Vera Martinez Mehner, violin Abel Tomás Realp, violin Jonathan Brown, viola Arnau Tomás Realp, violoncello
It is sometimes said that the essence of ‘classical’ music lies in the principle of variation; but when the idea of incessant transformation of the musical material irrigates scores like these quartets by three eminent Hungarian composers of the 20th century, the resulting sonic impressions are very different. The governing principle here is metamorphosis, an idea as dear to Bartók as it was to the compatriots who succeeded him.
BÉLA BARTÓK [1881-1945] String Quartet no.4 Sz.91 · I. Allegro (5'53) · II. Prestissimo, con sordino (2'57) · III. Non troppo lento (6'11) · IV. Allegretto pizzicato (2'43) · V. Allegro molto (5'28) GYÖRGY LIGETI [1923-2006] String Quartet no.1 "Métamorphoses nocturnes" · I. Allegro grazioso (1'41) · II. Vivace, capriccioso (1'54) · III. Adagio, mesto (2'26) · IV. Presto (2'49) · V. Andante tranquillo (3'09) · VI. Tempo di Valse, moderato, con eleganza, un poco capriccioso (2'22) · VII. Allegretto, un poco gioviale (2'42) · VIII. Prestissimo (4'18) GYÖRGY KURTÁG [b. 1926-] 12 Microludes for string quartet op.13 "Hommage à András Mihály" · 1. (0'46) · 2. (0'32) · 3. (0'28) · 4. Presto (0'15) · 5. Lontano, calmo, appena sentito (1'58) · 6. (0'56) · 7. (0'37) · 8. Con slancio (0'19) · 9. Pesante, con moto - Leggiero (0'50) · 10. Molto agitato (0'31) · 11. (1'17) · 12. Leggiero, con moto, non dolce (0'43)
