Composer: Ronald Center
Performer: Fejes Quartet
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Toccata
Catalogue: TOCC0533
Release: 2021
Size: 1.21 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
String Quartet No. 1
01. I. Lento – Allegro
02. II. Allegro ma non troppo
03. III. Adagio
04. IV. Moderato – Allegro
String Quartet No. 2
05. I. Adagio – Allegro
06 .II. Vivace
07. III. Mesto
08. IV. Allegro molto
String Quartet No. 3
09. I. Lento – Andante
10 .II. Espressivo
11. III. Molto moderato e sostenuto
12. IV. Andante
13 .V. Allegro
14. VI. Andantino
15. VII. Allegro feroce
Ronald Center (1913–73) is sometimes described as ‘the Scottish Bartók’, and his music does indeed capture some of the stark, wild energy of the Scottish landscape in a style of Bartókian asperity. These three string quartets show him, in his northeast corner of Scotland, to have been fully conversant with the quartets being written around the same time by Barber, Britten and Shostakovich, but their direct manner, terse expression, wiry humour and roots in Scottish folk-music ensure that Center is his own man.