Led by the Russian-born violinist Sasha Jacobsen, the Musical Art Quartet was was one of the preeminent quartets established in the US. In fact, the famed cellist Gregor Piatigorsky proclaimed that the Musical Art Quartet was the greatest quartet he ever heard.

First violinist Jacobsen made numerous solo recordings before he established the Musical Art Quartet, but is probably best known as the fourth and final name of the popular Gershwin song “Mischa, Jascha, Toscha and Sascha”, the forenames of four renowned Russian-Jewish violinists: Elman, Heifetz, Seidel and Jacobsen. Furthermore, the violist in the Musical Art Quartet was none other than Louis Kaufman, a major violin soloist in his own right.

Jacobsen formed the Musical Art Quartet in 1926, and this CD features the ensemble’s complete recordings of quartets by Haydn and Schubert made for the Columbia label in the late-1920s. Their recording of Haydn’s C major Quartet, op.54 no.2, is the first complete recording of a Haydn quartet ever made. Although the Quartet lasted for over two decades, this CD contains the group’s only recordings of the quartet repertoire. Supplementing this historic CD release are comprehensive notes by the chamber music expert Tully Potter.