Earthdrawn Skies

Albumbeschreibung

The title Earthdrawn Skies suggests a natural theme, and the stated aim of the program is to "[explore] deep connections between humankind and the natural world through the distinct lenses of four composers forging personal relationships with the soil and the stars." It is not clear how well this works as a unifying principle. The Sibelius String Quartet in D minor, Op. 56, is subtitled "Voces intimae," and its only connection to nature appears to be the fact that it was composed at Sibelius' rural retreat. The String Quartet No. 1 of Eleanor Alberga was inspired by the physical sciences, but its pleasures are primarily the abstract ones denoted by the delightful movement titles: "Détaché de martellato e zehr lebhaft und swing it man" and "Frantically driven yet playful." This said, the pieces on this program by the Aizuri Quartet do hang together unusually nicely. The quartet's name, taken from that of a Japanese woodblock style, might make a better summary of the contents than the stated one; the surfaces of all three works are detailed, vibrant, and bold, like that of the Japanese style. The two outer works are intense, with sharp built-in contrasts; sample the rollicking finale of the Alberga quartet, which is violent but then does indeed careen into playful turns of phrase. (This composer will be new to many listeners and would seem to be worth checking out further.) The Armenian Folk Songs of the Armenian nationalist Komitas Vardapet, a.k.a. just Komitas, make a fresh and delightful interlude, and the Sibelius quartet, not a terribly often performed piece, has the requisite inwardness and rough-hewn quality. This is a satisfying chamber release with a lot of fresh music, and it makes one want to hear more from these young performers.
© James Manheim /TiVo