Some music sings, some music dances, and some music creates a space you can live inside, like a room or a landscape. This beautifully recorded live performance by the Ruysdael Quartet draws us into the enchanting and often haunting micro-worlds conjured up by the French impressionist composers. Of these, Ravel and Debussy are especially well-known and well-loved, and in the sensitive and intelligent hands of the Ruysdael Quartet, the younger Henri Dutilleux takes his rightful place as the last of the French impressionists.

Quart de Nuit: Ravel, Dutilleux, and Debussy (DXL 1185) Digital Booklet

Quart de Nuit: Ravel, Dutilleux & Debussy

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)
STRING QUARTET IN F MAJOR
1) Allegro moderato: très doux (7.52)
2) Assez vif: très rhythmé (6.26)
3) Très lent (9.07)
4) Vif et agité (5.01)

Henti Dutilleux (1916-2013)
AINSI LA NUIT
5) I. Nocturne. Libre et souple (3.22)
6) Parenthèse 1. II. Miroir d’espace (2.11)
7) Parenthèse 2. III. Litanies (2.55)
8) Parenthèse 3. IV. Litanies 2 (4.12)
9) Parenthèse 4. V. Constellations (2.06)
10) VI. Nocturne 2 (0.52)
11) VII. Temps suspendu (2.45)

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)
13) CLAIR DE LUNE arr. for string quartet by Tony Kime (4.25)

Cover art: “Night Falls”, by Marit Dik

Inspired by the famous Dutch painter Jacob van Ruysdael, known for his impressive landscapes and dramatic skies, the Ruysdael Quartet has become renowned for its intense playing and nuanced sound palette. Formed in 1996, the quartet has now established a name both in the Netherlands and abroad, and has been regularly invited to take part in festivals and masterclasses, resulting in performances not only in Europe but also in the USA, Japan and Australia. Especially devoted to 20th- and 21st-century music, they have collaborated with living composers such as Jörg Widmann, Louis Andriessen, Jacob ter Veldhuis, Eric Verbugt, and Gabriel Prokofjev. In addition, the Ruysdaels regularly play together with prominent guest musicians such as Raphael Wallfisch, Gavriel Lipkind, Dmitri Ferschtmann, Igor Roma and Charles Neidich. In addition to their travels and collaborations, they host the annual ZOOM! Chamber Music Festival, founded in 2015 and based in Velp, The Netherlands.