Reviewed by Dave Massey

These string quartets epitomise the romantic era, designed as meditations on religious texts chosen by Leku himself, who described the first piece.. "The cello relates the painful troubles of the soul with outbursts of weeping...and the religious melody hovers over all its surges of sorrow." Set in the dark, brooding key of G minor the "Meditation" might have slipped into a depressing sadness, but Leku's ear for good melody prevents this, providing instead a beautiful introspective piece that inspires contemplation. The vagaries of digital recording are very evident and highlighted by the faithful reproduction of the cello player's rasping intakes of breath, which could have been overcome with a little imagination (Gaffa tape over the nostrils!). The "Quator A Cordes" gives the impression of being something of a hotchpotch with Leku's obvious penchant for the slow, sustained melody interspersed with not too successful faster movements like the "Capriccio", which feels a little forced and unnatural. Despite that flaw, the Camerata Quartet have provided an album that inspires reflection, full of lyrical, evocative music.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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