JOHN FOULDS (1880-1939): Quartetto Intimo, Op. 89, Lento Quieto, Op. 97, Aquarelles, Op. 32.

Description: This 1981 recording was issued on CD 21 years ago now. Rob Barnett of Musicweb International puts its value succinctly: “This fabulous Pearl disc was amongst the first fruit of the Foulds revival and was made with funding from the RVW Trust and in association with the British Music Society. The Intimo is the major work. Its springy, hyper-ventilated lyricism and seething lustrous melos are staggering. The music has the fierce caressing complexity and feral onslaught of Villa-Lobos's quartets. The glorious broad tune of the lento second movement is followed by a third movement of dynamic activity with dies irae in the pizzicato. The fourth (of five) movements is a seething torrent ending on a high harmonic… Intimo is one of the core works of the 1930s - valid on an international stage and written by a composer at the giddy height of his prowess. A must-have disc.” Endellion String Quartet. Original 2000 Pearl release.