words from the press release, adapted for publication by Ben Hogwood

The Piatti Quartet releases a new album of Quartets Nos. 2-4 by British composer Joseph Phibbs, “one of the most successful composers of his generation” (BBC Music Magazine).

The Quartet and Phibbs have maintained a close relationship that stretches back several years. Since its joint second prize and Sydney Griller Award at the 2015 Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition, the Piatti Quartet has established a high reputation, particularly in the contemporary repertoire. They have recorded and performed Phibbs’ String Quartet no.1 almost 50 times.

Joseph (above) says:

“Having studied the cello as a child, I have always felt a special affinity with string music. My introduction at the age of 14 to the music of Britten was through his first string quartet, the opening of which still fills me with awe, and his works – especially those for strings – have remained a lifelong inspiration. After the first commission, the Piatti’s enthusiasm encouraged me to continue exploring the genre, and – a decade later – it has been both a privilege and a huge pleasure to have another opportunity to write for them (String Quartet No.4). Much of my music is inspired by light and landscapes (as well as cityscapes). When considering which images would best sum up the overall feel of the album, light – both natural and artificial – as seen within a landscape, seemed the most fitting choice.”

As a composer, Phibbs’ main influences are Lutoslawski, Britten and his former teacher Steven Stucky. Over recent years, he has been primarily exploring melody, forging his way using modal, diatonic and triadic harmonies.

Phibbs’s opera Juliana premiered in 2018 showed “a strong sense of continuity with the past – not least in the markedly post-Britten soundworld” (BBC Music Magazine). The Guardian added, “Juliana is that rare thing nowadays, a genuinely well-made, effective new opera that achieves exactly what it sets out to do.”

You can listen to excerpts from this album at the Presto website

Published post no.2,347 – 30 October 2024