Unheard

This CD is unheard, for, as far as we know, none of this music has ever been issued before. But this recording is also unheard-of, since every piece conveys an uncompromising, selfless idealism, on which the Nazis laid a curse, but which went to make the music of the Interwar period so rich and engrossing. In short, the present CD provides a supplement to the incomplete history of the music of this period, and brings unjustly forgotten composers to life once again. The Ebony Quartet consists of musicians from the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. For many years they have formed the string nucleus of the Ebony Band, while also performing regularly as a quartet.

Together with the Ebony Band the quartet was awarded an Edison Klassiek in 1994 for the recording of Erwin Schulhoff's Concerto for string quartet and winds. The Ebony Band was founded in 1990 by Werner Herbers, former principal oboist of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. The ensemble has devoted itself to the rediscovery and rehabilitation of music from the Interwar period that was unknown, forgotten or considered lost. For many years a busy concert schedule took the Ebony Band as far as the USA, but its present mission is to document repertoire and issue hitherto unpublished works and CDs.

Gruenberg:
 Vier Indiskretionen für String Quartett, Op. 20
 
Hauer:
 Fünf Stücke für Quartett, Op. 30
 
Jokl:
 Zweites Streichquartett, Op. 28
 
Kahn, E:
 Fragment eines unvollendeten Streichquartetts
 
Süsskind:
 Vier Lieder
 Rechenschaft über uns

Jokl, Kahn, Hauer, Süsskind, Gruenberg - de cd Unheard van het Ebony Kwartet grossiert niet alleen in ongehoorde stukken, maar ook in ongehoorde componistennamen. Alle werken op het schijfje zijn ontstaan in de periode tussen de Eerste en de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Het zijn persoonlijke getuigenissen die opvallend vaak klinken alsof ze zijn geschreven door iemand die in de spiegel kijkt en daarin een vreemde versie van zichzelf terugziet. Barbara Kozelj treft de sfeer in Süsskinds Vier Gesänge in het hart, en Daniel Reuss weet de teksten in Rechenschaft über uns, van dezelfde componist, eenvoudig maar des te aangrijpender te declameren: Dass wir sonderbar sind, daran zweifeln wir nicht/ Aber können wir anders sein?/ Sind wir nicht in dieser Zeit?
Biëlla Luttmer - de Volkskrant ****