SBSQ: Shostakovich, Ginastera and Dvorak
Simon Bolivar String Quartet (SBSQ)
Not surprisingly, the players fully empathise with [the Ginastera's] vibrant Latin American rhythms, masterly contrasts in texture and arresting colours...The SBSQ are equally capable of producing...
SBSQ: Shostakovich, Ginastera and Dvorak
Simon Bolivar String Quartet (SBSQ)
Purchase product
Not surprisingly, the players fully empathise with [the Ginastera's] vibrant Latin American rhythms, masterly contrasts in texture and arresting colours...The SBSQ are equally capable of producing...
About
Violinists Alejandro Carreño and Boris Suaréz, violist Ismel Campos and cellist Aimon Mata breathe new life into three gems of the string quartet repertoire, performed with the perfect balance of classical refinement and South American panache.
The SBSQ comprises key players of DG exclusive recording artist Gustavo Dudamel’s Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela. This is a debut recording that musically and thematically reflects the young ensemble’s extraordinary story and progressive pursuits.
This is DG’s first recording of Argentine composer Alberto Ginastera’s particularly difficult 1948 String Quartet no. 1, inspired by the vivacious dance rhythms of his homeland
Shostakovich’s deeply personal String Quartet no. 8 is dedicated “to the victims of fascism and war,” a theme which particularly speaks to the SBSQ
In another DG first, the SBSQ adds South American flavour to the “American” String Quartet, one of Dvořák’s celebrations of his visit to the New World
Contents and tracklist
- Simón Bolívar String Quartet (stringquartet)
- Recorded: 2012-02-25
- Recording Venue: Centro de Acción Social por la Música, Sala Simón Bolivar, Caracas
- Simón Bolívar String Quartet (stringquartet)
- Recorded: 2012-02-25
- Recording Venue: Centro de Acción Social por la Música, Sala Simón Bolivar, Caracas
- Simón Bolívar String Quartet (stringquartet)
- Recorded: 2012-02-25
- Recording Venue: Centro de Acción Social por la Música, Sala Simón Bolivar, Caracas
Awards and reviews
July 2013
Not surprisingly, the players fully empathise with [the Ginastera's] vibrant Latin American rhythms, masterly contrasts in texture and arresting colours...The SBSQ are equally capable of producing wonderfully atmospheric playing as is evident in their poetic and sensitive approach to the slow movement.
May 2013
Though the players sometimes make expressive points through the quality of their sound, prettiness is not their priority...SBSQ is more interested in the music's inner workings behind the sound, and with Ginastera, there's much of that to be heard...The Dvorak has a big-boned swagger that suits the music's Americana vigour, though nostalgic reflection almost goes missing.
May 2013
[the Dvorak demonstrates] slick ensemble work, a good level of technical ability - and the performance has some nice moments of colour and tone...Shostakovich's Eight Quartet receives a much better performance. Individual playing is more compelling and the music is pushed to expressive extremes without becoming overbearing.
2nd July 2013
It’s a little rough, but overall pretty good...All in all, this is a promising start to a string quartet’s career. I look forward to hearing more from them.
