Almost Famous

Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849) - hardly any other composer's name is so closely and almost exclusively associated with a single instrument as this one. Chopin is a synonym for romantic piano music of the highest quality. His piano playing and his work as a teacher were regarded as exceptional because of the expansion and exploitation of the technical and tonal possibilities of the instrument, the sensitivity of the touch, the innovations in the use of the pedals and in fingering. It seems presumptuous to have a string quartet interpret the works of precisely this composer, which are so strongly oriented towards pianistic conditions and possibilities. And yet the Swiss arranger, composer and jazz pianist Dave Scherler has taken this risk. For the Stradivari Quartet he has arranged some of Chopin's most famous works for string quartet. These include such well-known pieces as the "Fantaisie Impromptu", the Nocturne in D flat major, Op. 27/2, as well as numerous waltzes and mazurkas. The result works amazingly well. The rhythmically and harmonically complex music with its exuberant wealth of ideas is convincing and captivates even when played by string instruments. The instruments used certainly contribute to this impression, all string instruments from the manufactory of the famous Antonio Stradivari, including the violin "King George 1710" or the famous cello "Bonamy-Suggia 1717".