Jouni Kaipainen's String Quartet No. 6 'The Terror Run' Op. 92. Commissioned by the BBC Radio for the Proms concerts 2010. Dedicated to the Meta4 Quartet. Parts available: WH31197A Programme note: My former experience in writing string quartets has made me used to the idea that a piece of mine in this genre lasts close to half an hour and consists of several movements with different characters. This time the commission clearly stated a duration of 12 minutes and this naturally brought about lots of thinking and orientating. Eventually I luckily found out that I actually can alter mybasic “string quartet philosophy” so that such a short piece became an existing option. In the music itself there is nothing very much to explain. The quartet is for the most part quite lively flowing music in fast tempi. In the very beginning there is something haunting in the atmosphere but soon joyful for the most part delicately light at times maybe also “dance-like” characters take over.  But in terms of dramaturgy   the music has a tendency to grow more weighty and harsh and these quasi-violent elements gradually threaten the sunny unproblematic flow. Closer to the end we come to a point where nothing is easy anymore. This brings about a slow section of quite different nature and after that the former hilarious swing tries to make a comeback – but does not really succeed. The run goes on but the overtones are now more shadowy and the mood on the scary side. The subtitle comes from the novel The Camomile Lawn (1984) by Mary Wesley of which Ken Taylor made a wonderful TV series adaptation for Channel 4 (1992) where a marvellous casting of great actors supports the colourful beautiful and delightful story. In this novel young Sophie (gorgeously played by the 10-year-old Rebecca Hall) has eagerly waited for her older cousins to arrive to her aunt’s house at the

Par DVORAK ANTONIN. The profound impression it makes on us is due in part to the sequence of variations on a death motif that seems to have been borrowed from the beginning of the second Kyrie from Bach's Mass in B minor. Written in 1890, it was commissioned by the publisher Novello for the Birmingham Music Festival and premiered there under the direction of the composer on 9 October 1891. For this performance, Dvorák used a copy of the score which he had personally examined and which later served as the engraver's copy. The Dvorák scholar Klaus Döge succeeded in tracking down its location and evaluating this important source for the first time. It contains the 'Fassung letzter Hand' and, moreover, offers valuable insights into Dvorák's conducting workshop. It served as the principal source for the Breitkopf Urtext edition./ Répertoire / Violoncelle (Partie Séparée)

Par VAUGHAN WILLIAMS RALPH. 'Quartet In C Minor' is in four movements with a total duration of about 25 minutes. The opening Allegro is similar in style to Dvorak in its lyricism, though there is a darker, more brooding atmosphere towards the close. It is tempting to detect a hint of folk-song in the theme of the Andantino, played by the viola, but that may be stretching hindsight too far. The movement has a wistful melancholy that carries over into the following Intermezzo, a song-like episode containing some of the most virtuosic writing in the work. The last movement is a theme and six variations with a fugal ending. The theme is ballad-like with a suggestion of 18th-century elegance. Modality creeps into the second Adagio variation and there is rhythmic exhilaration in the succeeding Presto. What can be admired in this attractive quartet is its conciseness. This String Quartet was his first major composition of any kind./ Répertoire / Trio ou Quatuor à Cordes

Cantilena was commissioned by the London Chamber Music Society to celebrate their move to King's Place in October 2008. First performed by Nicholas Daniel and members of the Chilingirian Quartet at King’s Place London on 5th October 2008. The work is a short lyrical piece where an outsider [the oboe] joins the group [a string trio] and adds to their dialogue. At first the newcomer is treated with a mixture of suspicion and agitation but eventually is made welcome. The oboe is invited to share the musical theme that has been established which he then proceeds to embellish and adorn. He leads the harmonic changes that result in the theme being heard in manydifferent keys. He then introduces a new theme. The excitement grows and leads to a climax. A peaceful coda re-establishes the original theme and all ends harmoniously among the integrated quartet.

A modern sequel to the music of the Romantic era. The first movement hints at the chromatic of 'Tristan?- cantilena lines convey a mournful scene. It is succeeded by a brilliant scherzo with the cryptic title 'Erste fremde Szene? (First Foreign/Unknown Scene - one is invited to solve this riddle), while the third movement, with its singing quality, is related to the first. The final movement, a 'Zweite fremde Szene? ('Second Foreign/Unknown Scene?), alludes to the 'last dance? tradition, with its ironic undertones and the copious use of sixths, counterpointed with tarantella rhythms. A rewarding, striking work, equally valuable for concerts combining older compositions with new works as for contemporary music programmes. / Quatuor A Cordes

Par CAFARO PASQUALE. Pasquale Cafaro, born in S. Pietro in Galantina in 1715; he was directed by his family to 'scientific' studies (science of law) but soon abandoned them for musical ones. He then entered the Conservatorio della Pietà de' Turchini as a son at the age of 18, almost as an adult. His main teacher was one of the greatest musicians of the 18th century, Leonardo Leo, who immediately recognized the young man's talent. He remained at the 'Pietà' for a long time as a pupil first and then as a mastricello; finally, on the master's death, he deservedly succeeded him. / Date parution : 2023-06-01/ Répertoire / Soprano, Alto, Cordes et Basse Continue

Par RHEINBERGER JOSEF GABRIEL. Volume 31 contains, among other works, the Piano Quartet, which was enthusiastically received by the critics in Rheinberger’s time: “The themes are noble, with significant content, the motivic development is rich and interesting, above all free from anything resembling a mould … and such a healthy musical wind blows through the entire work that I believe I am not mistaken if I forsee for this work a great success. ” This is how a contemporary critic reviewed the work. Indeed, op. 38 proceeded to become the most successful of Rheinberger’s chamber music works during his lifetime. The Sextet op. 191b is an effective arrangement of his Piano Trio No. 4 op. 191, for flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, horn and piano. All works are also available in separate editions./ Répertoire / Ensemble de Chambre