04-29-2020, 05:40 PM
Martin Lovett OBE (3 March 1927 – 29 April 2020) was an English cellist, best known as the cellist with the Amadeus Quartet for 40 years, one of the leading quartets at the time.[1]
Lovett was born in London. When he was 11, his father, a cellist with the Hallé Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, gave him his first lessons. At age 15, he won a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music in London.[2][3] He joined the Amadeus Quartet at the age of 19, in 1947, with violinists Norbert Brainin and Siegmund Nissel, and violist Peter Schidlof.[2][4] He was the only English player in the quartet of otherwise Austrian expatriates.[5] They remained together for 40 years, until the death of violist Schidlof in 1987, when they decided to disband.[4] They recorded many quartets,[1] including Beethoven's complete string quartets,[3] and also in 1968 Schubert's Quintet "The Trout", D. 667, with pianist Emil Gilels and double bassist Rainer Zepperitz.[6]
Since the end of the Amadeus Quartet, Lovett had been much in demand for performances with various chamber music groups including the Amadeus Ensemble.[2] He gave chamber music courses all over the world.[2] The Amadeus Summer Course, held each year at the Royal Academy of Music in London, was a highlight of this activity. He joined the Verdi Quartet for a 1989 recording of Schubert's String Quintet, D. 956.[7]
A former Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, he also acted as a judge in many international chamber music competitions.[2] As a quartet member, Lovett was awarded the OBE, the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, and the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art.[3]
Lovett was married for 55 years to Suzanne Rosza, whom he met while they studied at the Royal College of Music.[2] He later remarried Dorinde Van Oort. He had two children, Sonia and Peter. He died in North London on 29 April 2020.[4][3][5]
Lovett was born in London. When he was 11, his father, a cellist with the Hallé Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, gave him his first lessons. At age 15, he won a scholarship to study at the Royal College of Music in London.[2][3] He joined the Amadeus Quartet at the age of 19, in 1947, with violinists Norbert Brainin and Siegmund Nissel, and violist Peter Schidlof.[2][4] He was the only English player in the quartet of otherwise Austrian expatriates.[5] They remained together for 40 years, until the death of violist Schidlof in 1987, when they decided to disband.[4] They recorded many quartets,[1] including Beethoven's complete string quartets,[3] and also in 1968 Schubert's Quintet "The Trout", D. 667, with pianist Emil Gilels and double bassist Rainer Zepperitz.[6]
Since the end of the Amadeus Quartet, Lovett had been much in demand for performances with various chamber music groups including the Amadeus Ensemble.[2] He gave chamber music courses all over the world.[2] The Amadeus Summer Course, held each year at the Royal Academy of Music in London, was a highlight of this activity. He joined the Verdi Quartet for a 1989 recording of Schubert's String Quintet, D. 956.[7]
A former Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, he also acted as a judge in many international chamber music competitions.[2] As a quartet member, Lovett was awarded the OBE, the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, and the Austrian Cross of Honour for Science and Art.[3]
Lovett was married for 55 years to Suzanne Rosza, whom he met while they studied at the Royal College of Music.[2] He later remarried Dorinde Van Oort. He had two children, Sonia and Peter. He died in North London on 29 April 2020.[4][3][5]
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