CDE84547 The Primrose Piano Quartet - Quartets by Bridge, Howells, Alwyn and Scott

THE PRIMROSE PIANO QUARTET is named in honour of William Primrose CBE (1904-82), one of the finest violists of the twentieth century, and his piano quartet, the Festival Quartet. Founded in 2004 by four of the UK’s most renowned chamber musicians (Lindsay, Chilingirian, Edinburgh Quartets), the Primrose Quartet has proved to be one of the most exciting new ensembles to emerge in recent years.

Acclaimed performers of under-represented British composers, they are currently recording a series of piano quartets and other chamber music for the Meridian Label.

The Primrose Quartet was appointed Quartet-in-Residence at the London College of Music in 2004, as well as being selected for the Making Music Concert Promoters’ Network. Highlights of the 2005/2006 season included London concerts at the Wigmore and Conway Halls. Future plans feature the première of a new 20-minute work by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies at the 2007 Cheltenham International Music Festival.

In January 2006 Robin Ireland replaced Susie Mészáros as viola player in the group, thus rejoining his former colleague from the Lindsays, Bernard Gregor-Smith.

“Their playing…positively shouts élan and there is cracking coordination from all the players. This is a really spirited reading with the engineers and any one else attending the sessions surely having had to bite their lips at the end to avoid a shouted and thundered applause.” (Rob Barnett, Music Web)

“The playing is selflessly beautiful, as the four friends seem bent on projecting the music rather than their own egos…Everything seems to be just right.” (Tully Potter, The Strad)