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ALPHA1000
Originally recorded in September 2023
Classical
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About
The title of this album evokes not only the life-long journey of all these musicians, but also a lasting friendship between soprano Barbara Hannigan and the Emerson String Quartet. One of the greatest string quartets of the last four decades, the Emersons will disband in October 2023. Barbara and the Emersons were determined to record Schoenberg's Quartet No. 2 since they started performing the work together in 2015. "The sheer sonic scope of this work takes us on a voyage into previously uncharted territory" say the Emerson musicians. "It's like a tall, gnarly tree to climb (all the way to another planet, it seems), yet one with deep and emotional roots", continues Barbara Hannigan. "The soprano’s fin-de- siècle primal scream at the end of the 3rd movement, begging to be relieved of love, is a heavy hitter". Melancholieis a rare and intimate work by the young Hindemith, "a gem of a piece" that the Canadian soprano has wanted to explore for many years. The fascinating Quartet Op. 3, composed by Berg in 1909 as he was finishing his apprenticeship with Schoenberg, features the quartet on its own. And to round out the album, pianist Bertrand Chamayou joins Barbara and the Emersons for another deeply moving encounter by way of Chausson's heartbreaking Chanson perpétuelle.
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Reviews
“… a carefully planned, carefully balanced recital… It’s a wonderful disc in many ways, but one is extremely sorry to have to bid goodbye to the Emerson String Quartet.”
“… Ms Hannigan, who performs in all the works except for the Berg, is a marvellous interpreter of this music…”
Interpretation **** Sound Quality **** Repertoire Value **** Booklet ****
“… Hannigan and the Emerson String Quartet are on the same page in their interpretation; the expressive density is impressive… An impressive overall performance …”
“…The Emersons will be missed, but what a legacy!”
Critics’ Choice 2023
“… played with exceptional expressive conviction.”
International Classical Music Award 2024 Nomination in the Assorted Programs category
Recommended
“…I cannot think of a more fitting way to wish the Emerson String Quartet farewell, if indeed this is to be their last new recording. Alpha have done their part, too, with outstanding sound …”
“…Chausson’s Chanson Perpétuelle, an eight-minute-long scena for voice, piano, and string quartet whose text meditates on lost love and oblivion. Far from doom and gloom, Hannigan, Chamayou, and the Emersons deliver a beautiful, precise, wonderfully blended reading that sends the esteemed ensemble out exactly as their most ardent fans might have hoped: on the top.”
Sound 9 Booklet 10 Repertoire 10 Interpretation 10
Performance *** Recording ***
“… Much the finest experience comes in Schoenberg’s quartet, where the Emerson Quartet’s playing masterfully combines forensic technical precision and expressive warmth. And Hannigan’s identification with Schoenberg’s extraordinary and exploratory music is complete and memorable.”
**** Excellent Album
Editor’s Choice – November 2023
“A beautiful parting gift from one of the world's greatest string quartets.” ****½
Editor’s Choice – Chamber Section
The Strad Recommends
“An affecting farewell from one of the major quartets of today …”
Guardian Top 10 Classical Picks for 2023
“This wonderful parting gift from the quartet features warm lustrous performances of Schoenberg’s Second Quartet (with soprano Barbara Hannigan) and Berg’s opus 3, plus two beautifully rendered rarities by Hindemith and Chausson.” ****
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