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Sibelius: Complete Piano Quartets / Kuusisto, Gräsbeck


Release Date: 03/01/2005 
Label:  Bis   Catalog #: 1182   Spars Code: n/a 
Composer:  Jean Sibelius
Performer:  Satu Vänskä,  Jaakko Kuusisto,  Folke Gräsbeck,  Taneli Turunen,   ... 
Number of Discs: 1 
Recorded in: Stereo 
Length: 1 Hours 16 Mins. 

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Notes and Editorial Reviews

Includes World Première Recordings As with all the great composers, the voice of Sibelius is both unique and familiar at the same time. Steeped in a Germanic tradition which he saw no need to overthrow, he nevertheless, and from the earliest times, composed music that is instantly recognizable as "Sibelian". BIS continues with its pioneering series of recordings of the earliest music of the great composer. Most of these works have been buried in libraries until now and they give us wonderful insights into the development of the composer's mind; as well as being highly listenable music in themselves. Especially when performed by these handpicked Finnish musicians. The preceding volumes of the youthful series have been warmly praised by the Read more critics, both for their musicological value and for the performances and recording quality. Read less

Works on This Recording

1.
Quartet for Piano and Strings in D minor, JS 157 by Jean Sibelius
Performer:  Satu Vänskä (Violin), Jaakko Kuusisto (Violin), Folke Gräsbeck (Piano),
Taneli Turunen (Cello), Peter Lönnqvist (Piano)
Period: 20th Century 
Written: 1884; Finland 
 Length: 32 Minutes 33 Secs. 
2.
Quartet for Violin, Cello and Piano 4 Hands "Ljunga Wirginia" by Jean Sibelius
Performer:  Folke Gräsbeck (Piano), Satu Vänskä (Violin), Jaakko Kuusisto (Violin),
Peter Lönnqvist (Piano), Taneli Turunen (Cello)
Period: Romantic 
Written: Finland 
 Length: 14 Minutes 15 Secs. 
3.
Scherzo for Violin, Cello and Piano 4 Hands in E minor, JS 165 by Jean Sibelius
Performer:  Peter Lönnqvist (Piano), Taneli Turunen (Cello), Folke Gräsbeck (Piano),
Satu Vänskä (Violin), Jaakko Kuusisto (Violin)
Period: 20th Century 
 Length: 4 Minutes 40 Secs. 
4.
Andante cantabile for Piano and Harmonium in E flat major, JS 30b by Jean Sibelius
Performer:  Folke Gräsbeck (Piano), Peter Lönnqvist (Piano), Harri Viitanen (Harmonium)
Period: Romantic 
Written: Finland 
 Length: 4 Minutes 12 Secs. 
5.
Quartet for Violin, Cello, Harmonium and Piano in G minor, JS 158 by Jean Sibelius
Performer:  Harri Viitanen (Harmonium), Peter Lönnqvist (Piano), Taneli Turunen (Cello),
Satu Vänskä (Violin), Folke Gräsbeck (Piano), Jaakko Kuusisto (Violin)
Period: Romantic 
Written: 1887; Finland 
 Length: 8 Minutes 47 Secs. 
6.
Quartet for Piano and Strings in C minor, JS 156 by Jean Sibelius
Performer:  Jaakko Kuusisto (Violin), Folke Gräsbeck (Piano), Taneli Turunen (Cello),
Peter Lönnqvist (Piano), Satu Vänskä (Violin)
Period: 20th Century 
Written: 1881-1882; Finland 
 Length: 8 Minutes 23 Secs. 

Sound Samples

String Quartet in D minor, JS 157: I. Andante molto - Allegro moderato
String Quartet in D minor, JS 157: II. Adagio
String Quartet in D minor, JS 157: III. Menuetto
String Quartet in D minor, JS 157: IV. Grave - Rondo. Vivacissimo
Ljunga Wirginia: I. Moderato quasi andantino - Cantabile - Recitativo
Ljunga Wirginia: II. Prestissimo
Ljunga Wirginia: III. Largo
Ljunga Wirginia: IV. Andantino
Ljunga Wirginia: V. Allegretto
Ljunga Wirginia: VI. Allegro - Piu vivo quasi Preso - Allegro con fuoco - [Moderato] (completed by K. Aho)
Scherzo in E minor, JS 165
Andante cantabile in E flat major, JS 30b: Andante Cantabile in E flat major, JS 30B
String Quartet in G minor, JS 158: Quartet in G minor, JS 158
String Quartet in C minor, JS 156: Quartet in C minor, JS 156

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