Brodsky Quartet
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The Brodsky Quartet is a British string quartet, formed in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, in 1972 as the "Cleveland Quartet", and subsequently named for Russian violinist Adolph Brodsky. Ian Belton and Jacqueline Thomas are original members, though Paul Cassidy remains a long-standing member, joining in 1982.
In addition to performing and recording classical music, and in particular the string quartet repertoire of Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Bartók, Zemlinsky, Brahms, Debussy, Ravel and Shostakovich, they have collaborated with such rock and pop figures as Björk, Elvis Costello, Sting, Katie Noonan and Paul McCartney. With Elvis Costello they co-wrote the Juliet Letters, released and toured in 1993. They perform the "Strings" on Björk's Family Tree box set. This material mostly comes from concerts Björk and the Brodsky gave at London's Union Chapel in December 1999.
The Quartet has commissioned many contemporary composers including Errolynn Wallen, Isidora Zebeljan, Elena Virsova, Andrea Tarodi, Theo Verbey, Javier Alvarez, John Tavener, Andrew Ford, Julian Nott and George Grundmann, and championed new work from composers such as Mario Lavista, Osvaldo Golijov and Peter Sculthorpe.
The quartet has performed standing up since 1992. Jacqueline Thomas sits on a podium, bringing her to the same head height as her colleagues, but sometimes also stands, using a small stool under her left foot, so that the instrument can rest against her bent knee.
In May 1998 the Brodsky Quartet was presented with a Royal Philharmonic Society Award for an outstanding contribution to innovation in programming. In 1999 they received Honorary Fellowship at Teesside University and in 2004 they were awarded an Honorary Doctorate at the University of Kent.
As well as their performance and recording work, the Brodsky Quartet was Quartet in Residence at Cambridge University in the 1980s, International Chair of Chamber Music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland from 2007 and holds visiting residencies at many establishments worldwide. For fourteen years they taught and performed at the Dartington International Summer School.
The Brodsky Quartet are also known for their arranging of non-quartet repertoire for use as concert encores. These have been compiled into various recordings, including Brodsky Unlimited, Petits Fours and Golden Oldies. They have worked in music theatre productions including Complicité's The Noise of Time, Brian Friel's Performances (with Rosamund Pike and Henry Goodman) and Bill Barclay's Letters to a Young Poet.
The Brodsky Quartet has an extensive discography of over seventy recordings, having been signed by IMP, ASV, Teldec, Challenge, Vanguard, Warner, Autor, Brodsky Records, SOMM, Kim, Silva Classics, Orchid, CPO, Hybrid and latterly Chandos. They left Chandos in 2023, deciding to end their recording career, following three releases to mark their 50th anniversary; Rocking Horse Road with Jacqui Dankworth, Schubert's Cello Quintet with Laura Van Der Heijden and Golden Oldies, a compilation of their encore arrangements. They have collaborated with singers and instrumentalists worldwide, including Sir Willard White, Natasha Kudritskaya, Michael Collins, Joan-Enric Lluna, Leon Bosch, Laura van den Heijden, Natalie Clein, Anne-Sofie von Otter, Martin Roscoe, Tunde Jegede, John Harle, Craig Ogden, Martin Fröst, Nobuko Imai, Ryota Komatsu, Eddie Perfect and David Hansen.
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- Deux Arabesques (Arr. for String Quartet by Paul Cassidy): Deuxième Arabesque - Golden Oldies – More Favourite Encores - Brodsky Quartet
- Prelude X, BWV 855 (Arr. for String Quartet by Paul Cassidy): Prelude X, BWV 855 (Arr. for String Quartet by Paul Cassidy) - Golden Oldies – More Favourite Encores - Brodsky Quartet
- Trois mélodies, Op. 7: No. 1, Après un rêve (Arr. for String Quartet by Paul Cassidy) - Golden Oldies – More Favourite Encores - Brodsky Quartet
- Five Pieces for Two Violins & Piano (Edited from the Film Music for "The Gadfly" by L. Atovmyan): No. 3, Elegy [Arr. for String Quartet by Jacqueline Thomas] - Golden Oldies – More Favourite Encores - Brodsky Quartet
- Five Pieces for Two Violins & Piano (Edited from the Film Music for "The Gadfly" by L. Atovmyan): No. 5, Polka [Arr. for String Quartet by Jacqueline Thomas] - Golden Oldies – More Favourite Encores - Brodsky Quartet
- Préludes, Premier livre, L. 117: No. 6, Des pas sur la neige (Arr. for String Quartet by Paul Cassidy) - Golden Oldies – More Favourite Encores - Brodsky Quartet
- Le carnaval des animaux, R. 125: XIII. Les Cygnes (Arr. for String Quartet by Paul Cassidy) - Golden Oldies – More Favourite Encores - Brodsky Quartet
- Suite No. 3 From the Ballet "Gayane": No. 5, Sabre Dance (Arr. for String Quartet by Andrew Haveron) - Golden Oldies – More Favourite Encores - Brodsky Quartet
- Adieu (Arr. for String Quartet by Paul Cassidy): Adieu (Arr. for String Quartet by Paul Cassidy) - Golden Oldies – More Favourite Encores - Brodsky Quartet
- Deux Arabesques (Arr. for String Quartet by Paul Cassidy): Première Arabesque - Golden Oldies – More Favourite Encores - Brodsky Quartet
- Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 2 "Moonlight": I. Adagio sostenuto (Arr. for String Quartet by Paul Cassidy) - Golden Oldies – More Favourite Encores - Brodsky Quartet
- Gnossienne No. 1 (Arr. for String Quartet by Krysia Osostowicz): Gnossienne No. 1 (Arr. for String Quartet by Krysia Osostowicz) - Golden Oldies – More Favourite Encores - Brodsky Quartet
- Gnossienne No. 2 (Arr. for String Quartet by Krysia Osostowicz): Gnossienne No. 2 (Arr. for String Quartet by Krysia Osostowicz) - Golden Oldies – More Favourite Encores - Brodsky Quartet
- Gnossienne No. 6 (Arr. for String Quartet by Krysia Osostowicz): Gnossienne No. 6 (Arr. for String Quartet by Krysia Osostowicz) - Golden Oldies – More Favourite Encores - Brodsky Quartet
- Solace "A Mexican Serenade" (Arr. for String Quartet by Jacqueline Thomas): Solace "A Mexican Serenade" (Arr. for String Quartet by Jacqueline Thomas) - Golden Oldies – More Favourite Encores - Brodsky Quartet
- Prélude (Arr. for String Quartet by Jacqueline Thomas): Prélude (Arr. for String Quartet by Jacqueline Thomas) - Golden Oldies – More Favourite Encores - Brodsky Quartet
- Préludes, Premier livre, L. 117: Prélude IX (Arr. for String Quartet by Paul Cassidy) - Golden Oldies – More Favourite Encores - Brodsky Quartet
- El cant dels ocells (Arr. for String Quartet by Paul Cassidy): El cant dels ocells (Arr. for String Quartet by Paul Cassidy) - Golden Oldies – More Favourite Encores - Brodsky Quartet
- La Ronde des lutins, Op. 25 (Arr. for String Quartet by Jacqueline Thomas): La Ronde des lutins, Op. 25 (Arr. for String Quartet by Jacqueline Thomas) - Golden Oldies – More Favourite Encores - Brodsky Quartet
- An Intimate Letter from the Judean Desert: An Intimate Letter from the Judean Desert - Golden Oldies – More Favourite Encores - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quintet in C Major, Op. Posth. 163, D. 956: I. Allegro ma non troppo - Schubert: String Quintet, Quartettsatz - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quintet in C Major, Op. Posth. 163, D. 956: II. Adagio - Schubert: String Quintet, Quartettsatz - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quintet in C Major, Op. Posth. 163, D. 956: III. Scherzo - Schubert: String Quintet, Quartettsatz - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quintet in C Major, Op. Posth. 163, D. 956: IV. Allegretto - Schubert: String Quintet, Quartettsatz - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet in C Minor, D. 703 "Quartettsatz": String Quartet in C Minor, D. 703 "Quartettsatz" - Schubert: String Quintet, Quartettsatz - Brodsky Quartet
- Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, BWV 1001: I. Adagio (Arr. For String Quartet) - Homage to Bach - Brodsky Quartet
- Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, BWV 1001: II. Fuga. Allegro (Arr. For String Quartet) - Homage to Bach - Brodsky Quartet
- Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, BWV 1001: III. Siciliana (Arr. For String Quartet) - Homage to Bach - Brodsky Quartet
- Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, BWV 1001: IV. Finale. Presto (Arr. For String Quartet) - Homage to Bach - Brodsky Quartet
- Sonata, No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 1003: I. Grave (Arr. For String Quartet) - Homage to Bach - Brodsky Quartet
- Sonata, No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 1003: II. Fuga (Arr. For String Quartet) - Homage to Bach - Brodsky Quartet
- Sonata, No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 1003: III. Andante (Arr. For String Quartet) - Homage to Bach - Brodsky Quartet
- Sonata, No. 2 in A Minor, BWV 1003: IV. Finale. Allegro (Arr. For String Quartet) - Homage to Bach - Brodsky Quartet
- Sonata No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1005: I. Adagio (Arr. For String Quartet) - Homage to Bach - Brodsky Quartet
- Sonata No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1005: II. Fuga (Arr. For String Quartet) - Homage to Bach - Brodsky Quartet
- Sonata No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1005: III. Largo (Arr. For String Quartet) - Homage to Bach - Brodsky Quartet
- Sonata No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1005: IV. Finale. Allegro assai (Arr. For String Quartet) - Homage to Bach - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 95 "Serioso": I. Allegro con brio - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 132: I. Assai sostenuto - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 127: I. Maestoso - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 95 "Serioso": II. Allegretto ma non troppo - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 127: II. Adagio ma non troppo e molto cantabile - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 132: II. Allegro ma non tanto - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 127: III. Scherzo - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 95 "Serioso": III. Allegro assai vivace ma serioso - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 132: III. Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenen an die Gottheit, in der lydischen - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 132: IV. Alla marcia - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 127: IV. Finale - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 95 "Serioso": IV. Larghetto espressivo - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 130: I. Adagio ma non troppo - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 132: V. Allegro appassionato - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 131: I. Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 130: II. Presto - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 131: II. Allegro molto vivace - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 135: I. Allegretto - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 131: III. Allegro moderato - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 135: II. Vivace - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 130: III. Poco scherzoso - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 131: IV. Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 135: III. Assai lento - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 130: IV. Alla danza tedesca - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 130: V. Cavatine - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 131: V. Presto - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 135: IV. Der schwer gefaßte Entschluß. Muß es sein? - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 130: VI. Finale - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 131: VI. Adagio quasi un poco andante - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- String Quartet, Op. 131: VII. Allegro - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
- Grosse Fuge, Op. 133 - Beethoven: Late String Quartets - Brodsky Quartet
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