Within Earth
Navona, 2019
8/10
A Houston string quartet with an immense amount of talent, here the Apollo Chamber Players continue their 20x2020 project with 3 multicultural tunes plus a modern work by Alexandra Du Bois.
“String Quartet No. 6” starts the listen with quaint strings that quickly turn dramatic as violins, viola and cellos dance around each other fluidly with Brazilian nods, and “Four Dreams” follows and unfolds with a cinematic quality where mystery and intrigue are both in attendance in spades as Whitney Bullocks’ viola steals the show.
The back half includes “May (Cloud)”, which gets eerie with a dan bau that brings an Asian influence, and “Within Earth, Wood Grows” ends the listen with manipulated space and tension that soars with subtle power.
An extremely ingenious project, the 20x2020 idea is expertly crafted here, as the Apollo Chamber Players prove again that their unique vision comes with boundless skill.
Travels well with: Anthony Brandt- Maternity/Ulysses, Home; Mikarimba- Tapereba