Recorded in 1933.
1. Allegro (C minor)
2. Romanze: Poco adagio (A-flat major) 8:24
3. Allegretto molto moderato e comodo (F minor) 15:56
4. Allegro (C minor) 23:48
Hungarian violinist Jenö Léner was born April 7, 1894.
In 1918, he founded and became first violinist of the Léner Quartet, at first called the Lehner Streichquartett, using the German spelling of the name. The other members were second violinist Josef (or Joseph) Smilovits (or Smilovitz or Schmilovits), violist Sandor (or Sándor) Roth (or Röth), and violoncellist Imre (or Jmre) Hartman (or Hartmann). These four played together for twenty-three years, as “one of the most renowned string quartets of modern times” according to Baker’s Biographical Dictionary. Maurice Ravel accidentally heard them play early in their association and was so impressed that he asked them to play an all-Ravel concert. In 1927 the Léner Quartet was chosen to record all the Beethoven Quartets for the Beethoven centenary. In 1939 the ensemble was presented by Columbia Graphophone Co. with a golden record, commemorating the sale of the millionth Léner Quartet record.
In 1942, a rift occurred between Jenö Léner and the other three members of the quartet. Correspondence suggests that the controversy centered upon the question of whether Léner acted as artistic director of the ensemble, even though all shared equally in the profits, or whether all decisions were taken by majority rule. A later newspaper article by Irving Kolodin, July 6, 1944, states, “the direct cause of the rupture was the necessity, in Mr. Lener’s opinion, of rehearsing five hours a day for several weeks preparatory to giving a Beethoven cycle in Mexico City for which he had contracted. But his colleagues said that to rehearse Beethoven after playing his works hundreds of times in twenty-three years was ridiculous. So the cycle was canceled and the quartet broke up.” Léner submitted his resignation June 29, 1942.
The other three members quickly found a new first violinist, Higinio Ruvalcaba, reorganized the quartet under the same name, Léner Quartet (or Cuarteto Lener), registered their association in the Public Register of Mexico City on Oct. 22, 1942, and began to perform, stating that Mr. “Lehner” was no longer a member of their organization.
Léner, whose name had been spelled without the “h” for more than 20 years, reserved the right to the name Léner Quartet, and reorganized with three new members in 1943. He was persuaded not to pursue legal action by assurance that the name was obviously his, an opinion which apparently held up as Léner’s new ensemble was registered in New York County.
Clippings from 1943 through 1945 show that various musicians joined Léner as members of his reconstituted quartet, including Laurence Steinhardt, Albert Pratz, Max Weiser, Ralph Hersh, Paul Reisman, Edward Niekrug, Norman Schoer, Gabor Rejto, Ralph Oxman, Leo Rostal, Stefan Auber, and Otto Deri. Programs of November 1946 through October 1947 show a stable membership of Jenö Léner, Mihaly Kuttner, Miklos Harsanyi, and Laszlo Varga.
Jenö Léner died in New York, November 4, 1948