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11.11.2017
Classical Guitar Magazine Winter 2017
Eos Guitar Quartet: Live EOS Guitar Quartet, Musikkollegium Winterthur (Leo Brouwer, conductor) Eos Guitar Edition Swiss quartet, orchestra shine on Gismonti and Towner Guitars and orchestras do mix, and here to reinforce that statement is a brilliant example of strings, bowed and plucked, emanating from the heart of Switzerland by that country’s “oldest” orchestra (formed 1875) and the relatively newer (but celebrating 25 years of performing) Eos Guitar Quartet, whose members are Julio Azcano (replacing original member Martin Pirktl in 2013), Marcel Ege, David Sautter, and Michael Winkler. It is a sumptuous menu. With Leo Brouwer as guest conductor, we have the stunning Gismontiana, Brouwer’s arrangements of six of Egberto Gismonti’s most distinctive pieces: Frevo, Água e Vinho, Baião Malandro, A Fala da Paixão, Cadenza, and Loro. The eight hands of the quartet swirl among the maelstrom of the orchestra—often manic, then playful and suddenly plaintively lyrical; Gismonti’s distinctive music, defying easy categorization, is consistently joyous. A world premiere delights—a piece dedicated to the Eos Guitar Quartet titled Confl uence, by Ralph Towner, a record-label mate of Gismonti’s, who helped to shape the distinctive sound of Manfred Eicher’s ECM records from the company’s earliest days. The three movements—“Waltz,” “Slow,” and “Allegro”—make for a substantial work at just under 20 minutes. Towner’s idiomatic sound world is explored here in dark hues of musical mystery. Always accessible but not “easy,” Towner never fails to take the ear and mind on a captivating journey. Recommended! —TP more...

22.09.2017
Minor 7th Reviewing the best in non-mainstream acoustic guitar music Sept/Oct 2017
Eos Guitar Quartet - Live (Eos Guitar Edition)
A fine classical guitar quartet playing the music of two of the most brilliant composers for classical guitar in the modern era – sounds like the recipe for a breathtaking musical experience. "Eos Guitar Quartet Live" is just that – filled with crisp, lyrical playing, seamless parts, and inventive compositions. The quartet is: Julio Azcano, Marcel Ege, David Sautter, and Micheal Winkler, based in Switzerland. The disc contains just two pieces: Leo Brouwer's "Gismontiana," which is Brouwer's exploration of themes from the music of the famous Brazilian composer Egberto Gismonti, and "Confluence," by Ralph Towner. But don't be fooled – the recording is 55 minutes of complex yet inspiring music. The piece by Brouwer was recorded live with the Musikkollegium Winterthur, conducted by the composer himself. The opening movement of "Gismontiana," is Brouwer at his most skilled – dense chords that drive the tune, while the orchestra complements and introduces the underlying melody. The third movement entitled "A Fala de Paixao" leads with a single guitar playing a gentle melody line, then joined by the other guitarists and the orchestra, a magical, flowing movement that enchants the listener, shifting subtly to other themes, then returning to the main melodic idea. The next movement, "Cadenza," is just that in the spirit of classical music – a section where the guitarists explore all kinds of ideas, revealing the command of their instruments. The American guitarist/composer Ralph Towner has been a prodigious creator of intricate, sometimes dense, and usually challenging music. His "Confluence" – a world premiere commissioned performance on this record – is just three movements: "Waltz," "Slow," and "Allegro." "Waltz" is a brilliant exploration of that form, though I would find it difficult to keep in step during some sections that move freely in and out of that rhythm. "Slow" takes the listener on a semi-minimalist journey, repeating key phrases that drive the movement in a hypnotic stillness. The CD and this composition end in "Allegro," marked by rapid sections of arpeggios that whirl and tumble. It is an ecstatic conclusion to an excellent tribute to two giants in the world of guitar composition, played by four men who are masters of their instruments. © Kirk Albrecht more...

03.04.2013
PRESS REPORTS
"Eos is the rosy-fingered goddess of dawn. Forget all about early morning sleepiness: when the four gentlemen of the Eos Guitar Quartet start stroking the strings, the sun comes up and the temperature rises. Far away from any Aranjuez-style schmaltz lies the exciting no man's land between jazz, tango and the so-called serious music - this is where the Eos guitarists feel at home. ...If you think you could do with a musical surge of adrenaline, do not miss this concert." Tages-Anzeiger, Zurich, 26-3-99 more...

02.04.2012
Virtuos kommuniziert - Der Landbote 02.04.2012
Ralph Towner & Eos Guitar Quartet "In Guitar" Festival Winterthur more...

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