Philadelphia String Quartet
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Philadelphia String Quartet
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| origin = Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
| genre = Classical
| years_active = {{start date|1960}} - {{end date|1992}}
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The Philadelphia String Quartet was an American string quartet founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA in 1959-60, by four members of the Philadelphia Orchestra. They later broke off from the orchestra and accepted a residency at the University of Washington (UW).
History
The founding members of the Philadelphia String Quartet were all members of the Philadelphia Orchestra under the baton of Eugene Ormandy. They included Veda Reynolds,{{Cite web |title=Collection: Veda Reynolds collection {{!}} Curtis Library and Archives |url=https://curtisarchives.libraryhost.com/repositories/2/resources/72 |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=curtisarchives.libraryhost.com}}{{Cite web |title=Classical Archives |url=https://www.classicalarchives.com/newca/#!/Performer/p131518 |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=www.classicalarchives.com}} first violin, Irwin Eisenberg, second violin, Alan Iglitzin, viola, and Charles Brennand, cello. In 1961, the group was appointed quartet in residence at University of Pennsylvania. The original quartet made its New York City debut at Carnegie Hall during the 1963-64 season.{{Cite web |title=About: Philadelphia String Quartet |url=https://data.carnegiehall.org/events/35689/about |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=data.carnegiehall.org}}{{Cite web |title=About: String Quartet No. 3, BB 93 |url=https://data.carnegiehall.org/works/23940/about |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=data.carnegiehall.org}}
The foursome resigned from the orchestra to become quartet-in-residence at the University of Washington (UW) in 1966. The move angered Philadelphia Orchestra management, which sued UW to prevent the quartet's departure, claiming a contract violation. The players eventually won the right to leave the orchestra.{{Cite magazine |date=1966-10-07 |title=Orchestras: Flying the Coop |url=https://time.com/archive/6889562/orchestras-flying-the-coop/ |access-date=2024-11-07 |magazine=Time |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Time Magazine -- U.S. Edition -- October 7, 1966 Vol. 88 No. 15 |url=https://content.time.com/time/magazine/0,9263,7601661007,00.html |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=content.time.com |language=en-us}}
In 1966, the quartet moved to Seattle to become UW's Quartet-in-Residence, a position it held until 1982.{{Cite web |title=Philadelphia Sting Quartet |url=https://nwmusicarchives.com/artist/philadelphia-string-quartet/ |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=nwmusicarchives.com}} A fiscal crisis at the university ended their 17-year long contract.{{Cite news |title=Recession Presses Washington State |date=April 20, 1982 |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1982/04/20/077851.html?pageNumber=18 |access-date=2024-10-20 |work=The New York Times |language=en |issn=0362-4331}}
In 1968, the US State Department invited the quartet to become the first American string quartet to perform in India. The two-month tour covered the entire country, with concerts played to great acclaim in 14 cities. [https://poonamusic.com/events/the-philadelphia-string-quartet-veda-reynolds-and-irwin-eisenberg-violins-albert-iglitzin-viola-charles-brennand-cello-2-concerts/]
During their 30-year tenure, the quartet repeatedly toured the world and recorded an extensive chamber music repertoire.{{Cite web |title=26.11.1974 - Philadelphia String Quartet |url=https://www.kammermusik.org/konzert.asp?konz=436&lang=EN |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=www.kammermusik.org}}{{Cite web |title={{!}} 1967-68 season {{!}} Performance Archive {{!}} Friends of Chamber Music |url=https://focm.org/performance-archive/1967-68-season/page/ |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=focm.org}} From 1976-77, the quartet played the entire cycle of quartets by Ludwig van Beethoven, including the Quartet No. 3 in D Major, Quartet No. 9 in C Major, Quartet No. 16 in F Major, and the Grosse Fugue.
They championed new music, and had a close musical relationship with the American composer, George Rochberg. They commissioned and premiered his 2nd quartet.{{Cite journal |last=Christiansen |first=Kai |title=George Rochberg String Quartet no.2 |url=https://www.earsense.org/chamber-music/George-Rochberg-String-Quartet-No-2/ |journal=Earsense}} They had a close relationship with Argentine composer Alberto Ginastera.{{Cite web |title=Nov.1 1974 PSQ Program.pdf |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xXoS5jb5sIQnqaozYPzkVGi08YQnGNmw/view?usp=sharing |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=Google Docs}} The Philadelphia String Quartet worked with Ginastera extensively before they performed the world premiere of his revised 2nd quartet.{{Cite web |title=Oct 10 1980 PSQ Program.pdf |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NxMFAtaUw97qU_REAuT9QOuZTm0kz5sT/view?usp=sharing |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=Google Docs}}
The founding quartet earned the Washington Governor's Arts Award. A quartet of their UW students won the Coleman Chamber Music competition prize. Their residency included relationships with Washington State University, Eastern Washington University and Central Washington University where the quartet held open rehearsals and performed with faculty members. Their LPs included works from Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Bergsma, Bercera, Chihara,{{Cite web |title=Chihara (Paul) Papers |url=https://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/tf3g50055p/dsc/ |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=oac.cdlib.org}} and other living composers.{{Cite web |title=Author Search Results |url=https://libcat.colorado.edu/Author/Home?author=Philadelphia+String+Quartet |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=libcat.colorado.edu |language=en}}
Reynolds departure in 1975 marked the end of the quartet's original members. Violinist Stanley Ritchie filled the opening. Brennand died in 1976, replaced cellist Carter Enyeart. They performed the Beethoven Cycle at Meany Hall at UW, and continued to tour internationally.{{Cite web |title=Spokane Daily Chronicle - Google News Archive Search |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1338&dat=19780414&id=TvtLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BvkDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4327,3493126 |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=news.google.com}}
From 1983-1987 the quartet consisted of members [https://www.kareniglitzin.com Karen Iglitzin], 1st violinist and Iglitzin's daughter, Eisenberg, Alan Iglitzin, and Roger Lebow,https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1470&context=music_programs followed by Alexander Segal. They performed across the US, including many university and community residencies.{{Cite journal |last=Emmons |first=Josephine |date=May 1986 |title=The Philadelphia Comes to Ferndale |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/000313138603600219 |journal=American String Teacher |language=en |volume=36 |issue=2 |pages=50–52 |doi=10.1177/000313138603600219 |issn=0003-1313|url-access=subscription }} The quartet also toured Brazil, Columbia, and Chile in 1983 and India in 1985.
In 1984, Alan Iglitzin founded the Concerts-in-the-Barn{{Cite web |title=Concerts in the Barn Quilcene, WA |url=https://www.concertsinthebarn.org/ |access-date=2024-11-07 |website=Concerts in the Barn Quilcene, WA |language=en-US}} at the Olympic Music Festival. It was awarded Best Classical Music Festival by readers of Seattle Weekly. Karen Iglitzin founded the "Chamber Music Institute" in 1984, which operated in the summer on the farm. Many teenagers came to live and study quartets with the Philadelphia String Quartet. Alumni included many who became professional players. The Olympic Music Festival name passed to another organization,{{Cite web |title=Olympic Music Festival |url=https://www.olympicmusicfestival.org/ |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=Olympic Music Festival |language=en-US}} but the original barn series continued.{{Cite web |title=Concerts in the Barn Quilcene, WA |url=https://www.concertsinthebarn.org/ |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=Concerts in the Barn Quilcene, WA |language=en-US}}
The name of the quartet was revived by violist Radhames Santos.{{Cite web |title=Best String Quartet in Philadelphia PA |url=https://www.philadelphiastringquartet.com/ |access-date=2024-11-16 |website=www.philadelphiastringquartet.com}}
Members
= 1st violinists =
- Co-founder, Veda Reynolds, (b:1922-d: 2000) Served as 1st violinist from 1960-1975 {{Cite journal |last1=Güsewell |first1=Angelika |last2=Vivien |first2=Rym |last3=Terrien |first3=Pascal |date=2021 |title=Bringing to light a pedagogical heritage: an ergo-didactic approach |url=https://mje.mcgill.ca/article/view/9937/7748 |journal=McGill Journal of Education / Revue des sciences de l'éducation de McGill |language=en |volume=56 |issue=2/3 |issn=1916-0666}}
- Stanley Ritchie, from 1975-1981
- Peter Marsh, from 1982-1983
- Karen Iglitzin, from 1983-1987
- Stefan Hersh, from 1988-1992
= 2nd violinists =
- Co-founder, Irwin Eisenberg (1919-2014) Served as 2nd violinist from 1960-2000 {{Cite web |title=Irwin Eisenberg Obituary (1919 - 2014) - Seattle, WA - The Seattle Times |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/seattletimes/name/irwin-eisenberg-obituary?id=23004373 |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=Legacy.com}}
- Roberta Hersh, from 1988-1992
= Violist =
- Co-founder: Alan Iglitzin (b:1931) Served as violist from 1960-2000
= Cellists =
- Co-founder, Charles Brennand (b:1929-d:1976) Served as cellist, 1960-1976 https://www.nytimes.com/1976/08/01/archives/charles-brennand.htm
- Carter Enyeart, 1976-1982
- Roger Lebow, 1982-1984
- Alexander Segal, 1985-1987
- Jennifer Culp, 1988-1992