Dvorak / Janacek / Suk / Wihan Quartet - Works for String - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Henrique's arrangements for these songs are ingenious, refined and full of life, without artificially forcing any unnecessary originality. In addition to these fundamental pieces, there are also the 'miniaturas', which bring Henrique's signature to the album as a composer. The 'miniaturas' of Portais are creative eruptions derived from the study of great Brazilian composers. They are like transpirations of this process of metabolising the masters.

Dvorak / Kasik / Wihan Quartet - Piano Quartets [COMPACT DISCS] date 03/10/2005

The Doric String Quartet, now established as one of the finest young ensembles in the world and exclusive on Chandos, pays homage to Czech chamber music of the 1920s with these string quartets by Janacek and Martinu. As acknowledged by Janacek himself, his two string programmatic quartets are a vehicle for his deepest feelings. Martinu's Third String Quartet reflects the influences of his teacher Albert Roussel as well as the night-life ragtime and jazz world of late 1920s Paris, where and when it was written. The work itself features some striking harmonic clashes and colorful scoring.