Gewandhaus Ensembles
Gewandhaus QuartetFounded in 1808, the Gewandhaus Quartet is the oldest continuously existing string quartet in the world. Its membership roster includes such illustrious names as Ferdinand David, Joseph Joachim, Julius Klengel and Karl Suske.
The current members of the quartet are Frank-Michael Erben and Conrad Suske (violins), Olaf Hallmann (viola) and Jürnjakob Timm (cello). Concert tours have taken the ensemble to many European countries, the USA, Japan and South America. The quartet has frequently performed with renowned soloists, among them Yo-Yo Ma, Sabine Meyer and Elisabeth Leonskaja, thus continuing a long tradition; its musical partners once included such artists as Clara Schumann, Johannes Brahms and Arthur Nikisch, to name but a few.
The Gewandhaus Quartet has recorded numerous CDs which have been acclaimed by listeners and critics alike, in particular, their complete recording of Ludwig van Beethoven's string quartets, which was released in November 2003 and received the German Record Critics' Annual Award in 2004.
Olaf Hallmann, a member of the Gewandhaus Orchestra since 1981, took up the position of violist with the quartet at the beginning of the 2006/07 season, succeeding Volker Metz, who had been a member of the ensemble for 13 years. Olaf Hallmann also follows his father, Dietmar Hallmann, who was the quartet's violist from 1958-1993. Thus, three sons of former quartet members are now playing in the ensemble: Frank-Michael Erben (Friedemann Erben), Conrad Suske (Karl Suske) and Olaf Hallmann.
Gewandhaus Wind Quintet
The Gewandhaus Wind Quintet, founded in 1896, was one of the first ensembles of its kind, if not the very first. Its annals contain the names of respected figures who are little known today, demonstrating how much more difficult it was for wind players to achieve recognition as virtuoso musicians. One example is Rudolf Kempe, who served as oboist with the quintet but is remembered as a celebrated conductor rather than an outstanding woodwind player.
Nevertheless, the quintet has made a name for itself far beyond Leipzig. Concert tours have taken it as far afield as South Korea. The current members of the ensemble are Katalin Stefula (flute), Uwe Kleinsorge (oboe), Thomas Ziesch (clarinet), Ralf Götz (horn) and Albert Kegel (bassoon). The quintet's highly praised CD of wind music by Mozart, Danzi, Klughardt and Ibert, released in 1997, was recorded in the Cistercian monastery of Walkenried, where the ensemble makes regular guest appearances.
