Tippett Quartet - Tippett: String Quartets, Vol. 1-2 (2008-2009)

Tracklist

Tippett: String Quartets, Vol. 1
01. String Quartet No. 1: I. Allegro Appassionato
02. String Quartet No. 1: II. Lento Cantabile
03. String Quartet No. 1: III. Allegro Assai
04. String Quartet No. 2: I. Allegro Grazioso
05. String Quartet No. 2: II. Andante
06. String Quartet No. 2: III. Presto
07. String Quartet No. 2: IV. Allegro Appassionato
08. String Quartet No. 4: I. Molto Legato
09. String Quartet No. 4: II. Fast
10. String Quartet No. 4: III. Moderately Slow
11. String Quartet No. 4: IV. Very Fast

Michael Tippett, who was ‘invincibly drawn to the quartet medium’ when he heard performances by the Busch and Léner Quartets during his student years in London, wrote five string quartets spanning his entire compositional life.

On this first disc of the complete Quartets, the tuneful String Quartet No. 1 is followed by the String Quartet No. 2, notable for its abundant lyricism and lithe, dancing rhythms.

In sharp contrast to both these works stands the more dissonant String Quartet No. 4, an unbroken sequence of numbered movements, which reflect the String Quartet Op. 131 of Tippett’s compositional hero, Beethoven.

The Tippett Quartet is one of Britain’s most exciting young string quartets, founded in 1998. They are committed to combining mainstream repertoire with contemporary works and have been described as “bold and innovative” by The Times.

“The Tippett Quartet plays with a seasoned cohesion and rapport, but also with the tang of youthful spirit….The Tippett’s response embraced an arresting spectrum of colouring between extremes of astringency and refined delicacy. Huge enjoyable and provocative, the concert identified a quartet of such exciting ideas and vital interpretative insight that it promises to make a significant contribution to the realms of chamber music.” The Daily Telegraph

Tippett: String Quartets, Vol. 2
01. String Quartet No. 3: I. Grave e Sostenuto - Allegro Moderato (doppio Movimento)
02. String Quartet No. 3: II. Andante
03. String Quartet No. 3: III. Allegro Molto e Con Brio
04. String Quartet No. 3: IV. Lento -
05. String Quartet No. 3: V. Allegro Comodo
06. String Quartet No. 5: I. Medium Fast
07. String Quartet No. 5: II. Slow

Completing their acclaimed survey of Tippett’s string quartets, the young British quartet which has taken his name as their own here presents the composer’s Third and Fifth String Quartets.

Both are infused with Tippett’s abiding fascination with Beethoven; the former work brimming with passionate counterpoint that recalls Beethoven’s late string quartets and piano sonatas, the latter harking back to Tippett’s earlier preoccupation with dramatic sonata principles.

By turns dazzling, dynamic and lyrical, these are pivotal works of 20th-century chamber music.

DOWNLOAD ALBUM [flac] Vol 1

DOWNLOAD ALBUM [flac] Vol 2