Thomas Christian Ensemble - THOMAS CHRISTIAN ENSEMBLE, COMPLETE STRING QUARTETS

Joseph Marx, who is often termed \the most important lyricist in twentieth-century Austrian music, wrote Austrian music history not only as one of the most multifaceted exponents of tonal music but also as the creator of many world-famous songs. For Marx the survival of tonality was an artistic existential concern of great importance. His chamber music reveals a deeper, more dramatic side, and here his three wonderful string quartets with the characterizing titles antico, classico, and chromatico stand out. The Thomas Christian Ensemble's previous releases on CPO include Kienzl's String Quartets Nos. 1, 2 and 3 (999805-2). 'International Record Review' praised their performances, citing them as enthusiastic and committed.