At its retirement in 1981, the Curtis String Quartet was the longest-playing string quartet in the world, and the first American string quartet to tour in England (1935) and in Europe (1936–37). Until the writing of this book, the Quartet’s history had not received the ongoing attention that it deserves. Dr. Bosworth brings the fascinating story of the Curtis String Quartet’s birth and decades of struggles and successes to life in this detailed, academically oriented biography. After World War II, while they still actively toured, the members of the Quartet founded the New School of Music, an institution that prepared students for orchestra positions. Within the next four decades, virtually every major symphony orchestra in the United States would have first-chair musicians trained by members of the Curtis String Quartet. Bosworth writes, “Their relentless drive to build a national and international chamber music career had brought chamber music to tens of thousands of people who had never before heard it, seen it, or even knew what it was.”

This well-documented narrative will be of interest to classical music enthusiasts and researchers. Although it is a combination of good biographical writing and the piecing together of musical tour information in a research-paper style format, the writing and intent remain lively and accessible, and the story could make a stimulating biopic. The history of the Quartet’s travels and achievements, though rambling, is punctuated by interesting historical photographs and biographies of the various musicians who performed together. A partial list of the 3,500 programs generated over decades for Quartet performances follows the narrative. It is clear that playwright Bosworth has applied considerable thought, time, and effort to research and produce this biography from archival sources and personal narratives by colleagues and families of the original and subsequent Quartet members.

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