It was founded in 1939 under the name of the "Sudeten German Quartet", later renamed the "Prague String Quartet". It consisted of members of the German Philharmonic Orchestra in Prague (1939–1945), which had been founded by order of Joseph Goebbels. In 1947 it took the name Koeckert Quartet, after its first violinist Rudolf Koeckert. (1913–2005). Since 1949 the quartet resided in Munich, and the members were soloists of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. In the 1950s and 1960s, it shaped the musical life of the city of Munich alongside other ensembles, from where it started concert tours to North America, South Africa[2] and all major European cities. It was thus one of the leading German string quartets of international standing. The quartet existed under the name "Koeckert Quartet" until 1982, when it was succeeded by the "Joachim Koeckert Quartet"; its first violinist, Rudolf-Joachim Koeckert, is the son of Rudolf Koeckert; the position of second violin was taken over by Antonio Spiller. Since 1982 this ensemble has premiered most of Karl Höller's important chamber music works, as well as works by Günter Bialas, Alberto Ginastera, Paul Hindemith, Ernst Krenek and Winfried Zillig. The Joachim Koeckert Quartet existed until 1992).
^Marc Honegger, Günther Massenkeil (ed.): Das große Lexikon der Musik, vol. 4: "Halbe Note – Kostelanetz". Herder, Freiburg im Breisgau among others 1981, ISBN3-451-18054-5.
Germany
