Last night, I noticed on the Wigmore Hall YouTube channel the results of an International String Quartet Competition. This was strange, because although I was familiar with the trienniel Banff Competition I was unaware of this competition, which predates it. The Competition started in 1979 in Portsmouth (the Takács Quartet won), and moved to London in 1988. It only arrived at Wigmore Hall in 2010. So perhaps the 3 rebrands made me less aware of it.
From the Competition's wikipedia page I learned that
twelve [quartets] are selected to take part in the competition. All members of the quartets must be under the age of 35. After playing Haydn, Mozart, a 20th-century work and a fixed competition piece before audiences over a period of several days, six semi-finalists are selected, and each play a Beethoven quartet. Three finalists are then selected and play a quartet from a selected list from the Romantic era. In some years, including 2022, the Romantic era quartet is played in the semi-final and the Beethoven in the final.
This years competitors:
| Ensemble | Country | Formed in | Average Age | Website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adelphi Quartet | Austria | January 2020 | 29.25 | https://adelphiquartet.com |
| Affinity Quartet | Australia | June 2021 | 27.75 | https://www.affinityquartet.com.au |
| Leonkoro Quartet | Germany | June 2020 | 24 | https://leonkoroquartet.com/ |
| Malion Quartet | Germany | August 2020 | 30.5 | https://malionquartett.com/ |
| Pelia Quartet | USA | September 2021 | 30.5 | |
| Quatuor Tchalik | France | July 2013 | 28.25 | https://www.quatuortchalik.com/ |
| Risus Quartet | USA | May 2020 | 28.5 | |
| Ulysses Quartet | USA | August 2015 | 33 | http://www.ulyssesquartet.com/ |
Interestingly, there are only 8 ensembles listed here.
- John Gilhooly, tenor, Director of Wigmore Hall, b 1973, UK
- Jonathan Brown, viola, Cuarteto Casals, b 1974, USA (Meet The Jury)
- Hélène Clément, viola, Doric String Quartet, b 1988, France (Meet the Jury)
- Simin Ganatra, violin, Pacifica Quartet, b 1972, USA
- Louise Hopkins, cello, Guildhall School, b 1968, UK
- Laura Samuel, violin, Belcea Quartet, b 1976, UK
- Kyril Zlotnikov, cello, Jerusalem Quartet, b 1978, Belarus
Compulsory Piece: Sally Beamish: Quartet #4 "Nine Fragments". Available here.
Sally Beamish’s String Quartet No. 4 Nine Fragments is a 20-minute work that takes Robert Schumann's String Quartet No. 1 in A minor as a starting point. The piece was commissioned by the Elias Quartet, with funding from Wigmore Hall, the Harvard Musical Association, and Het Concertgebouw. The world premiere took place on 22 February 2019 at Wigmore Hall, London, with the Elias Quartet. Watch a 5-minute interview with the composer about the piece here. 9 Movements:
- Choral (chorale)
- Musette (bagpipe)
- Unruhig (unsettled)
- Liebeslied (love song)
- Angstlich (frightened)
- Witz (joke)
- Klingeln (ringing)
- Kanon (canon)
- Spiegel (mirror)
The last movement ("mirror") is the first movement literally played backwards.
Each of the selected quartets will present their second, contrasting recital programme, consisting of a Haydn quartet alongside Nine Fragments – String Quartet No. 4 by Sally Beamish.
- Preliminary Round 1. This wasn't uploaded to YouTube on the Wigmore Hall channel, but instead uploaded and unlisted by The Guildhall School. @WigmoreHall tweeted about it on April 5, saying: "🎻2022 Wigmore Hall String Quartet Competition - Preliminary Round. Listen to the first round, live from @guildhallschool. This morning: Quatuor Tchalik, @affinitycollect & the Pelia Quartet". This is a 6h28m audio-only stream with no announcements of who is playing, or what they are playing...
- Preliminary Round 2 -- I can find no references to this round anywhere.
- Preliminary Round 3. This wasn't uploaded to YouTube on the Wigmore Hall channel, but @WigmoreHall tweeted about it on April 6, saying: "🎻2022 Wigmore Hall String Quartet Competition - Preliminary Round 3, live from @guildhallschool. This morning: @UlyssesQuartet, Adelphi Quartet & the Malion Quartet Quartet". This is a 5h40m audio-only stream with no with no announcements of who is playing, or what they are playing...
- Preliminary Round 4 (4/7/222 10:00AM - 12:15PM):
- Risus Quartet; The outer voices are wearing white and the inner voices are wearing blue with sequins! Play from iPads (stting on regular music stands). variety of foot pedals.
00:01:38 Risus Quartet Enters
00:01:55 Risus Quartet is Seated (end applause)
00:02:40 [Haydn 71#2 _Popcorn_](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-71-2/): I. Adagio - Allegro
00:07:31 end
00:07:56 [Haydn 71#2 _Popcorn_](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-71-2/): II. Adagio cantabile
00:13:53 end
00:14:07 [Haydn 71#2 _Popcorn_](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-71-2/): III. Menuetto. Allegro
00:16:16 end
00:16:28 [Haydn 71#2 _Popcorn_](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-71-2/): IV. Finale. Allegretto.
00:19:58 end -- applause start
00:20:11 end applause
00:22:04 Sally Beamish
00:43:41 End Sally Beamish. Applause
00:44:10 End Applause
-
- Leonkoro Quartet. 3 uppers play standing. paper music.
00:46:56 Leonkoro Quartet Enters
00:47:10 Leonkoro Quartet is Seated (end applause)
00:48:01 [Haydn 50#5 _The Dream_](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-50-5/): I. Allegro moderato
00:53:28 end
00:53:33 [Haydn 50#5 _The Dream_](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-50-5/): II. Poco adagio
00:57:03 end
00:57:20 [Haydn 50#5 _The Dream_](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-50-5/): III. Tempo di Menuetto: Allegretto
01:01:04 end
01:01:13 [Haydn 50#5 _The Dream_](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-50-5/): IV. Finale: Vivace
01:05:12 end -- applause start
01:05:35 end applause
01:06:08 Sally Beamish
01:27:50 End Sally Beamish. Applause
01:29:00 End Applause
-
- Quatuor Tchalik. paper music. men (outer voices) in black, women in red/white.
01:41:23 Quatuor Tchalik Enters
01:41:35 Quatuor Tchalik is Seated (end applause)
01:42:12 [Haydn 64#4 ](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-64-4/): I. Allegro con brio
01:42:12 end
01:47:17 [Haydn 64#4 ](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-64-4/): II. Menuetto: Allegretto
01:50:44 end
01:50:59 [Haydn 64#4 ](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-64-4/): III. Adagio: Cantabile e sostenuto
01:55:43 end
01:56:14 [Haydn 64#4 ](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-64-4/): IV. Finale: Presto
02:00:22 end -- applause start
02:00:42 end applause
02:01:31 Sally Beamish
02:22:04 End Sally Beamish. Applause
02:22:58 End Applause
- Preliminary Round 5 (4/7/22, 1:30pm - 4pm):
- Affinity Quartet. tablets on music stands.
00:06:55 Affinity Quartet Enters
00:07:10 Affinity Quartet is Seated (end applause)
00:08:06 [Haydn 33#4 _Jackalope_](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-33-4/): I. Allegro Moderato
00:14:15 end
00:14:39 [Haydn 33#4 _Jackalope_](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-33-4/): II. Scherzo: Allegretto
00:13:53 end
00:14:07 [Haydn 33#4 _Jackalope_](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-33-4/): III. Largo
00:19:00 end
00:19:20 [Haydn 33#4 _Jackalope_](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-33-4/): IV. Finale: Presto
00:24:09 end -- applause start
00:24:30 end applause
00:25:49 Sally Beamish
00:46:34 End Sally Beamish. Applause
00:47:30 End Applause
-
- Pelia Quartet
00:49:46 Pelia Quartet Enters
00:50:02 Pelia Quartet is Seated (end applause)
00:51:25 [Haydn 64#3](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-64-3/): I. Vivace assai
00:57:46 end
00:58:20 [Haydn 64#3](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-64-3/): II. Adagio
01:04:50 end
01:05:05 [Haydn 64#3](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-64-3/): III. Menuetto: Allegretto
01:10:01 end
01:10:28 [Haydn 64#3](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-64-3/): IV. Finale: Allegro con spirito
01:15:50 end -- applause start
01:16:11 end applause
01:17:16 Sally Beamish
01:38:30 End Sally Beamish. Applause
01:39:25 End Applause
- Preliminary Round 6 (4/8/22 10:00AM - 12:15PM):
- Adelphi Quartet. All black. 3 men, 1 female (2nd viollin). violist seated on the outside, playing a viola like Ivo's. V1 cadenza at cadence in I.
00:02:23 Adelphi Quartet Enters
00:02:34 Adelphi Quartet is Seated (end applause)
00:3:03 Sally Beamish
00:23:53 End Sally Beamish. Applause
00:24:15 End Applause
00:25:23 [Haydn 33#1 _Don't B Minor_](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-33-1/): I. Allegro Moderato
00:30:55 end
00:31:05 [Haydn 33#1 _Don't B Minor_](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-33-1/): II. Scherzo: Allegro di molto
00:33:44 end
00:34:02 [Haydn 33#1 _Don't B Minor_](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-33-1/): III. Andante
00:37:56 end
00:38:01 [Haydn 33#1 _Don't B Minor_](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-33-1/): IV. Finale: Presto
00:41:25 end -- applause start
00:42:20 End Applause
-
- Malion Quartet; 3 women, 1 man (V1). Cellist on outside
00:47:28 Malion Quartet Enters
00:47:45 Pelia Quartet is Seated (end applause)
00:48:40 [Haydn 64#4](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-64-4/): I. Allegro con brio
00:53:32 end
00:53:53 [Haydn 64#4](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-64-4/): II. Menuetto: Allegretto
00:57:06 end
00:57:34 [Haydn 64#4](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-64-4/): III. Adagio: Cantabile e sostenuto
01:03:01 end
01:03:28 [Haydn 64#4](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-64-4/): IV. Finale: Presto
01:07:22 end -- applause start
01:07:45 end applause
01:09:57 Sally Beamish
01:32:59 End Sally Beamish. Applause
01:33:59 End Applause
-
- Ulysses Quartet. mix of iPads and paper (V2). 3 women, 1 man (viola). 3 women in maroon, man in black with maroon checked shirt. Really presto for 33/1 finale!
01:48:44 Ulysses Quartet Enters
01:48:57 Ulysses Quartet is Seated (end applause)
01:49:25 [Haydn 33#1 _Don't B Minor_](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-33-1/): I. Allegro Moderato
01:54:48 end
01:55:00 [Haydn 33#1 _Don't B Minor_](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-33-1/): II. Scherzo: Allegro di molto
01:57:20 end
01:57:35 [Haydn 33#1 _Don't B Minor_](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-33-1/): III. Andante
02:02:07 end
02:02:18 [Haydn 33#1 _Don't B Minor_](https://quartetchooser.gtsb.io/haydn-opus-33-1/): IV. Finale: Presto
02:05:39 end -- applause start
02:05:57 end applause
02:06:47 Sally Beamish
02:28:40 End Sally Beamish. Applause
02:29:26 End Applause
- Semi-Finals 1/2 (2pm)
- Semi-Finals 2/2 (7:30pm) Ulysses Quartet, Malion Quartet and Leonkoro Quartet Adelphi Quartet, Risus Quartet and Affinity Quartet
- Finals & Prize Giving Leonkoro Quartet, Affinity Quartet and Adelphi Quartet
- Leonkoro Quartet: First. 19th Century, Best Sally Beamish, Haydn Prize, Mozart Prize, 20th Century
- Adelphi Quartet: Second
- Affinity Quartet: Third
- Risus Quaret: The City of Portsmouth Prize
Ideas:
- camera shots
- who is being highlighted? Highlight that on the score!
- who gets the most screen time?
- applause length
- link to video at timestamps.
- features: flubs. best second violinist -- a chameleon ... has to match everyone.
- seating arrangement (viola outside or in?)
- genders?