Music / kammermusik

The string quartets


Reviews (9)


Presto classical

2023

By

2023

"Between 1988 and 2010, Steve Reich composed three string quartets - `Different Trains', 'Triple Quartet' and 'WTC 9/11'. Deutsche Grammophon now presents this trilogy of works for the first time on one album, in definitive new recordings from the Mivos Quartet. Hailed by The Chicago Reader as "one of America's most daring and ferocious new-music ensembles", the Mivos players developed their interpretations of the three quartets - inspired by the music of speech, echoes of Bartók and the events of a day transformed by terror - in close collaboration with the composer. Reich himself supported the project from inception to completion, answering the group's questions about fine musical details".


MusicWeb international

2023 May

By

By

Stephen Barber (musikanmelder)

2023 May

"All these works were written for the Kronos quartet and have been recorded by them, though on different discs ... However, Reich encouraged the Mivos Quartet to record all three on one disc and this is certainly more convenient for those coming to these works new. The composer was present at the recording sessions and he obviously approves of the performances, which are very assured. The recording is good, but the sleeve note only moderately helpful: it does not, for example, include the words of the two works which use them and it tells us nothing about the performers. So there are two works which I see as documents of their time, but the Triple Quartet is really quite wonderful".


Politiken

d. 28. Feb. 2023

By

By

Thomas Michelsen

d. 28. Feb. 2023

"På en ny indspilning af komponisten Steve Reichs strygekvartetter hører man øjenvidner fortælle om, da flyene ramte Tvillingetårnene i 2001 ... Reich havde aldrig drømt om, at han skulle skrive for klassisk strygekvartet, inden han i 1988 skrev 'Different Trains'. Nu har han lavet tre af slagsen. Her får man dem samlet i suveræne, friske og nærgående fortolkninger".


BBC music magazine

2011 November

By

By

Barry Witherden

2011 November

"Vurdering: BBC chamber choice" - "WTC 9/11 finds him on outstanding form: his skilful selection and manipulation of sound resources has created an emotionally raw evocation of the schock and terror of that day".


Diapason

2011 decembre

By

By

Nicolas Baron

2011 decembre

"Reich a édifié une stèle d'un quart d'heure à peine, sobre et distanciée, qui semble fuir toute émotion ... Le vieux maître risque de frustrer ses aficionados, don't nous sommes, s'il persiste dans cette veine contemplative".


Diapason

2023 avril

By

By

Pierre Rigaudière

2023 avril


The gramophone

2011 November

By

By

Peter Dickinson

2011 November

"This time the use of manipulated speech in WTC 9/11 ... come from air traffic controllers and bystanders near the World Trade Center on that fateful day ... The whole piece is a chilling recollection. There is nothing emollient about the quartet sound and quite rightly not a whiff of sentimentality ... Altogether a fascinating look at recent Reich, attractively packaged".


The gramophone

2016 December

By

By

Andrew Farach-Colton

2016 December

"The Tana are not as rhythmically taut as the Kronos ... but make up for this with playing that's admirably supple and tonally variegated".


The gramophone

2023 May

By

By

Pwyll ap Siôn

2023 May

"Tradition and innovation have always forged strong alliances in Steve Reich's music, and his three string quartets illustrate this perhaps more than any other genre. Presented here for the first time as a complete set by the excellent Mivos Quartet, the quartet medium is transformed into a superensemble of multiple groups through the addition of several pre-recorded lines, while additional layers of speech recordings and sound effects are employed in 'Different Trains' and 'WTC 9/11' ... In all three respects, Mivos have come up trumps".