Doric String Quartet

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Doric Quartet

| image =

| image_size =

| landscape =

| alt =

| caption =

| background = group_or_band

| alias =

| origin = United Kingdom

| genre =

| years_active = {{start date|1998}}–present

| label = Chandos

| associated_acts =

| website =

| current_members = * Maia Cabeza

Ying Xue
Emma Wernig
John Myerscough

| past_members = * Helene Clement

Jonathan Stone
Alex Redington

}}

The Doric String Quartet is a string quartet based in the UK. It was formed in 1998. As of 2024, the members are Maia Cabeza and Ying Xue on violin, Emma Wernig on viola and John Myerscough on cello. Past members include Alex Redington (violin; 1998-2024), Hélène Clément (viola; 2013-2024), Jonathan Stone (violin; 1998–2018), Simon Tandree (viola; 2004–2013) and Chris Brown (viola; 1998–2004). In 2008, the quartet won first prize at the Osaka International Chamber Music Competition and second prize at the "Premio Paolo Borciani" International String Quartet Competition.

Their repertoire includes Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Bartók, Janáček, Korngold and Britten, as well as the work of contemporary composers such as John Adams, Thomas Adès and Brett Dean. They have given premieres of works by Dean, Peter Maxwell Davies and Donnacha Dennehy. The Doric is Teaching Quartet in Association with the Royal Academy of Music (from 2015) and artistic director of the Mendelssohn on Mull Festival (from 2018). They have recorded for Chandos since 2009.

Members

The original quartet comprised Alex Redington and Jonathan Stone (violins), Chris Brown (viola) and John Myerscough (cello). There have been some changes in the line-up over the years: Hélène Clément replaced Tandree on viola in 2013,{{cite magazine|author=Toby Deller|title=Group precision|magazine=The Strad|date=1 August 2018 |volume=129 |issue=1540 |pages=28–33}} and Ying Xue replaced Stone as second violin in 2018. In 2024, Maia Cabeza replaced Alex Redington on 1st violin and Emma Wernig replaced Hélène Clément. {{cite web |url=https://www.yellowbarn.org/artist/ying-xue |title=Artist Residency Musicians: Ying Xue |publisher=Yellow Barn |accessdate=25 September 2022}}

The current members are:

Maia Cabeza, violin: Canadian-American violinist
Ying Xue, violin: Chinese-born violinist; formerly played with the American Parker String Quartet
Emma Wernig, viola: American-born, German-Austrian violist
John Myerscough, cello{{Cite web |title=John Myerscough |url=https://www.ram.ac.uk/people/john-myerscough |website=Royal Academy of Music}}

History

The quartet was formed for a London String Quartet Foundation symposium, although Redington, Brown and Myerscough already knew each other having attended Pro Corda in Suffolk together as children. They gained early exposure after winning the Bristol Millennium Chamber Music Competition at the age of eighteen, which led to a residency at the Wiltshire Music Centre. From 2002, the Doric studied with ProQuartet in Paris with the Alban Berg, Artemis and LaSalle quartets, and, after separately attending music colleges, they came to the attention of the Young Concert Artists Trust in 2006, where they were advised by Alasdair Tait.{{cite magazine |author=Catherine Nelson |title=The Family Way |magazine=The Strad |date=1 April 2010 |pages=28–31 }} Early concerts in the UK include at the Wigmore Hall in London in 2004.{{cite magazine |author=Edward Bhesania |title=Modern debutantes |date=1 April 2004 |magazine=The Strad |pages=415–17}} The quartet won first prize at the 2008 Osaka International Chamber Music Competition and second prize at the "Premio Paolo Borciani" International String Quartet Competition.{{cite magazine |author=Hazel Davis |title=The Strad's pick of up-and-coming makers and musicians: Doric Quartet |magazine=The Strad |page=21 |date=1 September 2008 }}

The quartet toured Japan in the 2008–9 season, after winning the Osaka competition. Their American debut came in 2010, with concerts in New York and Washington, and they have since visited the USA annually.{{cite news |author=Charles T. Downey |title=Doric's distinctive sound |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=13 November 2012}}{{cite web |url=https://www.classical-scene.com/2016/04/02/doric-reaches-order-boston-edifice/ |author=Lee Eiseman |title=Doric Reaches High Order in Boston |website=The Boston Musical Intelligencer |date=2 April 2016 |accessdate=28 September 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.dallasnews.com/arts-entertainment/performing-arts/2021/10/13/different-days-different-chamber-music-concerts/|title=Different days, different chamber music concerts|work=The Dallas Morning News|last=Cantrell|first=Scott|date=13 October 2021}} They first toured Australia in 2019.{{cite news |title=Doric quartet brings new order |newspaper=The Advertiser |date=3 June 2019 |page=22}}

The Australian composer Brett Dean wrote his String Quartet No. 3, Hidden Agendas, for the Doric.{{cite news |author=Penny Thow |title=A whole lot more of this fantastic four |newspaper=The Mercury |date=13 June 2019 |page=25}} In 2010, the quartet premiered Peter Maxwell Davies's Blake Dreaming at the Wigmore Hall, with the baritone Roderick Williams;{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2010/may/03/williams-doric-quarter-review?CMP=gu_com |author=Andrew Clements |title=Williams/Doric Quartet |newspaper=The Guardian |date=3 May 2010 |accessdate=29 September 2022}} and in 2015 or 2016, they premiered Donnacha Dennehy's The Weather of It, also at the Wigmore.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/may/17/bracing-change-cd-review-jack-doric-carducci-quartet-simon-holt-donnacha-dennehy-anthony-gilbert |author=Andrew Clements |title=Bracing Change CD review – intriguing, vivid new music from Holt, Dennehy and Gilbert |newspaper=The Guardian |date=17 May 2017 |accessdate=29 September 2022}} They were conducted by John Adams in his Absolute Jest for String Quartet and Orchestra, a "staggeringly challenging" piece which makes "fearsome demands" on the quartet.

After the lifting of the coronavirus lockdown in 2020, the quartet gave the first concert at the Wigmore Hall to have an in-house audience, with a programme of Mozart and Britten.{{cite web|url=https://theartsdesk.com/classical-music/doric-quartet-wigmore-hall-review-%E2%80%93-sombre-reflections|title=Doric Quartet, Wigmore Hall review – sombre reflections|work=The Arts Desk|last=Dixon|first=Gavin|date=9 December 2020 |accessdate=25 September 2022}} In 2022, the Doric performed the complete set of Bartók quartets over three concerts on a single day at the Aldeburgh Festival; Ivan Hewett, in a Telegraph review, described the concerts as "wonderful because they simply revealed the music in all its rich humanity, and gave it a special intimate quality I'd never been aware of before."{{cite news |author=Ivan Hewett |title=Talented youngsters take on a fearsome old modernist |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=14 June 2022 |page=10}}

The Doric is Teaching Quartet in Association with the Royal Academy of Music (from 2015).{{cite web |url=https://www.ram.ac.uk/people/doric-string-quartet|title=Doric String Quartet |publisher=Royal Academy of Music|accessdate=25 September 2022}} In 2018 the quartet became artistic director of the Mendelssohn on Mull Festival on the Isle of Mull.{{cite web| url= https://soundwavesscio.org.uk/mendelssohn-on-mull-festival/doric-string-quartet/ | title = Doric String Quartet at the Mendelssohn on Mull Festival | publisher = Mendelssohn on Mull Festival | access-date = 2 August 2022}}

Repertoire and style

The quartet's main repertoire includes Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert and works by early romantic composers such as Mendelssohn and Schumann; 20th-century works particularly by Bartók, Janáček, Korngold and Britten; and works by living composers such as Thomas Adès and Brett Dean. In 2016–17, the quartet began to use Classical (transitional-period) bows made by Luis Emilio Rodriguez Carrington for repertoire as late as Mendelssohn.{{cite magazine |author=John Myerscough|title=Cellist John Myerscough on the Doric Quartet's Classical bows |magazine=Gramophone |volume=95 |issue=1161 |date=May 2018 |page=12}} Myerscough states that while the Classical bows generate a quieter sound and require more work from the player, they increase the clarity, responsiveness and range of articulation.

Toby Deller, writing in The Strad, characterises the Doric's work as having "clearly shaped phrasing, clean articulation, distinct voicing and uncannily immaculate ensemble playing". Charles T. Downey, in a concert review for the Washington Post, praised the quartet's almost perfect cohesion, and highlighted their "knife-edged ... clean, almost strident sound", which he attributed to a lack of vibrato. Harriet Smith, in a recording review for Gramophone magazine, singled out the Doric's "ability to reveal detail, though never at the cost of broader spans" as well as "their elasticity of phrasing, combined with an absolute confidence of ensemble without ever seeming overly obsessed with it". Paul Driverby, writing in The Sunday Times, described the Doric's playing as "flamboyant when called for, but not otherwise; vibrato sparing but beautiful; ensemble impeccable – a true togetherness."{{cite news |author=Paul Driverby |title=Written in the stars; Wigmore Hall excels when it comes to programme books that add to the experience, says Paul Driverby |newspaper=The Sunday Times |date=11 March 2018 |page=32}} Richard Wigmore, reviewing their series of Haydn recordings for Gramophone, describes them as "technically impeccable, commanding a wide palette of colour and dynamics" but states "they can be uncommonly free over tempo, occasionally to the point of mannerism." Philip Clark, in a review of Haydn for Limelight magazine, notes that the quartet chooses not to deliver a traditional Classical performance but rather a "re-examination" of the works, writing that they "splash around wideband dynamics and proto-expressionistic timbres with ... obvious abandon".

Recordings

The Doric's earliest disc was a live recording of Haydn, under the Wigmore Hall Live label, which was described in a Gramophone review as a "very auspicious recording debut".{{cite magazine |title=Doric String Quartet's Haydn series for Chandos continues |magazine=Gramophone |volume=95 |issue=1149 |date=June 2017 |page=8}} Since 2009 the quartet has recorded for the British label Chandos, starting with Korngold's quartets and including an ongoing cycle of Haydn quartets. In 2011, the Doric made the first recording of the original uncut first string quartet of William Walton. They made the second recording of Adams's Absolute Jest in 2017 and have recorded works by Dean, including his quintet with Dean on viola.

In 2018, they recorded the complete Britten string quartets at Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh, for which Clément was loaned the composer's own viola, an 1843 Giussani, by the Britten–Pears Foundation. She describes the instrument as having a "wonderfully light quality", an "expressive A string" and an "extremely rich and full" tone, with a "bright quality".{{cite magazine |author=Helene Clement |title=Artists & their Instruments: Helene Clement of the Doric Quartet on Britten's viola. |magazine=Gramophone |volume=96 |issue=1173 |date=April 2019 |page=15}} During its association with the Mendelssohn on Mull Festival, the quartet recorded Mendelssohn's six string quartets,{{Cite magazine |last=Haylock |first=J |date=January 2022 |title=Doric Quartet: Mendelssohn |url=https://www.thestrad.com/reviews/doric-quartet-mendelssohn/14200.article |magazine=The Strad |access-date=31 July 2022}} as well as the composer's two quintets with the violist Timothy Ridout.{{Cite news |last=Clements |first=A |date=March 2022 |title=Mendelssohn: The String Quintets review |work=Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2022/mar/17/mendelssohn-the-string-quintets-review-doric-quartet-timothy-ridout}}

Discography

Sources:{{cite web |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/2575611-Doric-String-Quartet |title=Doric String Quartet |publisher=Discogs |accessdate=28 September 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://doricstringquartet.com/discography/ |title=Discography|website=Doric String Quartet |accessdate=28 September 2022}}

Haydn: String Quartets Op. 9 No. 4, Op. 50 No. 1, Op. 76 No. 1 (Wigmore Hall Live; 2009)
Korngold: The String Quartets (Chandos; 2010){{cite magazine |author=Julian Haylock |title=Korngold String Quartets nos. 1–3 |magazine=The Strad |date=1 November 2010 |volume=121 |issue=1447| page=107}}
Walton: String Quartets (Chandos; 2011){{cite magazine |author=Stephen Estep |title=Walton: Quartets |magazine=American Record Guide |volume= 74 |issue=4 |date=July–August 2011 |pages=217–18)}}
Schumann: String Quartets, Op. 41 (Chandos; 2011){{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/oct/02/schumann-string-quartets-doric-review |author=Fiona Maddocks |title=Schumann: String Quartets Op 41 – review |newspaper=The Observer |date=2 October 2011 |accessdate=29 September 2022}}{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/oct/06/schumann-string-quartets-op-41-review?newsfeed=true |author=Andrew Clements |title=Schumann; String Quartets Op 41 – review |newspaper=The Guardian |date=6 October 2011 |accessdate=29 September 2022}}
Schubert: String Quartets "Rosamunde", "Death and the Maiden" (Chandos; 2012){{cite magazine |author=David Milsom |title=Schubert String Quartets in A minor D804 'Rosamunde' & D minor D810 'Death and the Maiden' |magazine=The Strad |date=1 December 2012 |volume=123 |issue=1472 |page=94}}
Korngold: String Sextet, Piano Quintet with Jennifer Stumm (viola), Bartholomew Lafollette (cello), Kathryn Stott (piano) (Chandos; 2012){{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/feb/26/korngold-string-sextet-doric-review |author=Fiona Maddocks |title=Korngold: String Sextet, Piano Quintet – review |newspaper=The Observer |date=26 February 2012 |accessdate=28 September 2022}}
Chausson: Concert for Violin, Piano and String Quartet, String Quartet with Jennifer Pike (violin), Tom Poster (piano) (Chandos; 2013){{cite magazine |author=Harriet Smith |title=Pike, Poster and the Dorics in fin de siecle Chausson |magazine=Gramophone |date=May 2013 |volume=90 |page=86 }}
Haydn: String Quartets, Op. 20 (Chandos; 2014)
Janáček: String Quartet Nos 1, 2; Martinu: String Quartet No. 3 (Chandos; 2015){{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/apr/16/janacek-string-quartets-1-2-cd-review-doric-quartet |author=Erica Jeal |title=Janáček, Martinů: String Quartets CD review – an unsparingly dramatic journey |newspaper=The Guardian |date=16 April 2015 |accessdate=29 September 2022}}
Brett Dean: Epitaphs, Eclipse (String Quartet No. 1), String Quartet No. 2, "And Once I Played Ophelia" with Brett Dean (viola), Allison Bell (soprano) (Chandos; 2015){{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/aug/30/brett-dean-epitaphs-eclipse-cd-review-doric-string-quartet-allison-bell |author=Fiona Maddocks |title=Brett Dean: Epitaphs, Eclipse (String Quartet No 1) etc CD review – tense, tender and original |newspaper=The Observer |date=30 August 2015 |accessdate=29 September 2022}}
Haydn: String Quartets, Op. 76 (Chandos; 2016){{cite magazine |author=Philip Clark |title=Dorics walk on the wild side. |magazine=Limelight |date=May 2016 |page=76}}
Elgar: Introduction and Allegro for String Quartet and String Orchestra with the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Edward Gardner (Chandos; 2017){{cite news |author=Hugh Canning |title=Elgar; Album of the Week |newspaper=Sunday Times |date=14 May 2017 |page=23}}
Schubert: String Quartet in G major, String Quartet in C minor "Quartettsatz" (Chandos; 2017){{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2017/jan/08/schubert-string-quartet-doric-g-major-c-minor-quartettsatz |author=Stephen Pritchard |title=Schubert: String Quartet in G major; String Quartet in C minor CD review – a breathless treat |newspaper=The Guardian |date=8 January 2017 |accessdate=29 September 2022}}
Bracing Change: Donnacha Dennehy: The Weather of It (with other works) (NMC; 2017)
John Adams: Naive And Sentimental Music, Absolute Jest with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducted by Peter Oundjian (Chandos; 2018){{cite magazine |author=Patrick Rucker |title=Adams: Absolute Jest |magazine=Gramophone |volume=96 |issue=1164 |date=Aug 2018 |page=34}}
Haydn: String Quartets, Op. 64 (Chandos; 2018){{cite magazine |author=Richard Wigmore |title=Haydn: Six String Quartets |magazine=Gramophone |volume=95 |issue=1160 |date=April 2018 |page=72}}
Mendelssohn: String Quartets in E Flat major, Op. 12, E Flat major, Op. 44 No. 3, F Minor, Op. 80 (Chandos; 2018){{cite magazine |author=Harriet Smith |title=Mendelssohn: 'String Quartets, Vol 1' |magazine=Gramophone |volume=96 |issue=1167 |date=October 2018 |page=53}}
Purcell: String Fantasias in Four Parts; Britten: String Quartets Nos 1–3, Three Divertimenti (Chandos; 2019){{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2019/jun/09/home-listening-binchois-consort-doric-string-quartet-hannah-catherine-jones-review-fiona-maddock |author=Fiona Maddocks |title=Home listening: Saint Katherine would approve... |newspaper=The Observer |date=9 June 2019 |accessdate=29 September 2022}}
Haydn: String Quartets, Op. 33 (Chandos; 2020){{cite magazine |author=Richard Wigmore |title=Haydn: Six String Quartets, Op 33. |magazine=Gramophone |volume=98 |issue=1193 |date=15 October 2020 |page=67}}
Mendelssohn: String Quartets, No. 2, Op. 13, No. 3, Op. 44 No. 1, No. 4, Op. 44 No. 2 (Chandos; 2021)
Bax, Bliss, Delius, Finzi, Vaughan Williams: British Oboe Quintets with Nicholas Daniel (oboe, cor anglais) (Chandos; 2021){{cite web|url=https://limelightmagazine.com.au/reviews/british-oboe-quintets-nicholas-daniel-doric-string-quartet/|title=British Oboe Quintets (Nicholas Daniel, Doric String Quartet)|work=Limelight|last=Scott|first=Phillip|date=24 October 2021}}
Mozart: The Prussian Quartets (Chandos; 2021){{cite magazine|author=Tim Homfray |title=Mozart String Quartets Vol. 1: 'Prussian' Quartets in D major KV575, B flat major KV589, F major KV590 |magazine=The Strad |date=August 2021 |volume=132 |issue=1576 |page=90}}
Mendelssohn: The String Quintets with Timothy Ridout (Chandos; 2022)

References

External links

[http://doricstringquartet.com/ Doric String Quartet's website]

Category:British string quartets

Category:1998 establishments in the United Kingdom

Category:Musical groups established in 1998