Kreutzer Quartet - Michael Finnissy: Works for String Quartet (1998)

This is rather special. Perhaps the greatest pleasure of this disc is Finnissy’s re-evaluation in each piece of the modes of interaction between the four musicians of this time-honoured medium: the title of the disc, note, is not “String Quartets” but “Works for string quartet”. That questioning attitude stretches to the composer’s wide range of stylistic references. If variety is the spice of life, then this disc is hot. And so are the Kreutzer Quartet, whose commitment and spirit make this demanding music sound clear, fluent and gritty. A must for anyone interested in new music, or in the evolution of the string quartet as a genre.'