Miró Quartet to Release New Album GINASTERA STRING QUARTETS in July

On Friday, July 25, 2025, the two-time GRAMMY-nominated Miró Quartet will release its newest album, Ginastera String Quartets, on PENTATONE. Celebrating 30 years as an ensemble in 2025, the Texas-based quartet brings its signature virtuosity to this recording of the Argentinian composer's complete String Quartets, joined on his String Quartet No. 3, Op. 40, by soprano Kiera Duffy. Featured in Miró's live performances since its early days as a quartet, these works represent for Miró a chance to celebrate repertoire from the Americas as a quintessentially American ensemble.

A master of vivid contrasts and emotional depth, Ginastera infused his three quartets with the spirit of Argentine folk traditions, bold modernist language, and a profound sense of expression. These works span the entirety of his creative development, tracing a fascinating journey across three distinct stylistic periods.

The first two quartets are considered undiscovered masterpieces, often performed live to great reception but rarely recorded in their entirety alongside the third. The vibrant rhythmic energy and folkloric colors of the first quartet, the introspective lyricism of the second, and the haunting intensity of the third each reflect Ginastera's unique fusion of influences, drawing from composers including Bartók and Stravinsky to create a sound full of emotional rawness and evocative storytelling. Together, these quartets form a powerful cycle, showcasing Ginastera's ability to create distinct narratives within each piece, while also intertwining to tell a larger, cohesive musical story.

This is the Miró Quartet's third album on PENTATONE, following its recording of Beethoven's Complete String Quartets (2019) and the GRAMMY-nominated Home (2024). Miró has also independently released multiple celebrated recordings for a variety of global labels, earning a 2024 GRAMMY nomination for Best Choral Performance for House of Belonging, created in collaboration with Austin-based choral group Conspirare.

Ginastera String Quartets Tracklist

Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983) - String Quartet No. 1, Op. 20 (1948)
1. I. Allegro violento ed agitato [4:52]
2. II. Vivacissimo [3:42]
3. III. Calmo e poetico [7:36]
4. IV. Allegramente rústico [4:06]

Alberto Ginastera - String Quartet No. 2, Op. 26 (1968)
5. I. Allegro rústico [6:08]
6. II. Adagio angoscioso [6:21]
7. III. Presto magico [3:55]
8. IV. Libero e rapsodico [5:19]
9. V. Furioso [4:44]

Alberto Ginastera - String Quartet No. 3, Op. 40 (1973)
10. I. Contemplativo* [6:59]
(text by Juan Ramón Jiménez)
11. II. Fantastico [4:34]
12. III. Amoroso* [6:20]
(text by Federico García Lorca)
13. IV. Drammatico* [2:52]
(text by Rafael Alberti)
14. V. Di nuovo contemplativo* [4:39]
(text by Juan Ramón Jiménez)
Kiera Duffy, soprano

TT: 72:15

PTC 5187412

Ginastera String Quartets was recorded at KMFA 89.5, Austin's Classical Music Radio Station, in Austin, TX, between December 2 and 7, 2024.

PRODUCTION TEAM
Executive producers - William Fedkenheuer, David & Amy Fulton
Recording & Session producer, Recording & Mastering engineer - Da-Hong Seetoo
Additional producers - Daniel Ching, Joshua Gindele & John Largess
Liner notes - John Largess
Photography - Dagny Piasecki

To post a comment, you must register and login.

Best Sound Design - Live Standings

Peter Hylenski - Maybe Happy Ending - 13% Adam Fisher - Sunset Boulevard - 13% Mike Walker - Operation Mincemeat - 12%

Vote Now! 00 Days 00 Hours 00 Minutes 00 Seconds