The Ties That Bind
Navona, 2022
8/10
The Australian composer Lee Bradshaw teams up Baiba Skide (violin), Ivan Vukčević (viola), and Harriet Krijgh (violoncello) for this handful of chamber music for strings, where there is no lack of emotion in the artistic delivery.
“Via Crucis For Violin” opens the listen with Skride’s solo violin making for a very stirring and emotive 4+ minutes that illustrates incredible attention to detail, and “String Trio ‘Trigon’” follows with all 3 players meshing their sublime string manipulation to yield much beauty and depth.
In the middle, “Sarabande For ‘Cello’” showcases Krijgh’s very cautious and poetic violoncello prowess, while “Concerto For Two For Violin And ‘Cello” pairs Skride and Krijgh’s fascinating gestures that enthralls the listener with its awe.
The final track, “Rhapsody For Viola Solo, After The Concerto”, spotlights Vukčević’s incredible viola skills, and it’s a very eloquent and absorbing exit.
A listen that doesn’t shy away from intimacy and beauty, the trio’s inimitable string execution makes for a rare and distinct chamber journey that’s quite absorbing.
Travels well with: Mark John McEncroe- Symphonic Suite No. 3; Monika Gurak- Scenes From A Life