Ragazze Quartet - VivereThe Ragazze Quartet has been acclaimed for their musical enthusiasm, talent, versatility and presentation. The young Dutch ensemble frequently collaborates with composers, musicians classical or otherwise and artists working in a variety of disciplines. In spite of it's life affirming title, Vivere, the group's Channel Classics debut, is not exactly a cheerful disc. All three compositions refer in various ways to death. This is reflected in the key

In Bach's time

showing a series of desolate places and characters as if they had come out of the collective imaginary of the uncomfortable

Masaaki Suzuki - Cantatas 15

Having written a lullaby for her

Crocefisso dei Cavalieri

but his music was never dispassionate

In his own booklet introduction

probing works that are immediately accessible

Jean Coulthard

along with rare gems by Curtis Gordon (his torrid 'Draggin' appears without the usual startling reverb effects)

it's songs "chapters" of a saga set on the shores of Tamaki Makaurau's (aka Auckland's) Manukau Harbour

when she had her most recent Top 50 hit