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First Piano Quartet

The First Piano Quartet was a quartet of pianists first organized in the United States in 1941. Its founding members were Vladimir Padwa, George Robert, Adam Garner, and Henry Holt. The quartet was originally conceived of as a radio group, with a weekly show that soon became twice weekly. In 1943, Franz Mittler and Edward Edson replaced George Robert and Henry Holt, who had joined the army. The quartet made its New York concert debut in 1949.

The quartet toured extensively with their four Steinway pianos from the 1940s through the late 1950s, and made recordings in the 1940s and 1950s. Most of its arrangements were made by Adam Garner.

By 1950, Padwa had left the quartet, replaced temporarily by George Robert. In 1952, Glauco D'Attili (1920–2007) became the latest member, replacing George Robert. D'Attili, a former child prodigy from Rome was brought to the United States in 1927 by Benjamino Gigli and was probably the most well-known of the group. He appeared, along with Edward Edson, Adam Garner, and Frank Mittler, in two movie shorts for 20th Century Fox in 1954, The First Piano Quartette and Piano Encores. Both were directed by Otto Lang, and The First Piano Quartette was nominated for an Academy Award in 1954 in the category Best Short Subject, One-reel. The group also appeared on both The Ed Sullivan Show (Episode #7.30) and The Lawrence Welk Show.

In the mid-1950s D'Attili was replaced by William Gunther (Sprecher) and the quartet renamed itself to the Original Piano Quartet. The quartet appeared under its new name at Town Hall, New York on March 29, 1962.

In 1970 William Gunther asked Rami Bar-Niv to replace him in the quartet. Bar-Niv was part of the quartet until he returned to Israel in 1972.

The First Piano Quartet's collection of music is housed in the Music Division of the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1942 - 1947

Roles Represented in DAHR: Musical group

Notes: Historical information on the New York Public Library’s First Piano Quartet Collection finding aid states that theater producer Edwin Fadiman agreed to the formation of a four-piano, eight-hands ensemble—as pitched to him by Adam Garner—in exchange for Fadiman’s ownership of the group (he co-owned with brother Clifton Fadiman), as well as ownership of the classical and light classics arrangements created for the group. Fadiman also served as producer and wrote radio scripts. Original pianists were Garner, Henry Holt, George Robert, and Vladimir Padwa; later members were Edward Edson, Franz Mittler, Glauco D'Attili, and William Gunther. The quartet debuted in 1941, made public appearances, and recorded for Victor. In 1957, after a dispute between Fadiman and Garner that began in 1949, the contract with Fadiman was dissolve. The group continued to perform under the name Original Piano Quartet until the mid-1960s and their recordings during those years were made for Decca.

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings

Company Matrix No. Size First Recording Date Title Primary Performer Description Role Audio
Victor BS-075493 10-in. 7/30/1942 Minuet First Piano Quartet Piano quartet Musical group  
Victor CS-075494 12-in. 7/30/1942 Happy birthday classical First Piano Quartet Piano quartet Musical group  
Victor D7VC-7556 12-in. 5/27/1947 Danza negra First Piano Quartet Piano quartet Musical group  
Victor D7VC-7557 12-in. 5/27/1947 Danza de los ñañigos First Piano Quartet Piano quartet Musical group  
Victor D7VC-7558 12-in. 5/27/1947 La comparsa First Piano Quartet Piano quartet Musical group  
Victor D7VC-7559 12-in. 5/27/1947 Malagueña First Piano Quartet Piano quartet Musical group  
Victor D7VC-7564 12-in. 5/29/1947 Aragonesa First Piano Quartet Piano quartet Musical group  
Victor D7VC-7565 12-in. 5/29/1947 Andalucia First Piano Quartet Piano quartet Musical group  
Victor D7RC-8256 12-in. 12/20/1947 Fantaisie-impromptu in C-sharp minor First Piano Quartet Piano quartet Musical group  

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "First Piano Quartet," accessed December 25, 2025, http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100505.

First Piano Quartet. (2025). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved December 25, 2025, from http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100505.

"First Piano Quartet." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2025. Web. 25 December 2025.

DAHR Persistent Identifier

URI: http://adp.library.ucsb.edu/names/100505

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