Amstel Quartet - Pelēcis (2021) Hi-Res

The new album by the Amstel Quartet, full of saxophone quartets by Georgs Pelēcis, is composed and light-hearted and shifts the focus from virtuosity to functionality in a world in which extremes seem to dominate. The 'new simplicity' of Pelēcis is characterized by inspiration from nature, folk melodies and consonance. A trend that is increasingly emerging in society. In this respect, the album Pelēcis proves to be a musical 'sign of the times'.

As a modern composer, Pelēcis is one of the few who has recently written many compositions for saxophone quartet. The album can therefore be regarded as a resounding portrait that does justice to his contributions to the repertoire for the saxophone quartet. The always versatile Amstel Quartet, which is known for using their saxophones across the board, succeeds like no other in capturing the mobility of Pelēcis' compositions on clear recordings from the Orgelpark.

Through collaborations with various soloists, the timbre of the quartet's saxophones is always given a new shine. At On The Shore of North Vidzeme, for example, you take a colorful journey through Latvian fishing villages together with harpsichord player Goska Isphording. A picturesque sunset is sketched in Sunlight Sonata with pianist Laura Sandee. And through Snow you end up in an enchanting winter night with Winnie Cheng and Ilonka Kolthof on violin and flute. Amstel Quartet never shows too much and never too little. This twelfth album by the quartet is pre-eminently a document that underlines the reason for their twenty-five years of existence: refined and dynamic, and certainly not singular.