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One of the most joyful endeavors for string quartet musicians is the opportunity to collaborate with another string quartet. The pairing combines the dynamic excitement of a larger ensemble with the focused precision so prized by quartets. There is a special kind of communion when two quartets meet, and this recording is the product of a particularly profound relationship. Felix Mendelssohn's String Octet in E-flat Major is the epitome of joy. Mendelssohn weaves all kinds of deft and subtle conversations among the eight musicians, Dan Visconti's hauntingly beautiful "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. Osvaldo Golijov's striking "Last Round" (1996) is a tribute to the great Argentinian composer and musician, Astor Piazzolla. The two quartets square off against each other, lunging and feinting with dangerous quickness. The sophisticated essence of the tango is here, but it's energy has a physical ferocity. "The piece is conceived as an idealized bandoneón. The first movement represents the act of a violent compression of the instrument and the second a final, seemingly endless opening sigh."
Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809-1847)