Lecture Recital with Walter Levin
Walter Levin was born and raised in Berlin, but emigrated to Palestine in 1938. In 1946 he began studying the violin under Ivan Galamian at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. He was the founder and first violinist of the LaSalle Quartet (1946-1988) and went on tours with this ensemble throughout the world. When the LaSalle Quartet ended its concert activity after more than 40 years, Levin turned to the teaching of young quartet ensembles and worked as a teacher and author in Europe. The Artis Quartet (Peter Schuhmayer and Johannes Meissl, violins; Herbert Kiefer, viola; Othmar Müller, violoncello) was founded at the Vienna Musikhochschule in 1980. The ensemble studied in Vienna and in Cincinnati with the LaSalle Quartet. After winning many awards at the beginning of the 1980s, the group began its international career. The Artis Quartet has been giving its own concert series at the Vienna Musikverein since 1988.
Bach/ Mozart, Fugues from “The Well-Tempered Clavier”, Part II, No. 5,7,8 and 9 K: 405/2-5 (Version for String Quartet) (Mozartwoche 2001)
The Artis Quartet was founded at the Vienna Musikhochschule in 1980. The ensemble studied in Vienna and Cincinnati with the LaSalle Quartet. After many awards at the beginning of the 1980s, the group began its international career, which has taken it to the major musical venues of the world. The Artis Quartet has been giving its own concert series at the Vienna Musikverein since 1988. This work was recorded at the Salzburg “Mozartwoche” 2001. The ensemble chose some rarely heard works by Mozart for its program, including these four four-part fugues by Bach in arrangements by Mozart (K. 405).
Mozart/Wendt, Extracts from “Don Giovanni” K.527 (Version for String Quartet) (Mozartwoche 2001)
The Artis Quartet was founded at the Vienna Musikhochschule in 1980. The ensemble studied in Vienna and Cincinnati with the LaSalle Quartet. After many awards at the beginning of the 1980s, the group began its international career, which has taken it to the major musical venues of the world. The Artis Quartet has been giving its own concert series at the Vienna Musikverein since 1988. This work was recorded at the Salzburg “Mozartwoche” 2001. The ensemble chose some rarely heard works by Mozart for its program: four four-part fugues by Bach in arrangements by Mozart (K. 405), and the composer’s own string-quartet arrangements of numbers from his opera “Don Giovanni”.
Haydn, String Quartet in G minor, Hob.III:74 op.74/3 “Reiter-Quartett” (with addition) (Mozartwoche 2001)
The Artis Quartet was founded at the Vienna Musikhochschule in 1980. The ensemble studied in Vienna and Cincinnati with the LaSalle Quartet. After many awards at the beginning of the 1980s, the group began its international career, which has taken it to the major musical venues of the world. The Artis Quartet has been giving its own concert series at the Vienna Musikverein since 1988. This work was recorded at the Salzburg “Mozartwoche” 2001. Here the ensemble plays Haydn’s String Quartet in G minor Hob. III:74, one of the quartets which Haydn wrote for his second London visit in 1794. This work was conceived above all to show off the performers’ skill and virtuosity rather than to explore innovative harmonies and structures.