Alban Berg Quartett

Founded in Vienna, Austria in 1970, the Alban Berg Quartett is a string quartet named after Austrian composer Alban Berg (1885-1935). The quartet has proven to be one of the most innovative chamber music ensembles of its time. The Alban Berg Quartett was formed by four professors from the Vienna Academy of Music: Günter Pichler (first violin), Klaus Maetzl (second violin), Hatto Beyerle (viola) and Valentin Erben (cello). After a private performance, Alban Berg’s widow, Helen Berg, gave the quartet permission to use the name of her late husband. The quartet made their debut on October 5, 1971 in the Mozartsaal of the Vienna Konzerthaus. Their repertoire consisted of chamber music from the 18th and 19th centuries including works by composers Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Dvořák, and Janáček. They also featured works by contemporary composers Berg, Berio , Rihm, Schnittke, Haubenstock-Ramati, Schwertsik and Wimberger. The quartet were a popular live ensemble, playing theaters all around the world and were honored with many awards. Over the years, there were some line-up changes including Klaus Maetzl being replaced by Gerhard Schulz in 1978 and Hatto Beyerle replaced by Thomas Kakuska in 1981. When Kakuska died in 2005, he was replaced by Isabel Chrisius, one of Kakuska’s students. Still heartbroken over Kakuska’s death, the Alban Berg Quartett came to an end in 2008. Founding member and second violinist Klaus Maetzl died on May 4, 2016. Founding member and viola player Hatto Beyerle died on October 16, 2023. Since the early 1970s, the quartet’s recordings for labels such as Teldec and EMI were beloved by classical music fans. In 2020, the Diapason d’or-winning 62 CD and 8 DVD box set entitled The Complete Recordings was released.

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