The Konevets Quartet was set up in July 1992 by students of the St Petersburg State Conservatory. The name of the group comes from the name of an island, about 160 kilometres from St Petersburg on Lake Ladoga. More than 600 years ago St Arsenii of Konevets founded a monastery there dedicated to the Nativity of the Mother of God. During the Soviet period the island was handed over to the military, and even its name disappeared from geographical maps. During the time it was in the hands of the military, the monastery was almost completely ruined.
The first concerts given by the Konevets Quartet were for workers and restorers, pilgrims and tourists of the monastery during its restoration. The Quartet also sang in the monastery during services on Sundays and Feast Days.

Nearly all members of the group are graduates of the Leningrad choral school, one of the oldest schools of its type in Russia. Brought up on the rich traditions of Russian choir singing, the ensemble has tried to work not so much as a group of soloists, but as a chamber choir, working as a team. The Quartet concentrates mostly on Russian choral works, gathered from a wide variety of sources, ranging from ancient monastic chants (sung in both their original form as well as in later harmonisations) to contemporary compositions (Chesnokov, Grechaninov, Stravinsky). The Konevets Quartet also draws on the Russian folk choral tradition, including songs for dance-ritual, military songs and others, in arrangements by well known composers, as well as by members of the group. Such songs include works associated with the old Tsarist army, which were banned during the Soviet period.

The Konevets Quartet also considers it important to represent in its repertoire the works of classical composers such as Tchaikovsky, Borodin and Rimsky-Korsakov, as well as those who are little known, even in Russia. The Quartet continues to seek out works with the help of friends both at home and abroad.

The Quartet has now travelled widely both at home and abroad: England, France, Germany, Scandinavia and the United States. They have also taken part in a wide variety of festivals and have produced a number of cassettes and compact discs of their work.

The Quartet tries to raise funds for the restoration of the Konevets Monastery.

As happens with most small ensembles, the group has unavoidably had changes in its membership. Some of the pieces sung on this recording include the voice of Vladimir Matygulin who sang as first tenor with the Quartet from its foundation until October 1996.


Konevets Quartet:

Dmitry Popov - 1st tenor
Dmitry Troitsky - 2nd tenor
Sergei Tupitsyn - baritone
Igor Dmitriev - bass