Album Review: Ragazze Quartet - But Not My Soul: Price, DvoĆĂĄk & Giddens
Linking centuries and continents via three composers, Ragazze Quartet makes a modern work of art with But Not My Soul: Price, DvoĆĂĄk & Giddens.
The album by the Dutch quartet - violinists Rosa Arnold and Jeanita Vriens-van Tongeren, violist Annemijn Bergkotte and cellist Rebecca Wise - combines American Florence Priceâs (1887-1953) String Quartet No. 2, the Czech AntonĂn DvoĆĂĄkâs (1841-1904) String Quartet No. 12 and Jacob Garchikâs arrangement of Rhiannon Giddensâ âAt the Purchaserâs Optionâ in a seamless tapestry of sonic and cultural space shifting.
The forsaken lyrics to Giddensâ piece provides But Not My Soulâs title, though âOption,â at just over three minutes, is a mere footnote to quartets Nos. 2 and 12.
But its inclusion says much about the classical musiciansâ affection for Giddens. And that it fits so well with what precedes it says much about Giddensâ talent as a composer and Ragazzeâs prowess as curators and interpreters.
Grade card: Ragazze Quartet - But Not My Soul: Price, DvoĆĂĄk & Giddens - A
11/22/24
