Jupiter String Quartet - Mendelssohn-Visconti-Golijov (2021) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

The new double string quartet album recorded by the Jasper and Jupiter string quartets is a thing of beauty. The quartets are made up of siblings, spouses, and longtime friends, as described in liner notes: “There are siblings—J Freivogel from the Jaspers is the younger brother of Jupiter members Meg and Liz Freivogel; spouses— Rachel Henderson Freivogel and J are married in the Jaspers, and Daniel McDonough and Meg are married in the Jupiters; and longtime friends—Nelson Lee and Karen Kim were apartment mates while they were college students in Boston, and both they and Sam Quintal are enduring friends and colleagues of all of the quartets’ members, with relationships stretching back two decades.”

This closeness, built on bonds of family and friendship over decades, is evident in the way the players match each other’s tone, vibrato, and phrasing. Listening to them play is like listening to siblings singing together: multiple voices, one sound. This is the most evident in the 2011 piece, “Eternal Breath,” by Dan Visconti. “Eternal Breath” was commissioned by the Freivogel parents, Bill and Margie, to celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary. The Freivogels wished the piece to include all their children and their children’s spouses, all but one of which are professional musicians. In Visconti’s words, “Eternal Breath is based on a simple “breathing” phrase, which becomes longer and more elaborate as the expanding melody is passed around the entire ensemble. The idea of the breath of life passed from one generation to the next, as well as the expansion of the family through marriage inspired the development of the initial, chant-like material. Accompanied by a drone which marks the rise and fall of each musical “breath”, the melody moves through a reverberant and glowing atmosphere until everyone joins in playing the same overlapping phrase, inflected with their own individuality.”

TRACKLIST

1. Jupiter String Quartet - Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20: I. Allegro Moderato ma con fuoco
2. Jupiter String Quartet - Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20: II. Andante
3. Jupiter String Quartet - Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20: III. Scherzo Allegro leggierissimo
4. Jupiter String Quartet - Octet in E-flat Major, Op. 20: IV. Presto
5. Jupiter String Quartet - Eternal Breath
6. Jupiter String Quartet - Last Round: I Movido, urgente
7. Jupiter String Quartet - Last Round: II. Muertes del Angel



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