The Takács Quartet made their Australian debut in 1985, two years after their move from Hungary to the University of Colorado. Executive Manager Trish Ludgate remembers meeting them at a reception held at offices in Clarence Street. Her first impressions: ‘They were very young and very cute!’
Their next visit was in 1994, and the first of many visits for Edward Dusinberre, who had just taken the place of founding member and first violin Gábor Takács-Nagy.
Takács Quartet 1994 L-r Károly Schranz, Edward Dusinberre, András Fejér, Gábor Ormai
Former Director of Artistic Development Tim Matthies remembers the 2001 season in particular. The Takacs Quartet came for several weeks, making their debut at the new City Recital Hall in Sydney and performing the complete Beethoven string quartets around the country. They also gave masterclasses and coaching sessions for AYO members and appeared at the Yarra Valley Festival.
Tim recalls the warmth and humanity in their playing.
‘You can touch the sound. You can feel their personalities as they blend.’
Always committed to performing and commissioning new music, in 2004 the Takacs gave the world premiere of Carl Vine’s String Quartet No. 4, commissioned to mark the composer’s 50th birthday. The Quartet enjoyed another extended visit in 2008, again taking part in the Yarra Valley Festival.
Their next major project in Australia was Bartok’s six String Quartets at the Musica Viva Festival of 2011, which the Sydney Morning Herald called a ‘deeply considered, unapologetically serious engagement with this remarkable body of work’. They returned the following year to play Janacek and Britten.
Takács Quartet painting – Illustration commissioned for Musica Viva Australia 2008 Subscription Brochure
In 2017 they performed another commission from Carl Vine, paired with quartets by Dvorak and Haydn. The global pandemic cancelled a planned visit in 2021 for a series of concerts with pianist and FutureMaker Aura Go. Which brings us to now.
‘We’ve never been ones for celebrating anniversaries,’ says Edward Dusinberre in an interview with Harriet Cunningham.
‘50 is unusual for a quartet'
'Even if it’s only our founding cellist, András Fejér, who can take full credit. It has led us to celebrate different ideas of home, and how, over 50 years, certain communities of people have been so important to us. Home also becomes the places to which you return, and the associations which you have. So it might sound cheesy to say, but Musica Viva feels like a home for us.'
Takács Quartet 2025. 4-7 L-R Richard O'Neill, András Fejér, Edward Dusinberre, Harumi Rhodes
Takács Quartet 2012. L-R Edward Dusinberre, Geraldine Walther, András Fejér, Károly Schranz
Founding member András Fejér, Takács Quartet. Credit: Chet Strange for the New York Times
Takács Quartet with Roger Tapping 2004 L-R András Fejér, Edward Dusinberre, Károly Schranz, Roger Tapping
Takács Quartet 2012. L-R Edward Dusinberre, András Fejér, Geraldine Walther, Károly Schranz
Takács Quartet. Credit: Chet Strange for the New York Times
Takács Quartet 2012. L-R Edward Dusinberre, András Fejér, Geraldine Walther, Károly Schranz
Takács Quartet 2012. L-R Edward Dusinberre, Károly Schranz, András Fejér, Geraldine Walther
Takács Quartet appears with Angie Milliken, touring to Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth from 14 - 25 August. Tickets start from $65, or $49 for under 40s and $20 student rush (available 48 hours prior).
