String quartet plays completely from memory at University Auditorium on Nov. 4

October 16, 2007

GAINESVILLE, Fla.— In the world of chamber music, the Zehetmair String Quartet has carved out a nice niche for itself by doing something no other string quartet does: it plays every piece from memory.

Although this may not seem like a difficult task, consider that the quartet often plays some of the most complex compositions ever written. With that in mind, it’s no wonder the London Guardian said that “watching one of the Zehetmair Quartet’s performances is the musical equivalent of seeing a high-wire trapeze artist without a safety net.”

While performing without sheet music is a risky move, it is one that has paid off well for the Zehetmair String Quartet. They have received a number of awards, including the Gramophone Award for Record of the Year, the Diapason d’Or of the Year, the Dutch Edison Classical Music Award 2004, the Belgian Caecilia Award and the Klara Award for the best international production of the year. But for founder Thomas Zehetmair, the reason for playing from memory has nothing to do with awards or audience pleasing gimmicks, and everything to do with the music.

“We approach them like this in order to know them well, not as a feat of memory,” he says. “All four of us had experiences at chamber music festivals where we would rehearse a piece for a couple of days then perform it – often with great enthusiasm, but very superficially as well. The string quartet literature is so rich that we wanted to try a different approach. We wanted to take a lot of time learning the pieces, so we decided to know them by heart.”

The quartet was founded in autumn 1994 by Thomas Zehetmair, a violinist/conductor. Less than four years later, the quartet embarked on its first concert tour which was so successful that they received offers for re-engagements from almost all of the promoters. In 2000, the quartet recorded their first CD for EMI, which featured Bartók’s fourth and Hindemann’s first quartets. In addition for playing all of their concert pieces from memory, the quartet is also known for playing works that are rarely performed in addition to well-known classical works.

Because the quartet plays from memory, and due to the fact that all four members are sought-after soloists in their own right, the program for each season remains the same for all venues. This season, the quartet will perform Mozart’s Quartet No. 3 in G Major, K. 156; Schumann’s Quartet No. 1 in A Minor, op. 41; and Hindemith’s Quartet No. 4, op. 22. While each member of the quartet rehearses their part alone, learning each piece by heart, the result when they all come together is anything but stale. In fact, such intense preparation makes their concerts spontaneous and allows the group to improvise.

“There is a paradox with the way we work,” admits Zehetmair. “The more we know a piece, the more we’ve worked the details, the more we can be spontaneous. Even if we rehearse every gesture and every note, our aim is to be free on stage.”

As a violinist, Thomas Zehetmair plays 50-60 concerts each year with such major orchestras as the Los Angeles Philharmonic. A native of Salzburg, he studied at the Mozarteum with his father and later took master classes with Franz Samokyl, Max Rostal and Nathan Milstein. One of his early debuts took place at the Salzburg Festival in 1977. He has worked for some of the most prestigious conductors in the world including Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Simon Rattle, Christoph von Dohnanyi and Heinz Kremer.

Other members of the Zehetmair String Quartet include Kuba Jakowicz, second violin; Ruth Kilius, viola, and; Ursula Smith, cello.

The Zehetmair String Quartet will perform at the University Auditorium at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov . 4. There will be a pre-performance discussion at 4 p.m. with Thomas Zehetmair. Tickets are $30, front orchestra and mezzanine; $25, rear orchestra; and $20 balcony.

Tickets are available by calling the Phillips Center Box Office at 352-392-ARTS (2787) or 800-905-ARTS (toll-free within Florida) or by calling Ticketmaster at 904-353-3309 or toll free at 800-277-1700. Orders may also be faxed to 352-846-1562. Tickets are also available in person at the Phillips Center Box Office, University Box Office at the University of Florida Reitz Union and all Ticketmaster outlets; and on the web at www.ticketmaster.com. Cash, checks, Visa and MasterCard are accepted. Group tickets are also available.

The Phillips Center Box Office is open Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. and two hours prior to the performance. Performance dates, times and programs are subject to change.