The Virtuoso String Quartet was a British quartet, founded by the Gramophone Company (better known as HMV) in 1924, being the first such quartet established specifically for recording. In effect they displaced the Catterall Quartet from their position recording for HMV.
Marjorie Hayward led them for the 15 years of their life. Raymond Jeremy and Cedric Sharpe previously performed in the Philharmonic Quartet.
Personnel Marjorie Hayward, first violin Edwin Virgo, second violin Raymond Jeremy, viola Cedric Sharpe, cello
Concerts DateVenueProgrammeOctober 1926First Bradford Festival of Chamber MusicIbbs and Tillett: the rise and fall of a musical empire, Christopher Fifield; Ashgate, 2005, Brahms sextet Op. 36; Schoenberg Verklärte NachtDecember 1926St Martin-in-the-FieldsDebussy Quartet G minor; Mozart Quartet in E flat (KV 428)June 1927Wigmore HallJohn B. McEwen: Three QuartetsOctober 1927Second Bradford FestivalSeptember, October 1927Aeolian Hall1927Wigmore HallProgramme: Arnold Bax Recital, 20 October 1927Bax: Quartet 2, Oboe quintet, Piano quintetMarch 1928Chelsea Music Club 36th concertJune 1928Aeolian HallJohn B. McEwen: Quartet in C Minor (First performance); Bax; York BowenOctober 1928Oxford Town HallRavelNovember 1928Oxford Town HallMarch 1930Wigmore HallBax1930Celtic Congress, University College Concert HallConcert included work by John McCormack, the Welsh soprano Megan Foster, and the cellist, Beatrice Harrison
Acoustic recordings (four sets; all premiere recordings) Beethoven: No 8, E minor (Op. 59/2): late 1924 Tchaikovsky: Quartet 1 in D, Op. 11: 1923 Franck: String Quartet in D: Premiere recording (1925) Bridge: Three Idylls: 1923.
Electrical recordings (six sets and some singles) Ravel: quartet; Introduction and Allegro with John Cockerill, harpist Borodin: Nocturne Debussy: Quartet G minor Beethoven: No. 9 in C Op.59/3 Beethoven: No. 6 in Bb Op.18/6. Glazounov: Orientale: 1928 Thomas: Mignon Gavotte 1928; HMV B 2784The Musical Times, 1 December 1928, p1091
Press notices "From the London station [BBC] we have had many good things during the past month, the pick being the Virtuoso Quartet in Mozart and Debussy…"The Musical Times, 1 October 1925, p. 919
"Good as these Budapest party records are [Haydn op76/1, HMV D1075-7], they are beaten all round by those of the Virtuoso Quartet in Debussy's G minor… For vividness and sonority this is surely among the finest achievements of the [Gramophone] Company".The Musical Times, 1 May 1926, p. 431
"… distinguished themselves as virile performers of Beethoven… put up so excellent a show [in Ravel]"The Musical Times, 1 December 1931, p. 1100
References