Hagen Quartett

The Hagen Quartett was one of the leading chamber ensembles of its native Austria, gaining international attention for its broad repertory and its work with violinist Gidon Kremer. The original members of the Hagen Quartett were siblings Lukas (first violin), Angelika (first violin), Veronika (viola), and Clemens (cello) Hagen. The group's influences resulted in a repertory ranging from Bach to new music. It released its debut album in 1984, joining pianist András Schiff on Schubert's Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667 ("Trout"). Angelika Hagen left the quartet and was replaced first by Annette Bik and, in 1987, by Rainer Schmidt. The other three Hagen siblings remained part of the group. By 2024, when the group released an album of piano quintets with Paul Gulda, its recording catalog comprised some 40 albums. The group decided to retire in 2026, with its last performance being held July 7 in Tokyo.