The Pacifica Quartet presents The Korngold Collection, a landmark recording of Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s complete string quartets and rarely heard chamber works tracing the composer’s extraordinary evolution from prodigy of post-imperial Vienna to pioneering film composer in Hollywood.
The three string quartets, written between 1923 and 1945, chart Korngold’s artistic journey: the First Quartet pulses with adventurous harmony; the Second, composed just before his emigration from Austria, overflows with lush melody; and the Third, finalized after WWII, draws on themes from his iconic film scores, including The Sea Hawk and Between Two Worlds.
Complementing the quartets are two early chamber gems: the radiant Piano Quintet in E major (1920), written in the wake of his operatic triumph, Die tote Stadt, and performed with pianist Orion Weiss; and the vibrant String Sextet in D major (1914), a youthful work that helped establish Korngold’s early reputation, featuring violist Milena Pájaro-van de Stadt and cellist Eric Kim.
The Korngold Collection
By: Pacifica Quartet , Eric Kim , Orion Weiss, and Milena Pájaro-van de Stadt
