Flor Alpaerts: String Quartets

Flor Alpaerts, a prominent figure

Flor Alpaerts (1876-1954) was one of the foremost Flemish musical personalities during the interwar period. Born in the shadow of the Carolus Borromeus Church, he studied at the Antwerp music school, where he graduated in 1901. That same year, Peter Benoit passed away. He was the inspirer of this institution who had seen it promoted to 'Royal Conservatory' only a few years earlier. Alpaerts would teach at the conservatory in his hometown for almost his entire career, even serving as director from 1933 to 1941.

From the 1920s onwards, Alpaerts built a reputation as one of the most important conductors in Belgium. He did so while serving as chief conductor of the Zoological Society. There, he provided opportunities for Flemish composers to present their orchestral words to the public or to conduct their own works. He used his international reputation as a conductor to include the music of Flemish composers in programs in neighbouring countries. In 1920, Alpaerts became the music director of the Peter Benoit Fonds, led the Flemish Opera in Antwerp during the 1922-1923 season, and became director of the conservatory in 1933, where the four members of the Desguin Kwartet eventually studied.

Desguin Kwartet

The Desguin Kwartet was founded in 2017 at the Antwerp Conservatory. In 2018 they became Artist in Residence of SWUK Flanders and shortly afterwards they were selected by the Pro Quartet Academy in Paris and the Italian Le Dimore del Quartetto. In 2020 they became laureate and public winner of the Supernova Classics competition. The Desguin Kwartet is intensively coached by members of the Alban Berg, Ebene, Danel, Doric and Zemlinsky Quartet, among others.

The Desguin quartet is a welcome guest at various prestigious events. They performed at the Klarafestival, BOZAR Next Generation, Festival of Flanders, Jazz Middelheim, Arte Amanti Chamber Music Festival, Musik Collagen Darmstadt, and many others.

They regularly share the stage with renowned artists and collectives such as baritone Werner Van Mechelen, American jazz pianist Fred Hersch, cellist Benjamin Glorieux, pianinst Florestan Bataillie, saxophonist Kurt Bertels, Goeyvaerts String Trio, the Czech Zemlinsky Quartet, Theater Tieret and actors such as Stefaan Degand, Ivan Pecnik and Vic De Wachter.

1: I. Poco Lento
2: II. Andante Cantabile
3: III. Scherzo
4: IV. Finale
5: I. Andante
6: II. Scherzo
7: III. Allegretto Non Troppo 'Nimfendans'
8: I. Allegro Non Vivo
9: II. Adagio, Con Molto Espressivo
10: III. Scherzando
11: IV. Allegro Moderato
12: Bagatelle for String Quartet 'Besluit'

Composer: Flor Alpaerts

Number of Discs: 1

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