The great inventor and futurist Nikola Tesla, from whom the Tesla Quartet takes its name, talked of the invisible yet inseparable ties which bind people...

The great inventor and futurist Nikola Tesla, from whom the Tesla Quartet takes its name, talked of the invisible yet inseparable ties which bind people together. Through performance, teaching and outreach, the Tesla Quartet has for ten years strived to tap into this palpable feeling, using music to create meaningful connections with their audiences. Celebrating this first decade together, the quartet’s debut album draws upon the need for reflection, and to look upon the familiar in a new light. None did this more effectively than Igor Stravinsky, two centuries after Haydn pioneered the string quartet, and Ravel’s masterful contribution takes its place as a staple of the repertoire. Praised for their “superb capacity to find the inner heart of everything they play, regardless of the era, style or technical demand” (The International Review of Music) the Tesla Quartet brings refinement and prowess to both new and established repertoire. They formed in 2008 at The Juilliard School, and have quickly established themselves as one of the most promising ensembles in New York.

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REVIEW:

In the String Quartet in F major of Ravel and in the Haydn String Quartet in C major, Op. 54, No. 2, they mute the metrical accents of the music, creating a unique floating but tense quality. Stravinsky’s Concertino for string quartet jumps out of the program, and in general the players are aware of how they are making each of the major works its own little world: they take the uncommon step of adding entr’actes transcriptions of Ravel piano minuets, which brings the listener back to the larger works with renewed focus. The placement of Haydn’s quartet in the middle is also unusual; he comes first, but the qualities of the visionary slow movement are intensified here. This release, their debut, promises much.

– All Music Guide (James Manheim)