Stenhammar String Quartets Vol 1 - Stenhammar Quartet (2013)

Wilhelm Stenhammar (February 7, 1871 – November 20, 1927)
Performer : The Stenhammar Quartet, Sweden
Label: BIS
Release: June 2013

We will also soon received new cycle of Wilhelm Stenhammar's String Quartets. There were six of them, if you already read my other Stenhammar blog. These fine quartets are rarely circulated among other Romantic repertoire. They were eclipsed by other popular Nordic quartets by Sibelius or Nielsen. For the first volume, the choosen quartet are No.4 in A minor and No.3 in F major. There also 'bonus' track for two movements of Lodolezzi Sings Op.39 for string quartets. These string quarets by Stenhammar often summarize with good review, and the CD notes simply said it well:
"His familiarity with the medium is evident in these works which have been described as 'the most important written between those of Brahms and Bartok', but which still remain less well-known internationally than they deserve."

As for ensemble The Stenhammar Quartet, they were stated to be present since 1995. Having a mission to promote more Sweden composer such as a recording of Mats Larsson-Gothe, Per Mårtensson, Mika Pelo, Viktoria Borisova-Ollas, they also performed classics from Vienna repertoire. On 2013 they were engaged in recording all quartet by Stenhammar, expected to finish by this year as well.

See Volume 2 article here

Stenhammar – String Quartets, Volume 1  - Buy It HERE at Amazon
String Quartet No.4 in A minor, Op.25 (1904–09)
1. I. Allegro ma non troppo 9'14
2. II. Adagio 6'01
3. III. Scherzo. Allegro 6'56
4. IV. Aria variata. Andante semplice 10'49

Lodolezzi sjunger (Lodolezzi Sings), Op.39 (1919)
5. Elegi. Lento 3'23
6. Intermezzo. Allegro agitato 3'59

String Quartet No.3 in F major, Op.18 (1897–1900)
7. I. Quasi andante 8'44
8. II. Presto molto agitato 5'08
9. III. Lento sostenuto 7'18
10. IV. Presto molto agitato – Molto moderato 10'49

Peter Olofsson and Per Öman, violins,
Tony Bauer, viola and
Mats Olofsson, cello.

Their warm and energetic musicianship together with striking technical refinement have given them a position as one of the most interesting and respected quartets in Scandinavia today. The Stenhammar Quartet.