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For me, tradition does not mean persistence, but transformation and growth. It might seem that a composer who still pays homage to tonality remains in such tradition-boundness out of comfort. It turns out, however, that the pursuit of tonal order constantly challenges him with new questions and decisions for which there are no recipes. With his commitment to tonality, Müller-Zürich seemed to justify itself at a time when the avant-garde after the Second World War vilified all sound and harmony. In fact, however, his works are neither epigonal nor even retrogressive, but have their very own tone, which, a quarter of a century after his death, must be rediscovered. His large-scale string works (quintet with 2 violas 1919 & quartet 1921) are rich, colorful sound paintings full of passion and sophistication that can compete with Reger, Mahler and young Strauss. The later string trio from 1950 shines as a virtuoso, neoclassical bravura piece. With these three first recordings on album, casalQuartett and Razvan Popovici set a magnificent sounding monument to the great Swiss.
