Quartet from Australia

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33191, 3 April 1973, Page 10

Quartet from Australia

A quartet formed only two years ago but already widely acclaimed in Australia will appear in Christchurch on April 9 and 10.

It is the Fidelio Quartet. Three of its four members [ are Australians, and the [.fourth is an Englishman who has been in Australia for sev--1 eral years. AU had made their ' names as soloists and mem- • bers of first-class orchestras land ensembles before they became section leaders of the Elizabethan Trust Orchestra ' in Sydney, and were given [ active encouragement to play i as a string quartet. t The members of the quartet ' are John Harding and Brecon ' Carter (violins), Winifred j Durie (viola) and Nathan Waks (cello). Their success- - ful collaboration came about [ through the suggestion of ! famous viola player. Robert ! Pikler, who was well known , to New Zealand audiences in . the early days of post-World ’ War II chamber music. In New Zealand they will give 10 concerts with the / support of the Music Federa- • tion, although the quartet is 1 not included in the federa--1 tion’s official schedule of con- ’ certs. They will be under the ■ direction of Theatre Manage- • intent, Ltd, which was formed by a New Zealander, Mr John 1 Duff, who now lives in ’ Sydney. > The quartet came into

give 10 concerts with the support of the Music Federation, although the quartet is not included in the federation’s official schedule of concerts. They will be under the direction of Theatre Management, Ltd, which was formed by a New Zealander, Mr John Duff, who now lives in Sydney.

The quartet came into being in 1970. when Mr Waks

| arrived home from study ini I Europe. Mr Harding was! ; about to leave for Europe; ibut instead, he decided to 'join Mr Waks in forming the quartet. They spent a year !playing together and building ia repertoire, while —working with other groups and orchestras. In the meantime, they negotiated an arrangement with the Elizabethan Trust Orchestra, under which they took positions as section leaders while retaining their identity as a string quartet. The trust does not promote the quartet itself, but gives it the necessary conditions to allow it to rehearse fully and make its many concert appearances. From the time the quartet gave its first concert for Musica Viva, the Australian counterpart of the Music Federation, it has been prominent in Australian musical life. The playing has been marked by vigour and discipline as well as enthusiasm, and since its first performance of the full cycle of Bartok quartets in Brisbane (also for Musica Viva) the I quartet has built up a reputation as an interpreter of late and contemporary music, as 'well as the standard repertoire. i This year the four will take /part in the re-formation of the Royal Philharmonic ‘Orchestra, in Sydney, and 'John Harding is billed to conduct some performances dur- . ing the first season. Above, from left: John Harding, Brecon Carter, Nathan Wafts, Winifred Durie.