The Hollywood String Quartet was formed in the late 1930s by top film studio musicians, challenging the norms of their time. They disbanded briefly during WWII but reunited in 1947. Their recordings in the 1950s were remarkable, featuring late Beethoven quartets and collaborations with renowned artists like Frank Sinatra. The group's impact is celebrated today by the New Hollywood String Quartet, which is honoring its legacy with an annual festival in San Marino. The festival features music from the original group's recordings and is introduced by Leonard Slatkin, a son of the founding members.
When four top film studio musicians formed the Hollywood String Quartet in the late 1930s, its name was presumed an oxymoron. Exalted string quartet devotees belittled film soundtracks, while studio heads had a reputation for shunning classical music longhairs.
The legacy of the Hollywood String Quartet is a celebration of Hollywood genre-busting and also of string quartet making. Today, the outstanding Lyris Quartet is one of many outstanding string quartets who can be heard in the latest blockbusters.
The quartet's festival began Thursday night and runs through Sunday in San Marino at the Huntington's Rothenberg Hall. The repertory is taken from the earlier group's old recordings.
Leonard Slatkin credits his vociferous musical appetite to his parents, who, he said Thursday, enjoyed the great scores written.
#hollywood-string-quartet #classical-music #film-soundtrack #music-legacy #new-hollywood-string-quartet
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