Jean Sibelius: String Quartet In D Minor, op. 56 ("Voces intimae") - Meta 4

 

I first heard Meta4 perform at the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival in Finland and was fascinated by them right from the start. I was truly impressed by the way the four musicians played as individuals and as a homogenous ensemble. They seek perfection in expression, and not just in the matter of technique on the surface. Each of the four musicians is an excellent soloist in himself, yet they create a remarkably tightly knit sound together and their interpretation emerges from joint concept. The artists are not afraid of convention, and they like to sound out the limits of sound colouring and drive. Their joy in playing, pleasure in discovering new sounds and serious perusal of works and traditions always result in a good balance. 

 

Jean Sibelius’s String Quartet op. 56 “Voces intimae” was in Meta4’s repertoire right from the very beginning, and they often perform it in concert. Therefore it was an obvious choice for this recording made using the somewhat hazardous 'direct-to-disc' technique.

(Stephan Flock, BMS)

 

Aufnahme: August 2013 im Meistersaal, Emil Berliner Studios, Berlin, von Stephan Flock und Maarten de Boer

Produktion: Rainer Maillard & Stephan Flock

Executive & Recording Producers Rainer Maillard & Stephan Flock

Recording Engineer (Tonmeister) Stephan Flock

Assistant Engineers Douglas Ward & Leandro Peña

Cutting Engineer Maarten de Boer

Lacquer Disc Developing Pallas GmbH

Recording and Mastering Facilities Emil Berliner Studios

Recording Location Emil Berliner Studios, Meistersaal

Recording Equipment PolyGram Modul Mixer, Reverberation chamber

Microphones Josephson C700S, Josephson C617, Sennheiser MKH 20

Lathe Neumann VMS 80

Cutting Head Neumann SX 74

Cutting Amp Ortofon Amp GO 741