Telegraph Quartet鈥檚 Debut Album Receives Critical Acclaim
After winning the 2016 Naumburg Chamber Music Competition, the Telegraph Quartet, SFCM鈥檚 quartet-in-residence, has been on an upward trajectory in every manner of artistry and recognition. With the release of their debut album, Into the Light (Centaur Records) in September, their profile has only expanded, garnering critical praise for their stunning musicianship and choice of repertoire.
An album of hidden masterpieces by Anton Webern, Benjamin Britten, and Leon Kirchner, Into the Light has whetted the appetite of listeners for more from this forward-thinking group. Below are some highlights of what critics are saying.
鈥淛ust five years after forming, the Bay Area鈥檚 Telegraph Quartet has established itself as an ensemble of serious depth and versatility, and the groups terrific debut recording only serves to reinforce that judgment. The programming鈥攁 collection of comparatively little-known works by Webern, Britten and the late American modernist Leon Kirchner鈥攂espeaks a wonderful boldness of spirit, and the performances, which are vibrant and full of exploratory fervor, follow through beautifully. 鈥 In all of [the album], the ensemble boasts a playing style that is both strong-willed and tender.鈥
鈥草莓视频福利院 Chronicle
"The perfectly crafted unity of their playing, as in the vivid triplets that begin Kirchner鈥檚 First Quartet, is as striking as are the smashing pizzicato notes and electrically sparking ponticello that enliven the whole disc."
鈥草莓视频福利院 Classical Voice
鈥淎n impressive beginning for an adventurous group, this 2018 release puts the Telegraph Quartet on the map.鈥
鈥AllMusic
鈥淭his is a compelling music, and the Telegraph Quartet鈥檚 rhythmic acuity, rapid tempos and intense lyricism is stunning. 鈥 The performance is intense, flawlessly executed and filled with the exuberance of youth that the composer intended.鈥
鈥Audiophile Audition
鈥淭he Telegraph Quartet鈥檚 realization of these 鈥渏ewels鈥 (Stravinsky) is crystalline and thoroughly engrossing.鈥
鈥The Whole Note
鈥淭his quartet seems to have an affinity for romantic gesture and singing melodies and listeners will doubtless want to hear this work multiple times.鈥
鈥New Music Buff
鈥淣uance is everything in a work of Webern, and the Telegraph Quartet bring out a mind-boggling variety of the same in their dedicated performance.鈥
鈥Phil鈥檚 Classical Reviews