PORTUGUESE MUSIC FOR A QUARTET

QUARTETO LOPES-GRAÇA

I-Tunes:

This CD presents the world-premiere recording of António Victorino D’Almeida’s latest String Quartet, op. 148, as well as the first performances on disc by a Portuguese quartet playing two works of Fernando Lopes-Graça from 1966: Suite Rústica No. 2 and Quatorze Anotações. This recording also marks the premiere of the recently formed Lopes-Graça Quartet, which consists of musicians from the National Conservatory of Lisbon. The experience and mastery of these musicians, as well as their close ties with both composers (violinist Luís Cunha worked with Lopes-Graça, while António Victorino D’Almeida’s quartet was written expressly for this group), imbue these energetic and insightful performances with an uncommon understanding of this powerfully expressive repertoire.

Details:

VIOLINS

LUÍS PACHECO CUNHA

ANNE VICTORINO D’ALMEIDA

VIOLA

ISABEL PIMENTEL 

CELLO

CATHERINE STRYNCKX 

António VICTORINO D’ ALMEIDA

Quarteto, op. 148 (2007)*

1. Andantino non troppo 06’28’’

2. Scherzo – Allegro non troppo 08’31’’

3. Allegro 03’54’’

4. Allegro assai 06’25’’

* Obra dedicada ao Quarteto Lopes-Graça

* Work dedicated to the Lopes-Graça Quartet

Fernando LOPES-GRAÇA

5/18. Catorze Anotações (1966) 08’32’’

14 Annotations

Suite Rústica nº 2 (1966)

Sobre cantos e danças tradicionais portuguesas

On Portuguese songs and dances

19. Melancólico 02’03’’

20. Danzante 02’46’’

21. Scherzoso 01’20’’

22. In modo di ninna nanna 02’45’’

23. Gaio 02’11’’

Total 44’55’’

LOPES-GRAÇA QUARTET

The members of this Quartet, formed at the School of Music of the National Conservatory (Lisbon - Portugal), are musicians possessing outstanding solo and chamber careers who are also teachers at that institution. This project intends to bestow on its Conservatory, as happens at many of its fellow schools around the world, a group of reference in the area of string performance capable of developing permanent teaching activity (quartet master-classes) as well as promoting the school, both in Portugal and abroad. 

The ensemble performed in the most recent editions of the “La Folle Journée” Festival at the Cultural Centre of Belém, Lisbon, as well as in the Festival “In search of a Lost Concert House”, in Lisbon, and in many other major venues, including anniversary commemorations for Lopes Graça and Mozart.

It devotes special attention to repertoire by contemporary Portuguese composers, having given several world premieres of such works. One important example, a concert given last December in Andorra on the theme of “the Portuguese musical tradition of the 20th century,” deserves particular mention.

Its first CD includes major works by Lopes-Graça and Antonio Victorino d’Almeida.

Ref.: NUM 1182