'Home', we all know what it means, but it is or is not a 'home' for everyone, let alone a 'warm' home. Home sweet home, we know that too, something like 'east west home best'. Large parts of the world are on fire, the stream of displaced people knows no end.
The Miró Quartet feels artistically at home in any case with the music of these five composers, all Americans, four of them – by chance or not – winners of the prestigious Pulitzer Prize. George Walker was even the first Black American to receive the prize. Only Harold Arlen, as far as I know, has not won this particular prize.
The fact that only the second movement from Walker's First String Quartet is represented on this album is not so strange (even though there would have been sufficient space for the complete piece): just like that famous Adagio from Barber's String Quartet op. 11, it is also this second movement that soon after its creation led its own life as Lyric for Strings. And indeed: it is lyrical, doubly and thoroughly. In the cd booklet the ensemble admits that it only learned of its existence shortly before the recording, which may raise some eyebrows, but this intensely 'lyrical' performance fortunately suggests otherwise.
The performance of the other works is also commendable: the Miró feels at home with these such different styles as the proverbial fish in water, starting with the opening work from which the album title is taken: Kevin Puts' suite Home. Violist John Largess recalls in the booklet that Puts had Syrian refugees in mind when he began composing, but there is so much warm intensity emanating from it that I can imagine every refugee in it. In the opening movement (the key of C major seems symbolic of homecoming or of being at home) there are – whether consciously conceived or not – unmistakable reminiscences of that well-known melody from Schindler's List. The final movement, wrapped in microtonality, unfolds like a veritable whirlwind, harmonically and rhythmically well-spiced, and indeed, as indicated by the composer: 'dangerously fast'. That no notes fell from the music stands despite this is nothing short of a miracle.
Caroline Shaw, the youngest Pulitzer Prize winner ever, is no stranger in our country either, although the performance of her Partita for 8 Voices (with which she won that prize) does go quite far back: to the Holland Festival of 2019. Microfictions – here we hear the six pieces from the first set – has as inspiration both the surrealist paintings of Joan Miró (the quartet is named after him) and the interactive science fiction of writer and journalist T.R. Darling (you can find it here on X, formerly Twitter).
Caroline Shaw in her explanation during the world premiere of Microfictions Vol. I (Photo: Arts Laureate)
It was the Miró Quartet that was responsible for the world premiere, on 14 November 2021 in Shriver Hall, Washington DC. Shaw was present and gave an extensive explanation of the work (all six pieces were discussed), during which she also recalled that the 'naturalistic' piece was created in collaboration with the quartet members. It was in the middle of the coronavirus period and the associated lockdowns, but 'teleconference' provided a solution.
Over the Rainbow by Harold Arlen in an arrangement for string quartet by William Ryden forms the most charming conclusion to this compelling program. The piece has something 'homely' about it and moreover: we all know it.
The Miró also collaborated with Kevin Puts, which gives this album a certain authority. It is a pity that it remained with the already mentioned second movement, Molto Adagio, from Walker's String Quartet: there would have been sufficient space for the complete work. But as far as this particularly beautiful album is concerned, the glass is more than half full, which is something.