Repertoire

What made the Joachim Quartet so special?

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This is the big question. Since there are no recordings, we must rely on the account of witnesses, which are subjective. First, though, there are some relevant facts that should be taken into account: The many years that they played regularly together. Three of the four played together for 28 years, from 1879-1907. The turnover was … Read more

Robert Hausmann and the Schumann Cello Concerto

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Hausmann first performed the Schumann Cello Concerto in Leipzig on January 29, 1879. His previous concerto performances had been of more popular-style, now-forgotten works (Lindner, Dressler, Raff). He played it in London the following year, for the first time since Piatti had played it on a Music Society concert in 1866. Although the reviews were … Read more