Märkl Quartet


The Märkl Quartet was a German string quartet, which was based in Cologne from 1968 to 1991. It was named after the violinist Josef Märkl, who served as the string quartet's first violinist for the entire period.

History

The origins of the ensemble lie in the Stross Quartet, whose tradition was continued after the death of Wilhelm Stross in 1966 by the former ensemble members Josef Märkl and Rudolf Metzmacher, a cello professor.
In addition to performances in the Federal Republic of Germany, the Märkl Quartet has undertaken concert tours to Austria, Belgium and Israel as well as to the USA and Spain. On the occasion of the festivities for the 1976 bicentennial of the United States Declaration of Independence, the quartet played in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Märkl brought with his ensemble the String Quartets in D minor op. 45/1 and E flat major op. 45/2 by Wilhelm Kempff as well as the Variations on the Brazilian National Anthem by David Korenschendler for the premiere. In his documentation for Kempff's string quartets in 1968 and for Korenschendler's Variations in 1985, Stegmüller cites the years of the premieres. Noetzel, Wilhelmshaven 2007,,. The repertoire of the quartet included the music of the First Viennese School, the Romantic and the New Music. Several recordings were made.

Members