A recent post on Gramophone's United Kingdom website (gramophone.co.uk) asked a question many in Tucson might be wondering this weekend: Just who is the Mandelring Quartet?
The question, not surprisingly, was posed by a Tucsonan curious as the foursome is set to perform Wednesday in the final concert of the Arizona Friends of Chamber Music's 64th season.
The performance will be the quartet's first in Tucson as it prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
Just who are they?
Here's a primer:
• Family affair: The Schmidt siblings - violinists Sebastian and Nanette and cellist Bernhard - started the Mandelring Quartet in 1988, taking their name from the street where they grew up in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany. Rounding out their current lineup is violist Roland Glassl.
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• Known for:
Recording the complete Shostakovich string quartets. On their website, they describe their approach to the music as "emotional and personal."
• What the critics say: The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung declared back in 2008 that the Mandelring Quartet was a worthy successor to the Alban Berg Quartet. Austria's arts magazine Die Bühne sees the quartet as the heir of the legendary Borodin Quartet, while the renowned European music mag Fono Forum includes the Mandelring as one of the world's best quartets.
• What you can expect: The Mandelring Quartet will share the Leo Rich Theatre stage with marimbist Katarzyna Mycka, who is on a series of tour stops with the group throughout North America. They will perform concertos for marimba and strings by Emmanuel Séjourné and Ney Rosauro. The quartet also will perform Mendelssohn's Quartet in D major and Debussy's lone String Quartet.
• When, where and how much: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Leo Rich Theatre, 260 S. Church Ave. $25, $10 for students. Purchase tickets online at arizonachambermusic.org or at the door.
