Lars Erik Larsson String Quartets

Description:

String Quartets by Lars-Erik Larsson

Lars-Erik Larsson (1908-1986) is one of the best-loved Swedish composers, known above all for his orchestral music, especially the Pastoral Suite (1938) and the lyrical suite A God Disguised (1940).

On this CD we present the three String Quartets and “Late Autumn Leaves”.

In a radio programme, excerpts from Senhöstblad (“Late Autumn Leaves”) by Ola Hansson (1860-1925) were interspersed with brief string quartet movements by Lars-Erik Larsson. Ola Hansson’s poems describe autumn as experienced on various occasions from a quiet day in September to the point where autumn has turned into winter. Larsson put some of the music together into the collection “Intimate Miniatures”. In addition to these four movements, the Stenhammar Quartet recently discovered another two, enabling us to present the first-ever recorded version of “Late Autumn Leaves” in its entirety.

The Stenhammar Quartet,

one of Sweden’s most sought after string quartets, consists of Peter Olofsson, first violin, Per Öman, second violin, Tony Bauer, viola, and Mats Olofsson, cello. The main emphasis of the repertoire is on Swedish music, often works seldom played previously, but, needless to say, the international repertoire is also included. In addition, the quartet has commissioned new works from several Swedish composers, most recently (2008) from Per Mårtensson. This is their first album of their own

Tracklist:

“Senhöstblad” (“Late Autumn Leaves”)
/incl. Intimate Miniatures/ Op. 20 /1940/
1-6

String Quartet No. 1 Op. 31 /1944/
7 Allegro ma non troppo
8 Adagio - Allegro giocoso – Adagio
9 Molto vivace

String Quartet No. 2 “Quartetto alla serenata” Op. 44 /1955/
10 Allegro giocoso
11 “Canzonetta” Andantino
12 Andante tranquillo - Allegro vivace

String Quartet No. 3 Op. 65 /1975/
13 Allegro
14 Allegretto - Presto – Allegretto
15 Largo

Reviews:

The Stenhammar Quartet play throughout with articulate communicative devotion and emotional precision throughout. The presentation is clean, thorough – all that you might wish.

Rob Barnett

see the complete review: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2009/Apr09/Larsson_Quarte...

Lars-Erik Larsson's (born 1908) three String Quartets for the first time on one CD! With The Stenhammar Quartet. If you haven't yet made the acquaintance of the music of this interesting Swede this is a really good starting point. The music is, superficially, easy to listen to but has sufficient quirks and twists and turns to keep you wondering what is going to happen next. The Stenhammar Quartet plays magnificently and the recording and presentation are excellent. Bob Briggs

If you haven't yet made the acquaintance of the music of this interesting Swede this is a really good starting point. The music is, superficially, easy to listen to but has sufficient quirks and twists and turns to keep you wondering what is going to happen next. The Stenhammar Quartet plays magnificently and the recording and presentation are excellent.

Bob Briggs

See the complete review: http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2009/Aug09/Larsson_Quartets_daphne1035.htm

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