But Not My Soul: Price, Dvořák & Giddens Ragazze Quartet

• Florence Price (1887 - 1953): String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor:
• 1Price: String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor: I. Moderato14:19
• 2Price: String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor: II. Andante cantabile06:39
• 3Price: String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor: III. Juba - Allegro04:20
• 4Price: String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor: IV. Finale - Allegro06:09
• Antonín Dvořák (1841 - 1904): String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96 "American":
• 5Dvořák: String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96 "American": I. Allegro ma non troppo09:29
• 6Dvořák: String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96 "American": II. Lento06:57
• 7Dvořák: String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96 "American": III. Molto vivace03:53
• 8Dvořák: String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96 "American": IV. Finale. Vivace ma non troppo05:20
• Rhiannon Giddens (b. 1977): At the Purchaser’s Option:
• 9Giddens: At the Purchaser’s Option (Arr. for String Quartet by Jacob Garchik)03:43
• Total Runtime01:00:49

Info for But Not My Soul: Price, Dvořák & Giddens

Ragazze Quartet perform works by two female composers Rhiannon Giddens (*1977) and Florence Price (1887-1953), combined with the ‘American’ String Quartet No.12 by Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904). Florence Price was the first African-American woman to be recognized for her symphonies, yet her music was forgotten for many years. Her String Quartet No.2 is a mix of European romanticism, her ‘Southern’ roots, the emerging blues and African-American spirituals. The title of the album derives from a song Rhiannon Giddens wrote after seeing a 19th-century advertisement for a 22-year-old female slave whose 9-month-old baby was also for sale, but 'at the purchaser’s option'. One of the lines of the song is: "You can take my blood. But not my soul." The string quartet arrangement was made by Jacob Garchik in 2016, commissioned by the Kronos Quartet’s ‘50 For The Future’ project. Ragazze Quartet: “This album is a tribute to composers who, despite opposition, have always remained true to their soul. Although our own souls may not directly be related to the work songs of African slaves, Czech folk music, or African-American spirituals, we want to contribute to making their voices, souls and music heard.”

Ragazze Quartet

Ragazze Quartet
The Ragazze Quartet plays both classical and modern string quartet repertoire: inspired and on the highest level. With attractive but unconventional programmes the quartet has come to be one of the most fresh and leading voices in the world of classical music. In innovative programmes it embarks on collaborations with the most original voices in theatre, dance and literature. With performances that speak to all senses they succeed in securing an audience for the rich classical music tradition. In this way they warm the hearts of both the die hard listener and the novice for the string quartet repertoire of the past and of our present day.

Ragazze is a permanent artist with CD label Channel Classics and has released no fewer than six CDs with them already: Vivere, Česko, FourFourThree, Spiegel and Bartók Bound vol.1. and Winterreise. The CDs were commended by the (inter)national press. The Volkskrant wrote about Česko; “Together they put down chords, as if their hands and arms are controlled by one single brain”. FourFourThree was awarded the ‘Editor’s Choice’ in Gramophone. Česko, FourFourThree and Spiegel all three were given the highest mark in the magazine Luister.

The Ragazze Quartet plays an average of ninety concerts a year in concert halls like the Concertgebouw and the Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ in Amsterdam, but can also be seen in concert series all through the Netherlands and on festivals like Oerol on the island of Terschelling. Tours abroad brought them to England, Sweden, China, Japan, Indonesia and the United States of America, to name a few.

Ragazze likes to join forces with young musicians and theatre makers just as with leading organisations such as Nationaal Dans Theater (NDT), the Kronos Quartet, Orkater and the Holland Festival. In addition, the quartet has taken over artistic leadership of chamber music festival September Me in Amersfoort. September Me transforms Amersfoort into the epicentre of trendsetting classical music. Ragazze play themselves and invite the newest generation of top class artists that are not afraid of breaking with tradition.

The Ragazze Quartet was enrolled for the two-year full time course of the Dutch String Quartet Academy and graduated from it in 2011. In 2013 they won the Kersjes Prijs, a prize that is awarded on a yearly basis to extraordinary talent on the Dutch chamber music scene. In 2017 the Ragazze Quartet won the Operadagen Rotterdam Award for “..their quirky music-theatrical approach, their social engagement and the ease with which they dare to think outside the borders of their traditional expertise”.

The Ragazze Quartet receives multiannual financial support from the Fonds Podiumkunsten and the Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst. The Nationaal Muziekinstrumenten Fonds put Jeanita’s violin and Annemijn’s bow at their disposal. Furthermore the Ragazze own a set of classical bows made by Andreas Grütter through the support of the Stichting Eigen Muziekinstrument.

Booklet for But Not My Soul: Price, Dvořák & Giddens