Takács Quartet performs a Tiny Desk Concert as part of its 50th anniversary tour

Planning a concert tour is a big deal, and choosing just the right venues is crucial. The esteemed Takács Quartet, mapping out its 50th anniversary tour, made several dozen stops, including Seoul, London, Milan, Vancouver, plus a special visit to play behind a desk in our Washington, D.C., office. Needless to say, we were honored.

Takács cellist András Fejér is the sole original member of the string quartet. He commands a goldmine of institutional memory, from co-founding the group in communist Hungary in the early 1970s, to the band's 1986 defection to Boulder, Colo. (where the members continue to teach), to winning a Grammy in 2003, to the departure of band members (from death and retirement), to the addition of violist Richard O'Neill in 2020.

This Takács set is a microcosm of the band's broad-minded programming creed. They begin in the 18th century with Haydn, the pioneer of the string quartet, finding humor in his false cadences, while passing themes to each other like delicious canapes on a tray. Then it's a quirky waltz, from a new quartet written for Takács by Nokuthula Ngwenyama. And finally, a shimmering gem of the repertoire, a plucky and magical movement from Ravel's 1903 String Quartet in F.

"We feel lucky to play string quartets," violinist Edward Dusinberre, who joined the group 32 years ago, tells the NPR audience. "Somehow the medium inspires composers to express themselves in their most daring, imaginative and humorous ways." And for 50 years, the Takács Quartet has been the eloquent voice of those expressive composers.

SET LIST

• Joseph Haydn: String Quartet in D minor, Op. 42: IV. Finale

• Nokuthula Ngwenyama: Flow: III. Quark Scherzo

• Maurice Ravel: String Quartet in F major: II. Assez vif - très rythmé

MUSICIANS

• Edward Dusinberre: violin

• Harumi Rhodes: violin

• Richard O'Neill: viola

• András Fejér: cello 

TINY DESK TEAM

• Producer: Tom Huizenga

• Director/Editor: Maia Stern

• Audio Technical Director: Josh Newell

• Host/Series Producer: Bobby Carter

• Videographers: Maia Stern, Joshua Bryant, Sofia Seidel

• Audio Engineer: Hannah Gluvna

• Production Assistant: Dora Levite

• Photographer: Grace Raver

• Tiny Desk Team: Ashley Pointer, Kara Frame

• Series Editor: Lars Gotrich

• Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed

• Series Creators: Bob Boilen, Stephen Thompson

• VP, Visuals and Music: Keith Jenkins

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