CD: Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen, ‘Complete String Quartets, vol. 1’

Artists: Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen, composer; Nordic String Quartet

Released on Dacapo records, 2019

Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen wrote 14 string quartets throughout his life. Described as ‘Childlike wonder meets cynical comment, cliché meets originality, the ecstatic is combined with the ascetic – Gudmundsen-Holmgreen’s string quartets are full of such clashes. We start at one point and end at a totally different one. Never fusty, often entertaining, always adamant.’

Having worked with Pelle on several occasions, I imagined he would appreciate a visual motif that was both suprising and mundane. I have used an image of a black plastic bag and some tape.