But Not My Soul: Price, Dvořák & Giddens Ragazze Quartet

• Florence Price (1887 - 1953): String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor:
• 1 Price: String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor: I. Moderato 14:19
• 2 Price: String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor: II. Andante cantabile 06:39
• 3 Price: String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor: III. Juba - Allegro 04:20
• 4 Price: String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor: IV. Finale - Allegro 06:09
• Antonín Dvořák (1841 - 1904): String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96 "American":
• 5 Dvořák: String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96 "American": I. Allegro ma non troppo 09:29
• 6 Dvořák: String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96 "American": II. Lento 06:57
• 7 Dvořák: String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96 "American": III. Molto vivace 03:53
• 8 Dvořák: String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96 "American": IV. Finale. Vivace ma non troppo 05:20
• Rhiannon Giddens (b. 1977): At the Purchaser’s Option:
• 9 Giddens: At the Purchaser’s Option (Arr. for String Quartet by Jacob Garchik) 03:43
• Total Runtime 01:00:49

Info for But Not My Soul: Price, Dvořák & Giddens

Das Ragazze Quartett spielt Werke der beiden Komponistinnen Rhiannon Giddens (*1977) und Florence Price (1887-1953), kombiniert mit dem "amerikanischen" Streichquartett Nr. 12 von Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904). Florence Price war die erste afroamerikanische Frau, die für ihre Sinfonien anerkannt wurde, doch ihre Musik geriet viele Jahre lang in Vergessenheit. Ihr Streichquartett Nr. 2 ist eine Mischung aus europäischer Romantik, ihren " südstaatlichen " Wurzeln, dem aufkommenden Blues und afro-amerikanischen Spirituals.

Der Titel des Albums leitet sich von einem Lied ab, das Rhiannon Giddens schrieb, nachdem sie eine Verkaufsanzeige aus dem 19. Jahrhundert für eine 22-jährige Sklavin gesehen hatte, deren 9 Monate altes Baby ebenfalls zum Verkauf stand, allerdings "nach Wahl des Käufers". Eine der Zeilen des Liedes lautet: "You can take my blood. But not my soul." Das Streichquartett-Arrangement wurde 2016 von Jacob Garchik im Auftrag des Kronos Quartetts für das Projekt "50 For The Future" erstellt.

"Dieses Album ist eine Hommage an Komponisten, die trotz aller Widerstände immer ihrer Seele treu geblieben sind. Unsere eigenen Seelen sind nicht direkt mit den Arbeitsliedern der afrikanischen Sklaven, der tschechischen Volksmusik oder den afroamerikanischen Spirituals verbunden. Aber wir wollen dazu beitragen, dass die Stimmen, die Seelen und die Musik gehört werden". (Ragazze Quartett)

Ragazze Quartet

Ragazze Quartet
The Ragazze Quartet plays both classical and modern string quartet repertoire: inspired and on the highest level. With attractive but unconventional programmes the quartet has come to be one of the most fresh and leading voices in the world of classical music. In innovative programmes it embarks on collaborations with the most original voices in theatre, dance and literature. With performances that speak to all senses they succeed in securing an audience for the rich classical music tradition. In this way they warm the hearts of both the die hard listener and the novice for the string quartet repertoire of the past and of our present day.

Ragazze is a permanent artist with CD label Channel Classics and has released no fewer than six CDs with them already: Vivere, Česko, FourFourThree, Spiegel and Bartók Bound vol.1. and Winterreise. The CDs were commended by the (inter)national press. The Volkskrant wrote about Česko; “Together they put down chords, as if their hands and arms are controlled by one single brain”. FourFourThree was awarded the ‘Editor’s Choice’ in Gramophone. Česko, FourFourThree and Spiegel all three were given the highest mark in the magazine Luister.

The Ragazze Quartet plays an average of ninety concerts a year in concert halls like the Concertgebouw and the Muziekgebouw aan ’t IJ in Amsterdam, but can also be seen in concert series all through the Netherlands and on festivals like Oerol on the island of Terschelling. Tours abroad brought them to England, Sweden, China, Japan, Indonesia and the United States of America, to name a few.

Ragazze likes to join forces with young musicians and theatre makers just as with leading organisations such as Nationaal Dans Theater (NDT), the Kronos Quartet, Orkater and the Holland Festival. In addition, the quartet has taken over artistic leadership of chamber music festival September Me in Amersfoort. September Me transforms Amersfoort into the epicentre of trendsetting classical music. Ragazze play themselves and invite the newest generation of top class artists that are not afraid of breaking with tradition.

The Ragazze Quartet was enrolled for the two-year full time course of the Dutch String Quartet Academy and graduated from it in 2011. In 2013 they won the Kersjes Prijs, a prize that is awarded on a yearly basis to extraordinary talent on the Dutch chamber music scene. In 2017 the Ragazze Quartet won the Operadagen Rotterdam Award for “..their quirky music-theatrical approach, their social engagement and the ease with which they dare to think outside the borders of their traditional expertise”.

The Ragazze Quartet receives multiannual financial support from the Fonds Podiumkunsten and the Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst. The Nationaal Muziekinstrumenten Fonds put Jeanita’s violin and Annemijn’s bow at their disposal. Furthermore the Ragazze own a set of classical bows made by Andreas Grütter through the support of the Stichting Eigen Muziekinstrument.

Booklet for But Not My Soul: Price, Dvořák & Giddens