Credits:
Stenhammar Quartet
Description:
Stenhammar String Quartet recorded Kalevi Aho's early quartets on SACD hybrid disc. Kalevi Aho is a Finnish composer. Known as a prolific writer, he composed works in all genres. Aho was only 18 years old when he completed String Quartet No. 1 in 1967, and he was self-taught. The second quartet was composed in 1970, during his second year of study with Rautavaara at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. Each movement uses the fugue technique. The first performance was highly acclaimed and marked his first step as a professional composer. No. 3 was composed the year after No. 2. The influence of Shostakovich can be felt, but Aho's individuality is beginning to emerge. The Stenhammar String Quartet, formed in 2002, performs mainly Stenhammar's works, and has released a complete set of his string quartets (BIS SA-2709). In recent years, the quartet has also been focusing on contemporary music, and has been commissioned to perform many works by American, British, and other composers. King International