Fauré Quartett

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"Anyone who heard the Fauré Quartett perform will want to hear it again"
Martha Argerich

Dirk Mommertz, Piano
Erika Geldsetzer, Violin
Sascha Froembling, Viola
Konstantin Heidrich, Cello

The Fauré Quartett is today's leading European ensemble in this formation. The musicians founded the Fauré Quartett in 1995 taking this name out of appreciation for the composer's two piano quartet pieces. It did not take the quartet long to win top prizes and awards such as the Deutsche Schallplattenpreis and the Parkhouse Award in Great Britain. The Fauré Quartett has recently received the Echo Klassik Prize twice in a row for their consecutive CD releases of Brahms and Pop Songs, the only ensemble in history to do so.

Ten years later, the Fauré Quartett has climbed to the top as the only such German chamber ensemble. In 2006 they landed a contract with Deutsche Grammophone for the Mozart Anniversary to record the two Mozart piano quartets, followed by the Brahms, Pop Songs and Mendelssohn CDs.

The Fauré Quartett has performed on the most important international stages in London (Wigmore Hall), Berlin (Philharmonie), Amsterdam (Concertgebouw), Hamburg (Musikhalle/Laeiszhalle), Rio de Janeiro (Sala Cecilia Meireles and Teatro Colón), and in Tokyo, Paris and Milan.

The quartet is also a regular guest at renowned festivals such as the Martha Argerich Festival Buenos Aires, Schleswig-Holstein-Musikfestival, Rheingau-Musik-Festival, Ludwigsburger Festspiele, Festival de Radio France et Montpellier, the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival, Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Kissinger Sommer, to name a few. The Fauré Quartett has toured extensively in Western and Eastern Europe, Asia, Mexico, and is a welcome guest in South America, where the quartet has already traveled throughout this continent for the fifth time.

In January 2010, the Fauré Quartett embarked on the first US tour, appearing in 10 cities on prestigious concert series in Washington DC, Los Angeles, Calgary, Chicago, New York and Palm Beach, to name a few. The Los Angeles Times said "[They] played with refinement and grace."

Radio and television stations worldwide have broadcast programs featuring the quartet. Additional CD recordings were produced by ARS MUSICI, covering the works of G. Fauré, A. Dvorák, J. Suk, and Th. Kirchner.

The Fauré Quartett has maintained contact with the Karlsruhe Music Lyceum, where they are currently the Quartet in Residence, the first piano quartet to have received this honor. Their influential mentor has been the Alban Berg Quartett in Cologne. The members give regular chamber music courses.

Reviews

"The German foursome tackles two of the composer's quartets with extraordinary depth and dynamism" (Brahms CD) -Time Out Chicago

"Superlatively played by the eponymous musicians as well as being deeply moving" (Wigmore Hall, London) - ClassicalSource.com

"The playing is tremendously confident and assured, a confidence born of true musical understanding and an evident sympathy among the players with respect to ideas of interpretation" -Calgary Herald

"This was a performance of great finesse and sensitivity" -Napa Valley Register, San Francisco

"Chamber music making of the highest order!" - Radio Bremen

"Flawless precision and breathtaking musicality which is reflected in every phrase and each note" (Brahms CD) - Deutschland Radio

"Emotionally explosive... plenty of dynamism, musical style and a lithe animation of texture" - Daily Telegraph, London

"High on the classic chart with the interpretation of the Brahms piano quartets... new competition for Anna Netrebko and Co. on top of the charts" - Klassik Akzente

"The Fauré Quartett are supremely proficient" - Gramophone

"A fabulous interpretation... a dynamic and convincing sound with a big color range and transparency" (Mozart CD) - Fono Forum

September 2010 - Please destroy all previous versions