Chronos, Kairos & Aion
Mnémosyne, 2025
9/10
Listen to Chronos, Kairos & Aion
This debut from the Montreal quartet Quatuor Mémoire presents 3 pieces from a trio of rising composers from their city, where microtonality, quarter tones and polyrhythm is in attendance.
Florence Tremblay’s “Insides” starts with a strategic haze, where the strings mesh with intrigue and mystery across 11+ minutes of cinematic gestures.
“Quatuor a cordes no. 2”, by Louis-Michel Tougas, follows, and enlists a polyphonic approach, as Bailey Wantuch and Meggie Lacombe’s violins move at different speeds versus the other strings for a very unpredictable climate.
Olivier St-Pierre's “Chronos, Kaïros et Aiôn” exits, and across 3 movements it showcases Marilou Lepage’s technical viola and Audréanne Filion’s distinct cello playing that help fuel the microtonal pitches and atypical harmonics that use space attentively.
An excellent first album, the quartet’s atypical interaction and the fascinating use of rhythm, flexible patterns and metronomic time only enhance the listening experience.
Travels well with: Arid Landscapes- Arid Landscapes; Nick Storring- Mirante