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MP3 The Fry Street Quartet - Voices of Modernism SACD 2 disc set
26 MP3 Songs
CLASSICAL: Contemporary, CLASSICAL: Traditional
Details:
About the FSQ
Winners of the Millennium Grand Prize the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, the First Prize at the Yellow Springs Competition, and prizewinners at the 2004 Banff International String Quartet Competition, the FSQ performs nationally and internationally. At Isaac Stern''s invitation the quartet made their 2001 Carnegie Hall debut in a performance that "spoke of precision, preparation, excitement, profound heritage, and ultimate satisfaction" (New York Concert Review). Their performance earlier that season at the 92nd Street Y was hailed by the New York Times as "a triumph of ensemble playing." The FSQ made their European debut with a concert tour of the Balkans sponsored by Carnegie Hall and the U. S. State Department. The quartet is Faculty Quartet in Residence at the Caine School of the Arts at Utah State University.
Read the latest review:
CDs showcase Utah musicians
By Edward Reichel
Deseret Morning News
THE FRY STREET QUARTET; Beethoven, Stravinsky, Rorem, Scearce (FSQ)*** 1/2
* The Fry Street Quartet (violinists Jessica Guideri and Rebecca McFaul; violist Russell Fallstad; cellist Anne Francis) is an energetic, vibrant group that plays with passion and intensity and exhibits technical acumen and remarkable artistry. The group''s interpretations are articulate and insightful.
FSQ shows its marvelous talent on its most recent release, a two-disc album featuring quartets by Beethoven, Stravinsky, Ned Rorem and J. Mark Scearce. And in each case, the foursome play as if they own the music, with perceptiveness and a keen understanding of the inner workings of each piece.
The first disc consists of two works by Beethoven - the early Quartet in A major, op. 18, no. 5, and one of the composer''s most sublime statements in the form, the Quartet in A minor, op. 132.
The A major is perhaps the most classical of the six works that comprise the op. 18 set. FSQ captures the classical poise and refined elegance of the music. It brings out the delightful melodicism with its expressive and lyrically crafted reading.
In the A minor Quartet, the four musicians easily capture the breadth and scope of the work with their forceful reading. Particularly notable is their interpretation of the third movement (Molto Adagio), capturing the pathos, angst and defiance of the music with sensitivity and feeling.
The second disc - musically and stylistically diverse - opens with Stravinsky''s brief "Three Pieces for String Quartet." FSQ gives a succinct and lucid performance of these abstract pieces.
Rorem, on the other hand, is a shameless romantic. But even though his music is solidly grounded in the 19th century, he nevertheless has developed his own distinct language. FSQ has taken Rorem''s music to heart, in particular his Fourth Quartet. Based on paintings by Picasso, this 10-movement work is an imaginative collection of vignettes. The ensemble plays with passion and intensity, capturing the work''s wide range of musical impressions, from the dynamic vitality of "Acrobat on a Ball," to the contemplation of "Still Life," to the searing emotions of "Self Portrait." This is a musical tour de force and FSQ plays impressively.
The final work on the album is Scearce''s String Quartet ("Y2K"). Like Rorem, Scearce is influenced by the musical and harmonic language of the 19th century. While not particularly innovative, Scearce''s quartet is still emotionally driven, and the ensemble''s performance convincingly captures the intensity and force of the music.
About the recording
This recording is in SACD Surround 4-Channel, SACD Stereo, and CD Audio formats. It was recorded using Ray Kimber''s IsoMike TM at Weber State University in Ogden, UT.
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