (first violin), joining in 1988 and becoming leader in 1995; and
Heather Tuach (cello), joining in 2008, replacing Andrew Skidmore.
The
Fitzwilliam Quartet gave their first concert in 1969, and began their professional career upon appointment as quartet-in-residence at York University in 1971. The following year the
Fitzwilliam gave the western premiere of the 1970
Shostakovich Thirteenth Quartet, from parts sent by the composer. That same year the group met
Shostakovich, and he entrusted the ensemble to give the western premieres of his last two quartets.
The
Fitzwilliam Quartet served as quartet-in-residence at Warwick University from 1974-1977, and again at York University from 1977-1986. By the mid-'80s it was internationally acclaimed, and regularly toured Europe, the U.S., and elsewhere across the globe. In 2000 the ensemble began recording for Linn Records, its first effort being
Haydn's Seven Last Words. The
Fitzwilliam's concert tours in the new century have included South Africa (2001), Russia (2004), and U.S., Spain, and Switzerland (2006).
In 2009-2010 it served as artist-in-residence at the Ryedale Music Festival (North Yorkshire, England) and at the Festival de l'Abbaye du Pin (France). Among its recordings is the 2007 Linn Records CD On Wenlock Edge, with tenor
James Gilchrist and other instrumentalists.