An hour of heavenly music for string quartets. Tragic heroism permeates one: in the manuscript of his slow movement, Beethoven sketched quotations from Romeo and Juliet. Ravel's quartet may have been the result of divine inspiration: after the first performance he received a letter from Debussy saying, “In the name of the gods of music, do not touch a single note you have written in your Quartet.”
Formed in 2017, Brother Tree Sound are setting new criteria for the string quartet by collectively interpreting the landscape and language of classical music in the 21st century. Their dexterity and versatility as an ensemble and open approach to repertoire sees them connect with and inspire audiences, moving seamlessly from Haydn to Debussy to experimental contemporary music, with space for some folk music along the way. Dedicated to the performance of new music, the group regularly commissions new works from established and emerging composers.
The group’s second EP Interstices released in 2020 has now been streamed over 10 million times and saw them continue to innovate by bringing together four quite different styles of music. Their first recording of Fiona Brice’s Quartet no 1, which they premiered in London, has been played several times on BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction, Night Tracks and BBC Sounds.
'This feeling of the texture of the sound seems to be of primary importance to the players...These are performances where I was conscious of the magical physicality of the sound', Planet Hugill.
The performance forms part of Legends and Heroes, this year's Summer Music in City Churches festival.