The Kitgut Quartet, formed in 2015 by Amandine Beyer, Naaman Sluchin, Josèphe Cottet, and Frédéric Baldassare, performs on period instruments and gut strings.
Compositional Technique
The early four-part English compositions on this album, like Purcell's fantasias, often feature polyphonic part-writing where voices develop independently, leading to harmonic results guided by subjective choices or chance, rather than systematic rules.
Album & Artwork
The album title, "'Tis too late to be wise," and its subtitle, "String quartets before the string quartet," suggest a historical exploration of the string quartet's origins.
Interpretation
The Kitgut Quartet aims to reproduce the atmosphere of their rehearsals—dialogue, fun, and spontaneity—on the concert platform.
Composer's Artistic Vision
In the 18th century, chamber music, including early forms of the quartet, developed as a metaphor for conversation in private salons, emphasizing interaction and improvisation rather than rigid academicism.
Recording & Production
This album was recorded at La Ferme de Villefavard en Limousin, a venue known for its exceptional acoustics, designed by internationally renowned acoustician Albert Yaying Xu.
Composition History
The album explores the origins of the string quartet, presenting four-part compositions from 17th-century England alongside Haydn's Quartet op. 71 no. 2 from 1793.
