Composed between 1975 and 1978, Vagn Holmboe's String Quartets Nos. 13 to 15 venture deeper and deeper into introspection and melancholy. Half of the movements are slow and meditative, and even the fast ones don't express anything close to joy or exuberance, but rather stick to a tone of elegy and resignation. The Danish composer distinguishes himself from Bartók and Shostakovich, his obvious models, by a simpler, more straightforward use of material that in places displays a strong folkloric flavor. The form can be intriguing, though, as with the 13th Quartet's five movements, or the six contrasting, short sequences of the 14th. No. 15 comes back to the classic four-movement shape. Holmboe's sincerity of inspiration and consistently original developments make sure that the listener's attention stays alive. The Kontra Quartet conveys a stunning sense of familiarity in these terrae incognitae that make each quartet well worth exploring. The playing is first class, and the recording, though a bit hard, perfectly catches the mix of dynamism and quietness at work in this beautiful music.

--Luca Sabbatini