Queensland State String Quartet, 1944-48

Component identifier:

Series 4

Content Summary:

The Queensland State String Quartet was formed in August 1944 as the result of a Queensland Government decision to subsidise music for the people by public recitals as part of the Adult Education program, and to cultivate musical appreciation amongst Queensland school children. The Quartet, comprising Ernest Llewellyn, Harold Taberner, David Powell and Don Howley, played to 22,000 school children and 7,500 adults in the first year.

The Quartet toured New Zealand in 1948 at the invitation of the Wellington Chamber Music Society. Reviews of the tour, which led to the establishment of the New Zealand Federation of Chamber Music Clubs, are included in this series.

The correspondence includes a letter from the Director General of Education, L. D. Edwards (15 February 1944), proposing the establishment of the Quartet, an acceptance letter from Llewellyn (1 March 1944), and correspondence from February-July 1944 concerning his hard-fought release from the war-time RAAF. A copy of Llewellyn's resignation as leader and member of the Quartet and the Director-General's reply are also included. Other papers relate to itineraries, recordings made with Columbia Gramaphone, the Quartet's tour of New Zealand (May-June 1948), and outside engagements.

Immediate source of acquisition:

The papers were donated to the Library by Mrs Ruth Llewellyn in 1990 and 1994 An addition of papers relating to pianist Hephzibah Menuhin (Series 23) was donated to the Library by Mrs Ruth Llewellyn in 2001.

Names:

Ernest Llewellyn

Contents

Access and use