Our 2009/2010 Season
April 11, 2010
Quatuor Parisii
Arnaude Vallin, violin
Jean-Michel Berrette, violin
Dominique Lobet, viola
Jean-Philippe Martignoni, cello
Formed in 1984 by four prize-winning graduates of the Conservatoire National Superieur de Paris, the Parisii Quartet won early acclaim with its triumphs at three major competitions: Banff (1986), Munich (1987), and Evian (1987). Invitations followed from the major concert halls and festivals in Europe, and the Parisii has since toured regularly throughout Europe and the United Kingdom. Highlights of the Parisii’s recent European seasons include concerts in Moscow, St Petersburg, Edinburgh, Lausanne, Barcelona, and Madrid. Much in demand in Paris, the Parisii has been featured in a presentation of all the Haydn quartets at the Opéra Bastille, performed all of the Beethoven string quartets at the Salle Gaveau and appeared frequently at the Musée d’Orsay.
In January 1995, the ensemble made an extraordinarily successful 17-concert debut tour of the United States. Subsequent North American tours have included appearances in Washington, New York, Toronto, Beijing, Seoul and Tokyo, and has returned to the Far East twice since then. The Quartet has also made several tours of South America.
Noted for its performances of distinctive and unusual repertoire of the 18th, 109th, 20th and 21st centuries, the Parisii has distinguished itself with award-winning recordings of intriguing works by such French composers as Menu, Pierné, Tailleferre and Raynaldo Hahn, as well as the complete works for string quartet by Anton Webern. The Parisii has recently recorded 16 string quartets of Milhaud, which won the Grand Prix Charles Cros, and made the first-ever recording of Le livre pour quatuor by Pierre Boulez.
“The performance was clear, polished, suavely elegant” said Frank Merkling in the Danbury News-Times when they were last here in Newtown.
“In terms of artistry and affection for the music, a more eloquent reading of French string quartets is hard to imagine” – The Greenville News
“…The Parisii Quartet won its audience not through the rarity of programming but by treating standard woks with fresh intensity and expressive panache. Old became new; familiarity was refreshed.” – Los Angeles Times