Vagn Holmboe - String Quartets Vol.7 (Nos.16 and 18)

VAGN HOLMBOE

String Quartets Vol. 7

The Kontra Quartet

Peter Fabricius, viola

Anton Kontra, violin

Boris Samsing, violin

Morten Zeuthen, cello

About:

The spirit of folk culture plays an important role in the music of Vagn Holmboe. As was the case with Béla Bartók, folkloristic studies have here contributed significantly to the compositional process. Holmboe is the most influential Danish composer of the generation after Carl Nielsen and his large output includes twelve symphonies, chamber concertos, and a longs series of extremely fine string quartets.

Reviews

"The members of the Kontra Quartet are specialists in the field, and their dedication is felt at every stage. But Holmboe's music communicates directly. It is not esoteric, even if it is carefully and logically argued, always concerned with more than mere entertainment. Everything feels in its rightful place, and in chamber music that is an ideal to cherish" (Classical Music on the Web) [Read full review]

"Performances by the Kontra Quartet display a perfect understanding of Holmboe's ideom and intentions, and sonics are very good" (American Record Guide)

"Die Interpretationen der insgesamt elf, oft wie stilisierte Tänze klingenden Sätze zeigen das Wesen von Holmboes Musik, seinen virtuosen Umgang mit dem Quartettklang ebenso gut wie die feine Spielkultur dieses Ensembles" (Klassik Heute)

"...a wonderfol tribute...many people will be grateful. I am one...They have brought up a body of work that may have been equaled in the last half of the century but is unlikely to have been surpassed" (Fanfare)

* This is the last Volume of these Series