Zwilich, Ellen Taaffe: Quartet

A commission by the Saratoga Chamber Music Festival (Chantal Juillet, Music Director) has brought about an important new addition to the oboist’s repertoire. Set in two movements (Duration: 14’), the new Zwilich Quartet is expectedly demanding and unexpectedly rewarding, as described by Mr. Dalton: "The handsome two-movement piece did something rare among contemporary works. It left one wanting more. It’s obvious why musicians are drawn to Zwilich’s scores - they are modern and abstract yet cogent and expressive. And from a performance perspective, the music is both challenging and flattering. The new quartet is full of ideas that exploit the interplay of instruments in their varied ranges." -Joseph Dalton, Albany Times Union (NY)