Great Britain - Great Music Kölner Streichsextett

• Frank Bridge (1879 - 1941): String Sextet in E-Flat Major, H. 107:
• 1 String Sextet in E-Flat Major, H. 107: I. Allegro moderato e tranquillo 11:09
• 2 String Sextet in E-Flat Major, H. 107: II. Andante con moto - Allegro giusto - Tempo I 09:47
• 3 String Sextet in E-Flat Major, H. 107: III. Alegro ben moderato. A tempo - Tempo I - Con anima 07:14
• Gustav Holst (1874 - 1934): String Sextett, H. 23:
• 4 String Sextett, H. 23: II Scherzo 09:20
• Joseph Holbrooke (1978 - 1958): String Sextett in D Major, Op. 43:
• 5 String Sextett in D Major, Op. 43: I. Adagiomespressiovo e molto sostenuto. Allegro 08:35
• 6 String Sextett in D Major, Op. 43: II. Andante mesto Unhappy Childhood 06:59
• 7 String Sextett in D Major, Op. 43: III. Finale. Molto Vivace 07:33
• Total Runtime 01:00:37

Info for Great Britain - Great Music

All three works on this album from the Kölner Streichsextett, "Great Britain, Great Music", string sextets by Bridge, Holst and Holbrooke, are rarely played and not very well known, especially as the Holst Scherzo does not exist in print, only as a manuscript and therefore this album presents the world premiere recording.

"Ironically, it was in 2017 ? a year of protracted Brexit negotiations ? that WDR Broadcasting suggested that we record a CD with works by British composers. Nomen est omen: certain pranksters started calling us "the BREXTET". We launched into the project regardless, sorting through kilos of scores on which the notes were often quite difficult to make out. In fact, we copied out separate parts from certain scores in the British Library ourselves.

After many months of research, we finally agreed upon our selection: the marvellous sextets by Holst, Holbrooke and Bridge featured on this CD. In the course of our rehearsals it already became clear: we had made a lucky choice. The works exceeded our expectations. We continue to be thrilled with this music, and it has captivated our audiences: the Scherzo by Holst was even a world première.

Now we have arrived in the year 2019, we celebrate our 20th anniversary as a sextet and, at the same time, are overjoyed to be able to present this CD to the general public. An anniversary such as this one offers a fitting occasion to take a step back and review how our ensemble emerged and has evolved." (Kölner Streichsextett)

Kölner Streichsextett

No biography found.

Booklet for Great Britain - Great Music