Schumann Quartett & Anna Lucia Richter – Intermezzo (2018) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Schumann Quartett & Anna Lucia Richter – Intermezzo (2018)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:04:21 minutes | 1,15 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Berlin Classics

Founded in 2007, the Schumann Quartett (not to be confused with the Schumann Quartet made up of Christian Favre, piano, Tedi Papavrami, violin, Dorin Matea, viola and François Guye, cello) first studied with the Alban Berg Quartet, and then in Madrid with Günter Pichler. It’s a story of three brothers, Erik, Ken and Mark Schumann who were born in Cologne to German, Romanian and Japanese parents, and who were joined by viola player Liisa Randalu. The career of this young ensemble got off to a flying start after they took first prize at the Bordeaux international string quartet competition. Taking full advantage of the esteem of great old artists, they also play chamber music with Menahem Pressler and Sabine Meyer.

This third album is dedicated to Robert Schumann and takes the roads less travelled: such as a forceful and energetic version of the First Quartet as well as the Quartet Op. 12 (with its famous Canzonetta) by Mendelssohn, but also the Adagio zum Gedenken an Robert Schumann (“Adagio in memory of Robert Schumann”) written in 2006 by Aribert Reimann, for the big festival in Düsseldorf that marked 150 years since the composer’s death. Based on a Bach chorale that Schumann was in the process of harmonising for four players when he died in a psychiatric hospital near Bonn, this brief homage uses a modern-day language with quarter-tones and heart-rending dissonances which could well have come from Schumann’s distempered mind. Aribert Reimann’s instrumentation of the 6 Gesänge Op. 107 (“Six Songs”) for soprano (the candid and moving Anna-Luisa Richter) and string quartet is a great find.  – François Hudry

Tracklist:
1-01. Schumann Quartett, Anna Lucia Richter – String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 41 No. 1: I. Introduzione. Andante espressivo-Allegro (08:49)
1-02. Schumann Quartett, Anna Lucia Richter – String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 41 No. 1: II. Scherzo. Presto (03:47)
1-03. Schumann Quartett, Anna Lucia Richter – String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 41 No. 1: III. Adagio (05:37)
1-04. Schumann Quartett, Anna Lucia Richter – String Quartet in A Minor, Op. 41 No. 1: IV. Presto (05:51)
1-05. Schumann Quartett, Anna Lucia Richter – Adagio zum Gedenken an Robert Schumann (07:36)
1-06. Schumann Quartett, Anna Lucia Richter – 6 songs, Op. 107: I. Herzeleid (01:36)
1-07. Schumann Quartett, Anna Lucia Richter – 6 songs, Op. 107: II. Die Fensterscheibe (01:52)
1-08. Schumann Quartett, Anna Lucia Richter – 6 songs, Op. 107: III. Der Gärtner (01:25)
1-09. Schumann Quartett, Anna Lucia Richter – 6 songs, Op. 107: IV. Die Spinnerin (01:16)
1-10. Schumann Quartett, Anna Lucia Richter – 6 songs, Op. 107: V. Im Wald (01:58)
1-11. Schumann Quartett, Anna Lucia Richter – 6 songs, Op. 107: VI. Abendlied (02:39)
1-12. Schumann Quartett, Anna Lucia Richter – String Quartet in E-Flat Major, Op. 12: I. Adagion non troppo-Allegro (06:50)
1-13. Schumann Quartett, Anna Lucia Richter – String Quartet in E-Flat Major, Op. 12: II. Canzonetta. Allegro-più mosso (03:33)
1-14. Schumann Quartett, Anna Lucia Richter – String Quartet in E-Flat Major, Op. 12: III. Andante espressivo (03:57)
1-15. Schumann Quartett, Anna Lucia Richter – String Quartet in E-Flat Major, Op. 12: IV. Molto allegro e vivace (07:27)

Personnel:
Schumann Quartett
Anna Lucia Richter, soprano

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