Search - Tippett Quartet :: Panufnik & Lutoslawski: String Quartets

2014 is the centenary year of Andrzej Panufnik and, while his orchestral music has received attention, his innovative string quartets remain neglected. Bittersweet harmonies characterize the First Quartet. The Second Quartet, whose subtitle Messages refers to the mysterious sounds of telegraph poles vibrating in the wind, is notable for its motivic coherence and emotional intensity. The Third Quartet, subtitled Wycinanki, a reference to paper cuts familiar in Polish rustic art, ends with one of Panufniks most moving statements. Lutosawskis dramatic and experimental String Quartet was written when he was at the forefront of the European avant-garde.