Big House Ruisi Quartet

• Joseph Haydn (1732 - 1809): String Quartet No. 22 in D Minor, Op. No. 4, Hob. III:22:
• 1 Haydn: String Quartet No. 22 in D Minor, Op. No. 4, Hob. III:22: I. Allegro moderato 06:48
• 2 Haydn: String Quartet No. 22 in D Minor, Op. No. 4, Hob. III:22: II. Minuet - Trio 04:34
• 3 Haydn: String Quartet No. 22 in D Minor, Op. No. 4, Hob. III:22: III. Adagio cantabile 05:00
• 4 Haydn: String Quartet No. 22 in D Minor, Op. No. 4, Hob. III:22: IV. Presto 03:55
• Matthew Locke (1621 - 1677): Fantasie in F Major:
• 5 Locke: Fantasie in F Major 04:15
• Oliver Leith (b. 1990): A Different Fantasie from Suite No. 5 in G Minor:
• 6 Leith: A Different Fantasie from Suite No. 5 in G Minor 05:02
• The Big House:
• 7 Leith: The Big House: I. Big House 04:22
• 8 Leith: The Big House: II. Blue Bottles 03:33
• 9 Leith: The Big House: III. Sunshine Choir 06:02
• 10 Leith: The Big House: IV. Cornicing 02:22
• 11 Leith: The Big House: V. Home Chapel Organ 04:43
• 12 Leith: The Big House: VI. Pomegranate 04:45
• 13 Leith: The Big House: VII. Fish Eggs and Wine 03:51
• Joseph Haydn: String Quartet No. 35 in F Minor, Op. 20 No. 5, Hob. III:35 "Sun":
• 14 Haydn: String Quartet No. 35 in F Minor, Op. 20 No. 5, Hob. III:35 "Sun": I. Moderato 09:21
• 15 Haydn: String Quartet No. 35 in F Minor, Op. 20 No. 5, Hob. III:35 "Sun": II. Minuet - Trio 05:09
• 16 Haydn: String Quartet No. 35 in F Minor, Op. 20 No. 5, Hob. III:35 "Sun": III. Adagio 05:50
• 17 Haydn: String Quartet No. 35 in F Minor, Op. 20 No. 35, Hob. III:35 "Sun": IV. Finale. Fuga a 2 soggetti 03:07
• Total Runtime 01:22:39

Info for Big House

The Ruisi Quartet makes its recording debut on Pentatone with Big House, bringing together music by Matthew Locke, Joseph Haydn and Oliver Leith. Spanning nearly four centuries, this combination of composers establishes a harmonious as well as dissonant relationship between past, present and future.

Celebrated for their deeply engaging performances of early repertoire alongside championing progressive new music, the critically-acclaimed Ruisi Quartet has established an international reputation as a charismatic and expressive young ensemble.

“Matthew Locke, Joseph Haydn and Oliver Leith, sitting at a bar.

There isn’t a punchline but it’s quite funny to think about.

There are no clever connections between this unlikely trio, and hearing their music sit side by side magnifies the centuries that separate them. But if they represent different musical planets, there is a sense they orbit around the same familiar yet subversive centre; Haydn making and breaking all the rules, Oliver organising sounds as sweet and heartbreaking as a Classical slow movement but slippy and smudged around the edges. A 17th Century Fantasia turning in unexpected directions on a familiar route, connecting the harmonious and dissonant relationship between past, present and future.

It feels as though Haydn’s music is the foundation upon which our quartet is built. His writing is instantly engaging, dramatic and vividly characterised; a movement of Haydn can feel like a riddle to be solved, something to be interacted with. In performance his works provide us with opportunities to explore, to be spontaneous, and to connect — with the music, with the audience and with one another. That same spirit of exploration and invention was vital when approaching our new commission from Oliver Leith. Although Oliver is a composer we have nurtured a close relationship with over the last few years, we had little idea where the piece would take us when we began work on The Big House. The journey through new techniques, colourful and cryptic performance directions and unusual tunings pushed us in new ways. Yet, his light touch with written directives gave us freedom to experiment and space for individuality — reminiscent of our approach with Haydn and Locke.

Recording a debut album as a string quartet can feel like a big deal, but it’s also just a snapshot of a moment in time. We feel like there isn’t a well defined sense of our musical present, but rather a melting pot of almost limitless diversity in compositional style and cultural influence. Our intention is to distil a small and very personal part of this chaos onto the record.“ (Ruisi Quartet)

Ruisi Quartet

Ruisi Quartet
Celebrated for their deeply engaging performances of early repertoire alongside championing progressive new music, the critically-acclaimed Ruisi Quartet has established a reputation as a charismatic and expressive young ensemble.

Dedicating equal commitment to both the established classical cannon and progressive new works, the group present insightful and unique programme curation alongside the fine, expressive playing the quartet have become synonymous with, emerging as a leading-light in a new generation of British string quartets.

Known for their commitment and conviction performing a broad range of music, the quartet have garnered high-praise for their historically-informed performances of Purcell and Haydn, as well as championing new commissions from leading composers. Based in London, the group regularly perform throughout Europe at leading concert halls, recently giving the world premiere of a new work by Thomas Adès at Wigmore Hall (‘Növények’, Nov 2022).

Founded in 2013 by British/Sicilian brothers Alessandro and Max, the quartet were winners of the Kirckman Concert Society Artists award and the Royal Philharmonic Society award for Young String Players, as well as being recipients of a Career Development Award from the Banff International String Quartet Competition 2019. They have attended the IMS Prussia Cove Masterclasses on a number of occasions, working with Ferenc Rados, Rita Wagner and Thomas Adès. In their formative years, the group completed the Artist Diploma in Chamber Music course at the Royal College of Music, as well as working with Krzysztof Chorzelski of the Belcea Quartet, as part of their prestigious scheme for young quartets.

Their debut album ‘Big House’ will be released in early 2023 on the Pentatone record label, featuring two early Haydn quartets, viol music by Matthew Locke and two premiere recordings of works by Oliver Leith commissioned by the quartet. 2023 will also see the quartet feature on a new album of French song from British soprano Mary Bevan on Signum records.

Booklet for Big House