Archaeus Quartet - String Quartets - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Their music is southern, suffused with brilliant light, like the air of the Mediterranean lands, translucent, striving for clarity. Album Tracks 1. I. Introduction and Chorus (Psalm 98) - Spectrum 2. II. Lighting of the Sabbath Candles - Spectrum 3. III. Sabbath Hymn (I'kha Dodi) - Spectrum 4. VII. Mikhamokha - Spectrum 5. IX. Hashkienu - Spectrum 6. XV. Adon Olam (Concluding Hymn and Benediction) - Spectrum 7. Prelude - Yoel Levi 8. I. Mizmor Shir (Tov L'hodot) - Yoel Levi 9. Ia. Interlude - Yoel Levi 10. II. L'kha Dodi - Yoel Levi 11. III. Bar'khu and Sh'ma Yisra'el - Yoel Levi 12. IV. V'ahavta - Yoel Levi 13. V. Mi Khamokha - Yoel Levi 14. VI. V'sham'ru - Yoel Levi 15. VII. Yism'hu - Yoel Levi 16. I. Preliminary B'rakha - Gerard Schwarz 17. II. Psalm 113 - Gerard Schwarz 18. VI. Psalm 116 1-11 - Gerard Schwarz 19. VIII. Psalm 117 - Gerard Schwarz 20. IX. Psalm 118 - Gerard Schwarz 21. X. Concluding B'rakha - Gerard Schwarz

Album Tracks 1. String Quartet No. 2 in D minor, Op. 41 1. Allegro Assai 2. String Quartet No. 2 in D minor, Op. 41 2. Poco Lento 3. String Quartet No. 2 in D minor, Op. 41 3. Finale - Presto 4. String Quartet No. 3 in G Major, Op. 46B 1. Allegro Moderato E Semplice 5. String Quartet No. 3 in G Major, Op. 46B 2. Poco Lento E Espressivo 6. String Quartet No. 3 in G Major, Op. 46B 3. Finale - Allegro Assai Con Spirito 7. Phantasy-Quintet, for Bass Clarinet & String Quartet, Op. 93

Born in 1975, Silvia Colasanti has an extensive catalogue of works to her credit in all the major classical genres, but her style is principally characterized by it's attention to drama, whether experienced on or off the lyric stage. In 2019 the premiere of her Proserpine opera was staged to open the prestigious Spoleto Festival. 'The score is like elegant lace,' reported Classical Music Daily, 'with very skillful orchestration and well-balanced vocal writing. It is not an experimental score but a good piece of music where the main themes are intertwined and can be easily played by the orchestra as well as recognized by the listeners.' These qualities may also be appreciated in Colasanti's work for string quartet. The expressive markings for Due destini, starting Agitato and Immobile, reveal the work's destination of travel towards two quite different places, creating an expressive tension which the string quartet is uniquely well placed to sustain. Aria does not imitate vocal writing but rather draws on the Italian meaning of the word, 'airs', with music that breathes and shudders and vanishes on the wind. Di tumulti e onde, dedicated to the Quartetto di Cremona, is subtitled Studio per Faust, and it's predominance of darkness over light and tumult over calm is a characteristic feature of Colasanti's language. Finally there is a trio of pieces that develops the themes of a piece she wrote for string quartet and percussion to accompany a text written by Patrizia Cavalli. The theme is that of a woman waking and dreaming, not unlike the lonely figure in Schoenberg's Erwartung, and now transformed by Tre Notti into music of sudden fears and restless hopes. Album Tracks 1. Due Destini 2. Aria 3. Di Tumulti E D'ombre (Studio Per Faust) 4. Tre Notti