Beethoven Quartet

The Beethoven Quartet (Государственный струнный квартет имени Бетховена) was one of the oldest and most respected classical chamber ensembles in the Soviet Union. It was established in 1923 by the [l=Moscow Conservatory] graduates Dmitri Tsyganov (violin), Vadim Borisovsky (viola) and brothers Vasili Shirinsky (violin) and Sergei Shirinsky (cello). Originally named [i]Moscow Conservatory Quartet[/i], the group officially changed the title in 1931. Since 1938, the ensemble had been collaborating extensively with Dmitri Shostakovich. He worked with the group for the whole life, and Beethoven Quartet premiered most of his works. Composer dedicated Third and Fifth Quartets to the ensemble and quartets from the Eleventh to the Fourteenth personally to each member. The group disbanded in the early 1990s. [b]Canonical line-up[/b] (1923—1964) 1st violin: Dmitry Tsyganov (until 1977) 2nd violin: Vassily Shirinsky Viola: Vadim Borisovsky Cello: Sergei Shirinsky (until 1974) [b]Other members[/b] 1st violin: Oleg Krysa (from 1977) 2nd violin: Nikolay Zabavnikov (from 1965) Viola: Fyodor Druzhinin (1964—1987), Michael Kugel (from 1988) Cello: Eugenie Altmann, Valentin Feigin, Urmas Tammik (from 1988)