Quatuor Bozzini x JunctQin Keyboard Collective - Rebbecca Braun + Jason Doell: A Root Or Mirror, Blossom, Madder, Cracks; Together [Qb]

Released by the Quatuor Bozzini owned and run Qb imprint on August 28th, 2k24 is the slightly cryptically titled "Rebbecca Braun + Jason Doell: A Root Or Mirror, Blossom, Madder, Cracks; Together", a collaboration work between the famed Quatuor Bozzini ensemble and Toronto's JunctQin Keyboard Collective for an album, presenting, playing and interpreting works by Canadian composers Rebecca Bruton and Jason Doell respectively. Opening with Rebecca Bruton's piece "The Faerie Ribbon", divided into four distinct parts x subsections, the combined ensembles explore a seemingly simple, yet quite beautiful variation on unscathed, almost rural Modern x Contemporary Classical music in parts even reminiscent of what would be best described as 'Hausmusik' in German - a.k.a. music played by small ensembles, often only comprised of musically versed family members, in someones house as a joyful passing of time in the days of yore - whereas other sequences present intricately layered piano melodies in complex correspondance with overlaying strings or even sparse nightly solo piano runs almost fading out into near silence. Subsequently Jason Doell's extended 20+ minutes spanning piece "To Carry Dust & Breaks Through" deals with, despite being rather stripped down and minimalistic, sustained string arrangements, chiming high frequency notes and rather dramatic piano expressions, touching on obviously nocturnal Dark Ambient, thrilling score works and even droning tonalities, albeit created in a organic and non-electronic matter and, as one might already reckon, overall turning out to be our favorite piece on this album. Go check.

Album artwork on Instagram!