The Allegri Quartet is a string quartet that was founded in 1953 by Eli Goren and William Pleeth.
It is Britain's longest-running chamber music ensemble.[citation needed]
A commitment to refreshing the repertoire[citation needed] had led the Allegri Quartet to give more than 60 world premières since 1964, including specially commissioned pieces by leading composers such as James MacMillan, Jonathan Harvey and Colin Matthews.[citation needed]
Personnel
[edit]The quartet's members have included:
1st Violin
- Eli Goren (founder)
- Hugh Maguire
- Peter Carter
- Daniel Rowland
- Ofer Falk
- Martyn Jackson
2nd Violin
- James Barton
- Peter Thomas
- David Roth
- Fiona McNaught
- Rafael Todes
Viola
- Patrick Ireland
- Prunella Pacey
- Keith Lovell
- Roger Tapping
- Jonathan Barritt
- Dorothea Vogel
Cello
- William Pleeth
- Bruno Schrecker
- Pal Banda
- Katherine Jenkinson
- Vanessa Lucas-Smith
The names of the current performers are shown in emboldened text. Like all the senior professional String Quartets, the members of the Allegri teach and give masterclasses as well as performing and recording.
The Quartet celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2004 and held a reunion at the Llanfyllin Festival at which many of the past members also performed.
Daniel Rowland joined the Quartet following Peter Carter's retirement at the beginning of 2005.