String Quartet No. 1 (1984)
Self-Released, 2024
9/10
Listen to String Quartet No. 1 (1984)
A listen recorded on May 8th and 9th, 2008 at the Traina Center for the Arts, Razzo Hall Clark University in Worcester, MA, although it wasn’t long ago that James Ricci brought us an album of piano music, this body of work is fleshed out by the QX String Quartet, and features violin, viola and violoncello.
The 4 movements opens with tense but meticulous string interaction that showcases Peter Sulski’s gripping viola as the mood relies heavily on pitch, and the 2nd movement continues the setting with percussive friendly ideas that spotlights the melodic gestures of the unpredictable playing.
The back half has movement 3 emitting very rich tonality via Rohan Gregory and Krista Buckland Reisner’s detailed violin playing, and movement 4 exits with an upbeat demeanor and no lack of solos, where Jan Müller-Szeraws’ violoncello is particularly luminous.
Now available on all major streaming locations, this Boston based outfit handle Ricci’s work with much care, and the composer Martin Boykan’s help was invaluable for this expressive, harmonic and tonally strategic affair that has certainly aged very well.
Travels well with: Bowed Colors 2; Sirius Quartet- Playing On The Edge 3