Hyperion Records

Since its formation in 1982 the Salomon String Quartet has established its position as one of the world's leading ensembles specialising in the historical performance of the classical string quartet repertoire.

The quartet has toured extensively in Europe, the USA, the Far East, Israel and Australia as well as making regular appearances at British music societies and festivals. It has made many records for Hyperion and given numerous radio and television broadcasts.

In addition to the music of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, which forms the basis of its repertoire, the Salomon Quartet has always been committed to the exploration and performance of the wealth of quartet music written by their contemporaries.

The instruments on which the Salomon String Quartet play are set up as they would have been at the end of the eighteenth century, in a condition which is more modern than that of instruments of the late Baroque, yet not fully modernized as most instruments were by the middle of the nineteenth century. The most significant differences between these instruments and 'modern' ones, (apart from the clearly visible absence of chin-rests, cello spike and string adjusters) are in the dimensions of the internal components, the bass bar and sound post. These are somewhat skinnier than their modern counterparts. The neck, too, is shorter and rather less angled to the body, and the top strings of all instruments are of uncovered gut. All these factors go towards making an instrument which is at lower tension, and this is complemented by the bows which are also at the stage of development just prior to the 'modern' state. They are a little shorter and lighter and the hair is more loosely bunched.

Of the instruments played by the Salomon String Quartet the violins and the viola are modern copies of Stradivarius models, the violins made by David Rubio and the viola by Rowland Ross, and the cello was built in 1791 by the English maker William Forster.