{"id":2586,"date":"2012-03-28T11:00:51","date_gmt":"2012-03-28T16:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/?p=2586"},"modified":"2012-03-28T11:00:51","modified_gmt":"2012-03-28T16:00:51","slug":"cd-review-cecilia-string-quartets-debut-dvorak-album-is-pure-joy-in-a-jewel-case","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2012\/03\/28\/cd-review-cecilia-string-quartets-debut-dvorak-album-is-pure-joy-in-a-jewel-case\/","title":{"rendered":"CD Review: Cecilia String Quartet’s d\u00e9but Dvor\u00e1k album is pure joy in a jewel case"},"content":{"rendered":"

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CECILIA STRING QUARTET<\/a><\/strong>
\nDvor\u00e1k, Quartet Op. 106, 5 Cypresses, 2 Waltzes (Analekta)<\/em><\/p>\n

Pure musical joy is the best way to describe the d\u00e9but recording by a notable young Canadian chamber ensemble, the Cecilia String Quartet.<\/p>\n

Violinists Min-Jeong Koh and Sarah Nematallah, violist Caitlin Boyle and cellist Rachel Desoer achieve that magical balance of poise and passion, dynamic adventure and internal balance in an album-full of treats by Bohemian composer Antonin Dvor\u00e1k (1841-1904).<\/p>\n

Some of the pieces — two Op. 54 Waltzes<\/em> and six Cypresses<\/em> — are pure expressions of young love rendered in late-Roantic harmonies and beautifully interwoven string textures. The anchor on the disc is the impeccably structured, serious String Quartet No. 13<\/em> in C Minor, from 1895, whose second-movement Adagio has to be one of the most achingly gorgeous bits of chamber music ever written.<\/p>\n

Throughout, the Cecilias give the music its full due. Their pianissimo<\/em> playing is particularly clear and penetrating.<\/p>\n

The whole disc, which was recorded at Koerner Hall, is worthy of long, succulent savouring, over and over.<\/p>\n

For all the album details, as well as audio samples, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Note that the Cecilias present a rich recital programme on Thursday afternoon for the Women’s Musical Club of Toronto at University of Toronto’s Walter Hall at 1:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

They will play: Mozart’s\u00a0String Quartet No. 16<\/em>\u00a0in E Flat major, K. 428;\u00a0String Quartet Op. 108 No. 7<\/em>, by Dmitri Shostakovich; Ludwig van Beethoven’s F Major\u00a0String Quartet No. 16<\/em>, Op. 135; Giacomo Puccini’s\u00a0Crisantemi<\/em>; and\u00a0Commedia dell\u2019arte<\/em>, by Montreal-based composer Ana Sokolovic.<\/p>\n

For all the concert details, and for tickets, click\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here’s the promotional video for the Cecilias’ d\u00e9but album:<\/p>\n