The Ševčík-Lhotský String Quartet was a well-known

Czech Czech may refer to: * Anything from or related to the Czech Republic, a country in Europe ** Czech language ** Czechs, the people of the area ** Czech culture ** Czech cuisine * One of three mythical brothers, Lech, Czech, and Rus *Czech (surnam ...

musical ensemble A musical ensemble, also known as a music group, musical group, or a band is a group of people who perform Instrumental music, instrumental and/or vocal music, with the ensemble typically known by a distinct name. Some music ensembles consist ...

that was founded as the Ševčík Quartet at

Warsaw Warsaw, officially the Capital City of Warsaw, is the capital and List of cities and towns in Poland, largest city of Poland. The metropolis stands on the Vistula, River Vistula in east-central Poland. Its population is officially estimated at ...

in 1903 that continued to the 1930s.

Personnel

The founding members of the quartet were: 1st violin: Bohuslav Lhotský
2nd violin: Karel Procházka
viola: Karel Moravec
violoncello: Bedrich Váska (until 1911), succeeded by Ladislav Zelenka (until 1914), and by Antonio Fingerland.

Origins

Bohuslav Lhotský, Karel Procházka and Karel Moravec were all pupils of the Czech violin teacher

Otakar Ševčík Otakar Ševčík (22 March 185218 January 1934) was a Czechs, Czech violinist and influential teacher. He was known as a Solo (music), soloist and an Musical ensemble, ensemble player, including his occasional performances with Eugène Ysaÿe. ...

(b. 1852), who had control of the violin department at the

Prague Conservatory The Prague Conservatory () is a public music school in Prague, Czech Republic, founded in 1808. Currently, the school offers four- or six-year courses, which can be compared to the level of a high school diploma in other countries. Graduates c ...

between 1892 and 1901. The master's method was based on the semitone system, the fingers remaining at equal distances on all the strings during the technical studies, leading to great safety, precision and fluency in performance. Following the success of his pupil Jan Kubelík, his students gathered in great numbers at his residence at

Písek Písek (; ) is a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 31,000 inhabitants. The town is known for the oldest bridge in the country. The historic town centre is well preserved and is protected as an urban monument z ...

. This quartet was the later counterpart of the Bohemian or Czech Quartet, which was formed by four pupils of the Prague cello professor

Hanuš Wihan Hanuš Wihan (5 June 1855 – 1 May 1920) was a Czech cellist. Some considered him the greatest of his time. He was strongly associated with the works of Antonín Dvořák, whose Cello Concerto in B minor, Rondo in G minor, and the short pie ...

a decade previously. They gave the premiere of

Bohuslav Martinů Bohuslav Jan Martinů (; December 8, 1890 – August 28, 1959) was a Czech composer of modern classical music. He wrote 6 symphony, symphonies, 15 operas, 14 ballet scores and a large body of orchestral, chamber music, chamber, vocal and ins ...

's first string quartet in 1927.Simon, Robert (compiler) (2014), ''Bohuslav Martinů: A Research and Information Guide'', p.36.

Recordings

(as 'Sevcikovo-Lhotskeho Quartet') * Dvořák: Quartet no 6 in F major op 96 (

His Master's Voice His Master's Voice is an entertainment trademark featuring a dog named Nipper, curiously peering into the horn of a wind-up gramophone. Painted by Francis Barraud in 1898, the image has since become a global symbol used across consumer elect ...

78rpm European issue, AN 332-334). * Smetana: Quartet no 1 in E minor (HMV 78 rpm European issue, AN 326-329). * Glazunov: Quartet no 4 in A minor op 64, Scherzo (HMV 78rpm, European, AN 339). *

Borodin Alexander Porfiryevich Borodin (12 November 183327 February 1887) was a Russian Romantic composer and chemist of Georgian–Russian parentage. He was one of the prominent 19th-century composers known as " The Five", a group dedicated to prod ...

: Quartet no 2, Nocturne (HMV 78rpm, European, AN 339).

References

Sources

* A. Eaglefield-Hull, ''A Dictionary of Modern Music and Musicians'' (Dent, London 1924). * R.D. Darrell, ''The Gramophone Shop Encyclopedia of Recorded Music'' (New York 1936). Czech string quartets Musical groups established in 1903 1903 establishments in Poland 1903 establishments in the Russian Empire {{Classical-ensemble-stub