Stenhammar Quartet - Atterberg & Rangstrom: String Quartets (2014) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist
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01. String Quartet No. 2 in B Minor, Op. 11: I. Allegro con fuoco
02. String Quartet No. 2 in B Minor, Op. 11: II. Andante
03. String Quartet No. 2 in B Minor, Op. 11: III. Allegro furioso
04. String Quartet No. 3 in D Major, Op. 39: I. Allegro
05. String Quartet No. 3 in D Major, Op. 39: II. Scherzo
06. String Quartet No. 3 in D Major, Op. 39: III. Romance. Adagio
07. String Quartet No. 3 in D Major, Op. 39: IV. Allegro deciso
08. String Quartet, "Un notturno nella Maniera di E. Th. A. Hoffmann"

One of Scandinavia’s outstanding quartet ensembles – the Stenhammar Quartet – has recorded the string quartets of the Swedish composers Kurt Atterberg and Ture Rangström for cpo. Atterberg saved the first theme of his first quartet for a later go at quartet composition and incorporated it into his op. 39, thus carrying his String Quartet op. 2 through to completion. This quartet is regarded as a personal, refined work, as serious playing with national melodies. As the composer himself put it, his second quartet »originated from a peculiar impulse to play a prank. This is reflected in my disrespectful treatment of the keys. The second movement was inspired by the dream of a beautiful dancer – but before I saw her in the nude. The first motif [of the finale] is related to various parts of my requiem and to the finale of my second symphony. It was tremendous fun to present a waltz theme as a finale.« Ture Rangström was above all a literary composer. Accordingly, literary references are found in his only string quartet, entitled »A Nachtstück (Notturno) in the Manner of E. T. A. Hoffmann.« The inspiration for the string quartet came from Carl Nielsen, who recommended a useful exercise in quartet composition to the young composer and followed the work’s progress from afar: »I have the sense that the vibrancy and temperament with which your work is imbued are genuinely delightful.« The result is a truly inspired, resolute work from Rangström’s youth.

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