Rainer Schmidt from the Hagen Quartet in an interview

"There are different opinions."

Rainer Schmidt has been a member of the Hagen Quartet since 1987, where he plays second violin. In 1989 he founded the Ravinia Trio. Rainer Schmidt teaches at the Mozarteum Salzburg, the Reina Sofía School of Music in Madrid, and is Professor of Violin and Chamber Music at the Basel Academy of Music.

Classicpoint.ch: How did you actually come to join the Hagen Quartet?
I was studying in the USA during the 1986/1987 school year. The quartet called me there and asked if I would come to Salzburg to rehearse with them and see if we had a future together. That went very well, and a few months later I started.
 
Unlike the other three members of the quartet, you're not part of the family. Have there been moments when you've felt that?
I was treated like a new member of the family from the very beginning, which was lovely and touching. During our actual work, namely rehearsals and concerts, I don't notice anything. Those moments come more from the outside.
 
You've been with the Hagen Quartet for 24 years now. How do the rehearsals work? Is there someone who takes the lead?
It depends. There's no designated leader, but rather rotating initiatives.
 
In any group of people who work and live together intensively, there are inevitably different roles, hierarchical structures, and the formation of smaller groups. What's it like in the Hagen Quartet?
I can definitely rule out the formation of small groups. Different opinions do arise from time to time, though. These are dealt with democratically, and so far we've always reached an agreement that everyone can live with. There are no hierarchical structures, apart from those we've established ourselves to facilitate certain processes. We naturally have different roles, but ones we're all comfortable with.
 
Do you ever argue?
Very rarely.
 
What's the secret to working together successfully and happily for so long, and not gradually becoming just a group of convenience?
Mutual respect, no egos, and setting the right priorities.
 
You always play second fiddle. What appeals to you about this role, and are there moments when you'd like to take center stage?
I would certainly like to play the other instruments in the quartet, especially the cello. Each instrument has its own unique function, without which the quartet is incomplete. The meaning of the melody only becomes clear through the other parts. A typical role of the second violin is to give the whole piece its essential character.
 
Which string quartets do you particularly like?
There have been and still are some truly outstanding ensembles that I admire, and to whom I would like to express my gratitude for the tremendous amount of work they have invested.
 
You and the Hagen Quartet switched from Deutsche Grammophon to the smaller label Myrios Klassik. Why?
We no longer saw a place for ourselves at DGG. Artistically, it was no longer our home. Myrios Klassik, or rather, Mr. Stephan Cahen, offers us a great deal. We are delighted to have found this label and look forward to our upcoming recordings together.
 
You also teach at the Basel Academy of Music and in Salzburg. Where do you see the differences between these two institutions?
There are differences and similarities. Both institutions have a long tradition and are deeply rooted in their cities, yet they also tell different stories. My home is now Basel, and I am very happy to be there.

Interview by Florian Schär | Classicpoint.ch | October 12, 2011
Photo: Harald Hoffmann