On their latest recording, the acclaimed Molinari Quartet delves into the complete string quartet cycle of iconoclast Italian composer, Giacinto Scelsi (1905-1988).
An unusual creator known for his experimental approach, Scelsi had two great periods of musical production: the first from 1929 to the mid-1950s, which included a period of refuge in Switzerland, and the second until his death in 1988.
During the first period, Scelsi's writing was inspired by the composers of the Second Viennese School, in particular Schoenberg, with whom he studied in Vienna. His works from that period are dodecaphonic, atonal or serial. During the second period, he suffered a serious psychological crisis and stopped composing for several years. When Scelsi finally resumed writing, he concentrated on monody. Melodies gave way to timbral interplay, which became the focus of Scelsi's musical preoccupations.
The album includes Scelsi's most famous and controversial work, his 1958 String Trio in four movements, each centered on a single note. The rhythmic simplicity of this work shifts the focus to musical colors and textures.
The Molinari Quartet has established itself as one of Canada's leading string quartets. A recipient of 27 Opus Prizes, the Molinari Quartet has been described as an "essential" and "prodigious" ensemble, even "Canada's answer to the Kronos or Arditti Quartet".
