Quartet for Two Violins, Viola, and Cello, Op 1

Iosif Andriasov (1933-2000) composed his String Quartet in D major, Op. 1 in 1954 while studying composition with Grigory Frid at the Music College of the Moscow P. I. Tchaikovsky State Conservatory. He dedicated his composition to his sister, Nelli Andriasian. The Quartet was first performed by Russian String Quartet at the Malyi Concert Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. At its premiere, music of the Quartet that is sincere, lively, joyous, effervescent, tender and courageous, stirred such stormy applause by enthusiastic listeners that the balcony floor of the concert hall shook so that people on duty ran from downstairs to the hall to see what was going on there. The American premiere of the Quartet took place in July of 1979 (two months after Mr. Andriasov immigrated to the USA) at the Manhattan jail in New York City. The prisoners, guards, and other personnel were fascinated by Mr. Andriasov's music, and gave the Quartet a heartfelt reception. The Quartet, filled with melodic intonations and rhythms of Armenian folksongs and dances, consists of three movements". From the Publicity Notes by Marta Andriasova (Kudryashova)Andriasov, Iosif is the author of 'Quartet for Two Violins, Viola, and Cello, Op 1', published 2003 under ISBN 9781931815239 and ISBN 1931815232.