Purcell String Quartet

The Purcell String Quartet was known not merely among the more important Canadian string quartets in the latter half from the twentieth century, but as an ensemble wanting to both premiere and champion functions by contemporary Canadian composers. It presented such compositions as R. Murray Schafer’s Initial (1972), Second (1977), and 4th (1989) quartets, the next quartets of Anton Kuerti and André Prévost (both 1974), Coulthard’s Octet (1976), and many other functions, many written designed for them. However the ensemble was barely devoted to simply modern Canadian music: in 1973 it provided the Canadian premiere of Mexican composer Mario Lavista’s Diacronia and four years afterwards provided the initial Canadian functionality of Britten’s String Quartet No. 1. The Purcell String Quartet was founded in 1968 by four first-chair players in the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra — violinists Norman Nelson and Raymond Owens, violist Simon Streatfeild, and cellist Ian Hampton. The ensemble’s initial concert was presented with in March 1969 with visitor musician Fou Ts’ong on piano. The function ended up being quite an auspicious begin for the group, because it was taped and afterwards transmit throughout Canada in the CBC. The Purcell players typically offered their concerts in the Vancouver MEMORIAL and on tour at additional main concert halls in Canada and overseas. Two personnel adjustments came early towards the PSQ when Philippe Etter changed Streatfeild in 1969 and Frederick Nelson been successful Owens the next year. Additional staff changes happened in 1976 when Frederick Nelson departed. His successors had been changed relatively quickly, using the seat finally stated by Bryan Ruler in 1979, the entire year Norman Nelson was been successful by Sydney Humphreys. The ultimate changes arrived in the past due ’80s: violinist Marc Destrubé changed Humphreys (1987) and cellist Heather Hay been successful the ensemble’s most older member Ian Hampton (1989). The PSQ was involved with founding the Hornby Isle Event in 1980 and was instrumental in the advancement of many musical/educational issues in Canada, like the Courtenay Youngsters Music Camp. The PSQ double served like a quartet-in-residence, the very first time at Simon Fraser University or college (1972-1982) as well as the latter in the University or college of Victoria (1989-1990). The Purcell players produced numerous successful trips abroad, including from the previous USSR (1980), america (1986), and France and THE UK (1987). Among the group’s even more important recordings is definitely an entire cycle from the Schafer string quartets for RCI Information.