Russian Contemporary composer Vladimir Ivanovich Martynov [born 1946], has written at least three string quartets, or works named as such. I believe his early music was in a modern, confrontational style, but after having spent time in a Spiritual Academy to study traditional Russian Orthodox chant, his works seem to have taken on a more spiritual nature. I regard Der Abschied (The Farewell) composed in 2006, as an essentially spiritually inspired work. Apparently it quotes from some of Mahler’s lieder, but as I never got past his symphonies, I don’t go there, so I can’t comment on that.
The city of Modena, under the rule of the Este family, was the capital of the Dukedom of Modena e Reggio. Thanks to Duke Francesco II’s fondness for the violin, music became an essential element in the most important events at the Este court, such as receptions, weddings and official visits of foreign sovereigns. These were the occasions in which the Duke displayed all his magnificence. Modena stands out for the abundance of its collection of musical documents in the Biblioteca Estense: the library is a real mine, largely unexplored so far. This consideration gave rise to the idea of making this beautiful, extraordinarily modern music available to those who are “pursuing” culture and art. So our goal is to promote a rediscovery of the enormous heritage preserved in the Biblioteca Estense, by carrying out a meticulous study of the sources of the works of the composers who were active at the Este Court in Modena, transcribing them into modern notation and critical editions, and producing monographic recordings of them.