Delmé Quartet

about

The Delmé Quartet, aka The Delmé String Quartet, was a String quartet, founded in London in 1962. In 1967, it became the first string quartet to be attached to a British university as Artist-in-residence—in this case, the University of Sussex. The quartet also spent four years as performing Fellows at Lancaster University, and taught the art of quartet performance at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. They toured extensively and released 30 albums. The Delmé Quartet was founded by former London Symphony Orchestra lead violinist Granville Delmé Jones, former English Chamber Orchestra violinist Jürgen Hess (violins), John Underwood (viola) and Joy Hall (cello), who came up with the idea during a cab ride over London Bridge. Their plan was to play for their own pleasure but when the BBC asked them to play in a concert series of international chamber music at Royal Festival Hall, they were 'discovered' and were immediately booked into a concert schedule. Jones died in 1968; he was replaced by Galina Solodchin. John Trusler and Jonathan Williams replaced Hess and Hall in the 1970s; Hess left to become Leader of the London Bach Orchestra. Painter joined the quartet in 1981. The quartet collaborated with many notable composers, particularly with Robert Simpson—they recorded ten of his quartets, one of which (No. 9) they commissioned, plus his String Trio, the Clarinet Quintet (with Thea King), and the two-cello Quintet (with Christopher van Kampen). They also worked with Joh

top songs

albums

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Favourite Encores For String Quartet

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Bach: The Art of Fugue, Arr. for String Quartet by Robert Simpson

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Verdi & R. Strauss: String Quartets

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Simpson: String Quartet #9

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Strauss String Quartet in A Op.2

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Hummel: 3 String Quartets, Op. 30

Hummel: Three String Quartets

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Simpson: String Quartet No. 9

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Simpson: String Quartets #1 & 4

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Simpson: String Quartets #2 & 5

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Strauss (R); Verdi: String Quartets

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