account
basket
Challenge Records Int. logo
radio.string.quartet.vienna
Various composers

Radiodream

radio.string.quartet.vienna

Price: € 22.95
Format: CD
Label: ACT music
UPC: 0614427951229
Catnr: ACT 95122
Release date: 28 October 2011
Buy
1 CD
✓ in stock
€ 22.95
Buy
 
Label
ACT music
UPC
0614427951229
Catalogue number
ACT 95122
Release date
28 October 2011
Album
Artist(s)
Composer(s)
EN

About the album

It’s difficult to live in Vienna without encountering Sigmund Freud at some point. radio.string.quartet.vienna have also been influenced by the famous psychoanalyst as showcased on their latest album, radiodream, a musical expedition through the realm of our dreams from the most innovative contemporary string quartet around.

“What would a whole night of dreams sound like?” This is how violinist and composer Bernie Mallinger summed up the starting point for the dream project - a night full of hidden feelings and desires, fantasies and nightmares. And the next question: “Can we find a language for all these scenarios?” Radiodream is an imaginary journey with 14 very different stops. “The music gets its emotional strength from the different layers of the subconscious, which is very similar to the process of dreaming,” explains cellist Asja Valcic. “Alongside the images in our minds, for example dreams of love, or fears, there were also many other sources of inspiration. These included an artwork by Salvador Dali, a film or perhaps also a piece of music,” continued Asja Valcic.

The dream journey begins with a restless as well as powerful overture called “Inception”, in reference to the mystery cinema thriller of the same name. The piece leads the way into an eclectic cosmos in which timbres are permanently changing, pieces fuse smoothly into one another and the listener is captured somewhere between total turbulence and being deeply moved. This includes the melancholic “One Night in Vienna” (Valcic) as well as the unsettling “Saint Paul`s Nightmare” (Mallinger). The gently interpreted “Liebestraum” by Franz Liszt also has a place here as does the Hollywood evergreen “Moon River” by Henry Mancini – the version here manages to draw out a totally new appeal from the classic. The arrangement of Radiohead’s “Nice Dream” goes smoothly into Billie Holiday’s legendary blues lament “Strange Fruit”. “From the innocent sounds of a children’s song to the deepest depths of despair – such a rapid transition from one dream world to the next is only possible in music, and this is what was so appealing during the intense rehearsals,” says Mallinger. “Song - Ode an den Freud” is, at nine minutes, not only the longest piece on the album but also a reflection of the outstanding ensemble playing of Bernie Mallinger (violin), Cynthia Liao (viola), Igmar Jenner (violin) and Asja Valcic (cello). All four begin with a theme which is characteristic of their instrument before the piece as a whole condenses to an irresistible melodic maelstrom. “This is, if you like, our great dream – we want to fuse to one whole body of sound,” continues Mallinger.

In this way, r.s.q.v. has already managed to achieve something remarkable. The album “Celebrating the Mahavishnu Orchestra” (2007) with which the quartet announced its label debut with ACT, was celebrated by the critics as well as the live audience as a musical sensation. “Here jazz is given precision and depth through the classical concept without losing any swing,” wrote the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” newspaper about the vital new interpretations of the fusion sounds of the ‘70s. The quartet’s music breaks down all typical genre boundaries. After the grooving, powerful Mahavishnu sounds, the experimental-loving Viennese consistently broadened their palette of expression with each one of their projects. With guitarist Ulf Wakenius they developed beautiful interpretations of pieces by the deceased Swedish pianist Esbjörn Svensson (“Love Is Real”). With accordionist Klaus Paier, more traditional folk elements (“Radiotree”) were featured alongside more jazzy arrangements. Finally, r.s.q.v. and Swedish singer Rigmor Gustafsson proved that love songs, brilliance from the strings and vocal jazz can forge new and exciting connections (“Calling You”).

The protagonists of the new Viennese school of string players, all renowned classical musicians, are united by one thing in particular: a passion for new sounds. They have adapted the absolute ideals of freedom within jazz although from a stylistic viewpoint their horizon is much broader. Bernie Mallinger says: “In some pieces we are actually much closer to pop or rock. And if something sounds good, you can do anything.” r.s.q.v.’s own, typical sound is based on an impressive rhythmic diversity. The musicians not only play the strings but also assume the part of the drums or the bass – plucking, beating, their sound full of percussive finesse. “It’s a bit like lighting, with different degrees of lightness or intensity,” emphasises Valcic, “and this is then pooled in the group process.” This also played a role in the quartet’s choice of name, as the word “radio” stems from the Latin “radius” (= ray).

Artist(s)

Radio String Quartet Vienna

BERNIE MALLINGER – VIOLIN He studied at the Music University Graz (Classical Violin/Concert). After finishing studies Mallinger stayed for some months in the USA (New School of Music, Manhattan School of Music, Juilliard School in New York). Since 1997 free-lancing artist. In the following years cooperation at about 100 CD-productions in the field of Jazz, Folk, Pop, and New Music. Stage work from duo up to work as soloist with big bands and orchestras. Performances in numerous theatre- and show productions. Since the winterterm 1999/2000 lectureship at the University of Art/Graz (dep. Jazz). Further pedagogical work within the frame of workshops and jazzdays in Austria, Spain, and in the USA. JOHANNES DICKBAUER – VIOLIN He studied at the...
more
BERNIE MALLINGER – VIOLIN He studied at the Music University Graz (Classical Violin/Concert). After finishing studies Mallinger stayed for some months in the USA (New School of Music, Manhattan School of Music, Juilliard School in New York). Since 1997 free-lancing artist. In the following years cooperation at about 100 CD-productions in the field of Jazz, Folk, Pop, and New Music. Stage work from duo up to work as soloist with big bands and orchestras. Performances in numerous theatre- and show productions. Since the winterterm 1999/2000 lectureship at the University of Art/Graz (dep. Jazz). Further pedagogical work within the frame of workshops and jazzdays in Austria, Spain, and in the USA. JOHANNES DICKBAUER – VIOLIN He studied at the „Mozarteum“ in Salzburg with Benjamin Schmid, later at the university in Vienna with Gerhard Schulz (Alban Berg Quartett). Currently he is a student at the Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia, in the studio of Pamela Frank. He’s winner of several competitions as „Prima la Musica“ or „Stefanie Hohl“ in Vienna. Dickbauer appeared as a soloist with the Vienna Conservatory Orchestra and the Vienna Chamber Orchestra, in which he had the great possibility to play under Sir Yehudi Menuhin. In January 2004 he performed a concert in the Vienna “Konzerthaus” as winner of the competition “Musica Juventutis”. He’s member of the Vertigo String Quartet which was the winner of the International Competition “Duchi acqua viva” in Atri in 2006. CYNTHIA LIAO – VIOLA Born in Taipeh, Taiwan. First studies of viola and composition in Taiwan. Studied viola at University for Music and Performing Arts in Vienna with Thomas Kakuska. 2000 graduation with the title “Magistra artium”. Chamber music studies with members of Artis Quartett, Wiener Sextett and Alban Berg Quartett. First solo performance at the age of 13. Subsequently concerts with orchestras in Austria (Vienna Mozart Orchestra), Italy, Taiwan, Corea and the USA. 1995-1997 Principal Viola of the "Wiener Jeunesse Orchester", 1998-1999 of the Vienna Chamber Opera and 2001-2003 of the milanese symphony orchestra “Giuseppe Verdi”. 2002 Invitations as soloist at the „Teatro La Fenice“ in Venice; 2004 group leader of the violas in Brucknerorchester Linz. Since 2003 Member of Vienna Chamber Orchestra and the Vienna Chamber Philharmonic. Since 2005 member of the Ensemble Reconsil Vienna for contemporary music. Liao performed with chamber orchestras at numerous festivals, as Wiener Festwochen, Bregenzer Festspiele, Klangfruehling Festival, Kammermusik Festival Stresa etc. ASJA VALCIC – CELLO Asja Valcic studied with V. Despalj (Zagreb/Croatia), L. Teraspusky (Massachusetts/USA), N. Schahovskaja (Moscow/Russia) and K. Georgian (Detmold, Germany). Graduation with Soloist's Diploma. She attended master classes with B. Pergamenchikov und B. Greenhouse. She has played chamber music with G. Schulz (Alban Berg Quartett), H. Schoneweg (Cherubini Quartett), I. Bolton (Brodsky Quartett), I. Bieler (Melos Quartett), A. Engegard (Orlando Quartett), T. Brandis (Brandis Quartett), and many others. As a soloist she performed with the Zagreb Philharmonic, Belgrade Philharmonic and the Westfälische Kammerorchester, conducted by the likes of Kazushi Ono and Zubin Mehta. In 1995 she won the „Concours international de jeunes concertistes de Douai“ in France. For her recordings of the Sonatas of Shostakovich and Schnittke she was awarded the German Record Critics' Award in 1998. Valcic is teaching at the music academy of Zagreb (Croatia), at the Dartington International School of Music/England, in Chioggia/Italy and at the university of music Detmold/Germany. Since 2008 she is playing in duo with Klaus Paier.

less

Composer(s)

Press

Play album Play album

You might also like..

The Magic of Consistency
Maik Krahl
The Magic of Consistency (vinyl)
Maik Krahl
Ludwig van Beethoven
Middle String Quartets
Narratio Quartet
Various composers
Italophilia - Discovering the Italian Style in Handel's London
The Counterpoints
Butter Bei Die Fische | JazzThing Next Generation Vol. 105
Red Hering
Underground Roller Coaster
Diego Pinera | Odd Wisdom
Francesco Geminiani
Sonatas for violoncello
Octavie Dostaler-Lalonde
As if it were tomorrow
Pentadox
Brasis · Sonho de Lá
Henrique Gomide | Daphne Oltheten
Waiting for a Summer Storm
Ramon van Merkenstein Trio
Waiting for a Summer Storm (vinyl)
Ramon van Merkenstein Trio
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Piano Concertos Nos. 21 & 9 | Rondo for Piano and Orchestra
Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra | Dejan Lazić | Jan Willem de Vriend