Wyschnegradsky

One of the most independent chamber music ensembles on the international scene celebrates it's twenty-second anniversary by releasing an album entitled "Black Mass" on the GENUIN label. It is a dark ride through highly emotional music of the 20th century and takes it's name from Alexander Scriabin's piano sonata "Messe noire," whose quartet version is presented here for the first time on disc. Also recorded for the first time is the 1st String Quartet by Christoph Staude, one of the first pieces in the ensemble's repertoire. In addition, quartets by Arthur Vincent Lourié and Ivan Wyschnegradsky are featured. All in all, a living history of the quartet and an artistic statement at the highest instrumental caliber!

Ivan Wyschnegradsky (1893-1979) is unquestionably an essential figure in 20th-century music. A pioneer in microintervallic music, heir to the thinking of Scriabin, he left a number of works in third, quarter, fifth, sixth and even twelfths of tones. His theoretical, organological and compositional research opened the way for other composers who, in turn, devoted their work to music in micro-intervals, which is probably, as says Alain Bancquart, the music of the future.

A native of the Kursk province of a former Great Empire, a de scendant of an ancient Russian noble family, Nikolai Borisovich Obouhov (1892 — 1954) left an immense artistic legacy for his successors. His vivid life permeated with legends, his innovation and doubtless mark of outstanding individuality has aroused a great deal of interest in the present day. It is known that among his ardent admirers were Maurice Ravel, Olivier Messiaen, Arthur Honneger, Ivan Wyschnegradsky and Edison Denisov.