Janáček & Haas: String Quartets / Currie, Escher String Quartet
Details
- Composer
- Pavel Haas, Leos Janacek
- Artist
- Colin Currie
- Format
- SACD
- Label
- BIS
- Released
- Jun 02, 2023
- Catalog #
- BIS-2670
- UPC
- 7318599926704
About
While the concept of the programmatic and autobiographical quartet seems to have been introduced by Beethoven, nowhere has it been taken up more forcefully than in the Czech lands, as the works presented here attest. Leoš Janáček’s first quartet, subtitled ‘Kreutzer Sonata’, is based on a novella by Leo Tolstoy, which deals with such subjects as marriage, adultery and murder, all of which are evoked here by highly expressive music. The second quartet, the last major work he completed, is subtitled ‘Intimate Letters’. The special feature of this unique and miraculous quartet, full of love songs and eruptions, is the intense and euphoric expression of the composer’s inspirational and unrequited passion for a young woman.
Pavel Haas, who studied with Janáček in Brno in the 1920s, composed his second string quartet subtitled ‘From the Monkey Mountains’ in 1925. Although the composer claims that he intended to evoke ‘pleasant summer holidays in the country’, it seems that the work also evokes a love story. A surprise is in store for us in the final movement, entitled ‘A Wild Night’: percussion is added to the string quartet and contributes to the jazzy atmosphere. It is played here by the Scottish virtuoso Colin Currie.
REVIEW:
The Escher’s Janáček is highly recommended, especially to those of you who have not yet become dedicated Janáček freaks; those who have will need a variety of approaches to these highly charged quartets. The Haas should be a keeper for everybody.
-- Fanfare
Tracklist 12 tracks
-
1 I. Adagio - Con moto 04:13
- Track
- 1
- Title
- I. Adagio - Con moto
- Duration
- 04:13
- Composer
- Leoš Janáček
- Ensemble
- Escher String Quartet
-
2 II. Con moto 04:19
- Track
- 2
- Title
- II. Con moto
- Duration
- 04:19
- Composer
- Leoš Janáček
- Ensemble
- Escher String Quartet
-
3 III. Con moto - Vivo - Andante 04:11
- Track
- 3
- Title
- III. Con moto - Vivo - Andante
- Duration
- 04:11
- Composer
- Leoš Janáček
- Ensemble
- Escher String Quartet
-
4 IV. Con moto (Adagio) - Più mosso 05:27
- Track
- 4
- Title
- IV. Con moto (Adagio) - Più mosso
- Duration
- 05:27
- Composer
- Leoš Janáček
- Ensemble
- Escher String Quartet
-
5 I. Andante - Con moto - Allegro 05:53
- Track
- 5
- Title
- I. Andante - Con moto - Allegro
- Duration
- 05:53
- Composer
- Leoš Janáček
- Ensemble
- Escher String Quartet
-
6 II. Adagio - Vivace 05:49
- Track
- 6
- Title
- II. Adagio - Vivace
- Duration
- 05:49
- Composer
- Leoš Janáček
- Ensemble
- Escher String Quartet
-
7 III. Moderato - Adagio - Allegro 05:44
- Track
- 7
- Title
- III. Moderato - Adagio - Allegro
- Duration
- 05:44
- Composer
- Leoš Janáček
- Ensemble
- Escher String Quartet
-
8 IV. Allegro - Andante - Adagio 07:45
- Track
- 8
- Title
- IV. Allegro - Andante - Adagio
- Duration
- 07:45
- Composer
- Leoš Janáček
- Ensemble
- Escher String Quartet
-
9 I. Krajina (Landscape): Andante 10:06
- Track
- 9
- Title
- I. Krajina (Landscape): Andante
- Duration
- 10:06
- Composer
- Pavel Haas
- Performer
- Colin Currie
- Ensemble
- Escher String Quartet
-
10 II. Kočár, kočí a kůň (Coach, Coachman and Horse): Andante 04:31
- Track
- 10
- Title
- II. Kočár, kočí a kůň (Coach, Coachman and Horse): Andante
- Duration
- 04:31
- Composer
- Pavel Haas
- Performer
- Colin Currie
- Ensemble
- Escher String Quartet
-
11 III. Měsíc a já (The Moon and I): Largo e misterioso 08:01
- Track
- 11
- Title
- III. Měsíc a já (The Moon and I): Largo e misterioso
- Duration
- 08:01
- Composer
- Pavel Haas
- Performer
- Colin Currie
- Ensemble
- Escher String Quartet
-
12 IV. Divá noc (Wild Night): Vivace e con fuoco 08:22
- Track
- 12
- Title
- IV. Divá noc (Wild Night): Vivace e con fuoco
- Duration
- 08:22
- Composer
- Pavel Haas
- Performer
- Colin Currie
- Ensemble
- Escher String Quartet