Debussy, Tailleferre & Ravel: String Quartets Stenhammar Quartet

• Claude Debussy (1862 - 1918): String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 10, L. 85:
• 1String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 10, L. 85: I. Animé et très décidé06:12
• 2String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 10, L. 85: II. Assez vif et bien rythmé04:01
• 3String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 10, L. 85: III. Andantino, doucement expressif06:22
• 4String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 10, L. 85: IV. Très modéré07:20
• Germaine Tailleferre (1892 - 1983): String Quartet:
• 5String Quartet: I. Modéré02:24
• 6String Quartet: II. Intermède02:41
• 7String Quartet: III. Final. Vif04:56
• Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937): String Quartet in F Major, M. 35:
• 8String Quartet in F Major, M. 35: I. Allegro moderato07:55
• 9String Quartet in F Major, M. 35: II. Assez vif - Très rythmé06:03
• 10String Quartet in F Major, M. 35: III. Très lent06:03
• 11String Quartet in F Major, M. 35: IV. Vif et agité05:07
• Total Runtime59:04

Info for Debussy, Tailleferre & Ravel: String Quartets

On this new release one of Scandinavia’s foremost string quartets, the Swedish Stenhammar Quartet, perform pieces by Claude Debussy, Germaine Tailleferre and Maurice Ravel. The quartet’s previous recordings have been internationally praised by critics, and this new album will certainly be no exception. 'The Stenhammar Quartet produces a clean and vibrant sound, they use a range of well-judged dynamics and the articulation is exceptionally good throughout' MusicWeb International.

Germaine Tailleferre (1892–1983) was a member of the French group of composers known as Les Six. She composed only one string quartet, in 1917–1919, when Les Six were just making a name for themselves. The Tailleferre String Quartet is a sonatina-like work in three movements and has the gracefulness and understated languor of Ravel’s Neoclassicism and Les Six. The first and second movements are vigilantly dreamy and at the end return to the beginning without more ado. The last movement tells a richly eloquent story with bizarre situations, dry humour and ambiguous sentiments.

Claude Debussy (1862–1918) and Maurice Ravel (1875–1937) both made one excursion into string quartet territory, producing a pair of works that both became highly popular items in the repertoire. As the model for his Quartet of 1902, Ravel took the one by Debussy completed some ten years earlier in 1893; hence the excitingly non-identical twins are mirrors of music described as impressionistic. The two quartets come closest to each other in their impishly saucy pizzicato scherzos, their down-to-earth tempo underlining their groovy sardonicism. They also both have slow movements with deep, deep pools and finales that, instead of being conventionally jubilant, draw together the work’s thematic threads and leave a lasting impression of sullen intransigence.

Stenhammar Quartet:
Peter Olofsson, violin
Per Öman, violin
Tony Bauer, viola
Mats Olofsson, cello

Stenhammar Quartet
Since its establishment in 2002, the Stenhammar Quartet has become one of Scandinavia’s foremost string quartets. Swedish works play a central part in the ensemble’s programmes, but much attention is also paid to the Viennese Classical repertoire and to contem- porary music. The quartet regularly commissions works from Nordic composers such as Sven-David Sandström, Anders Hillborg and Bent Sörensen, and has also been the dedicatee and given the first performances of works by composers from the USA and Great Britain. The Stenhammar Quartet has recorded some forty works for Swedish Radio and has been praised by The Strad and The Guardian for its lyrical and exceptional recordings of Wilhelm Stenhammar’s string quartets (Bis) Their recording of Lars-Erik Larsson’s complete string quartets (Daphne) received a nomination for the Swedish Grammy awards as well as critical acclaim both in Swedish and international music magazines.

In 2009 the quartet made its London debut and was that same year featured on the French music channel Mezzo.

The Stenhammar Quartet is a regular guest at many Scandinavian festivals and has recently been invited to festivals in Poland, Algeria and India.

Booklet for Debussy, Tailleferre & Ravel: String Quartets