Fragments 1

"The sharpness of the contrasts come across like physical blows with the Alexander Quartet, and there is a steely edge to their sound in some sections which can be quite unsettling. There is great beauty, but no comfort in the exquisite dying moments of the conclusion."
-- Musicweb-International

Captured here, on three discs, is the first half of the Alexander String Quartet's complete Shostakovich cycle. Superbly recorded at the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2005-06, this exquisite collection contains the first seven quartets, the Piano Quintet with legendary Australian pianist Roger Woodward, and two exceptional transcriptions for string quartet by ASQ's first violinist of a pair of the piano Preludes and Fugues from Op. 87 (1950-51). Spanning roughly the period from 1937-1960, this beautiful collection is accompanied by superb liner notes from musicologist Eric Bromberger.