Czech music is the specialty of the Talich Quartet, which regularly plays Dvořák, Smetana, Leoš Janáček, and Bohuslav Martinů. One of Eastern Europe's most durable chamber ensembles, the group also often essays the music of Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert on recordings. The Talich Quartet was formed at the Prague Conservatory in 1964 and took its name from that of Czech Philharmonic founder and conductor Václav Talich. The original first violinist, Jan Talich Sr., was one of his descendants, as was his successor Jan Talich Jr. The other original members were second violinist Jan Kvapil, violist Jiří Najnar, and cellist Evžen Rattay. The quartet has had more than a dozen members over the years but has maintained a consistent sound and approach; as of the early 2020s, its members were Talich Jr., Roman Patočka, Radim Sedmidubský, and Michal Kaňka. Despite travel restrictions placed on musicians during the Communist era, the Talich Quartet gained international fame in its early years. The group appeared in Paris in 1975 and made its North American debut in 1987. Since the fall of Communism, the quartet has toured Europe, Japan, and North America as often as annually, and the group has also appeared in the Middle East, Australia, and Indonesia. The quartet made various recordings for Czech labels but soon was signed to the French label Calliope, making 30 recordings for that imprint by 1988. In performance, the quartet specializes in Czech music by such composers as Bedřich Smetana, Antonín Dvořák, Bohuslav Martinů, and Leoš Janáček. The group's recorded repertory, which has won numerous major awards, includes music by Czech and Russian composers but also many devoted to Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert. A Beethoven cycle originally recorded for Calliope was reissued by Harmonia Mundi in 2000. The quartet is a frequent guest at European music festivals, including the Casals Festival in France, the Prague Spring Music Festival, and the Europalia Arts Festival in Brussels. The Talich Quartet remained on Calliope until 2008 and then moved to La Dolce Volta, making occasional recordings for other labels. In 2022, the quartet made a new recording of Dvořák's String Quartet No. 12 in F major, Op. 96 ("American"). ~ James Manheim, Rovi