The ancient Greek concept of poiesis is the creation of something that has never existed before. True to this namesake, the Poiesis Quartet is committed to programming and commissioning new string quartet works from underrepresented composers. Lauded for the richness of their sound and tangible chemistry, Poiesis are the perfect conduit for this ambition. Their forthcoming album Surfacing (Oct. 16, Bright Shiny Things) serves as a musical autobiography, presenting repertoire that encapsulates their emotional growth as an ensemble while simultaneously speaking to the complexity of the human experience.
Brian Raphael Nabors’ String Quartet immediately signals the variety of ways the album might interpret the concept of “surfacing.” Described as a “snapshot of the universe before the Big Bang,” the work truly evokes the atmospheric whirlwind of the universe at its inception. In the twirling opening, rapid, swelling exchanges between the viola and cello are paired with harsh pizzicati and the icyness of ghostly and distant ponticello. Throughout, Nabors’ quartet is groovy and bountiful in texture and energy — deftly showcasing the virtuosity, lush tone, and musical charisma of Poiesis.
Kevin Lau was the first composer that Poiesis Quartet ever commissioned. His String Quartet No. 7, “Surfacing,” written after his newborn son was diagnosed with a liver condition, expresses the “grief, resilience, and gratitude” experienced while navigating the gravity of that time. In the rhythmically captivating and emotionally alluring “Part 1,” Lau pairs driving, recurring percussive motifs in the second violin and lower strings with a soaring yet anguished line in the isolated solo violin.
After trading opulent lines around the ensemble, an ominous cello solo guides listeners to “Part 2;” here, the cello melody becomes a tender, gentle fugue that is dotted with eerie extended techniques and dissonances, intentional emotional abrasiveness, and sawing outbursts. “Part 3” deepens this theme, highlighting Poiesis’ ease in shaping an unending musical line against a pulsating backdrop.
In Many Many Cadences, Sky Macklay pokes fun at Western classical music’s need to resolve a phrase. Jagged, chaotic, and complex, the work consists of falling scalar motion lines tumbling down over and over. Starting in rhythmic unison, the ensemble continues this pattern before moving on, one by one, to their own sustained lines, particularly in the lower voices. As the work draws to a close, the prolonged use of drawn out and metallic glissandi is riveting and feels otherworldly, almost disorienting.
Surfacing concludes with Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson’s String Quartet No. 1, “Calvary” and an arrangement of the Negro Spiritual that inspired it. Max Ball’s luxurious setting of “Calvary” for four violins beautifully showcases the melancholy and muted colors typical of a spiritual, and the effortless, unhurried opening violin solo mimics the improvisatory nature of the style.
Perkinson’s jazzy quartet creates density and excitement with intricate textures, and the freedom of the composition lends an improvised feel to the solo sections. Balancing the conflict between gut-wrenching and triumphant emotions, the second movement features an elegant and alluring viola solo that reflects the original spiritual, while the concluding rondo movement is both light and dissonant.
Surfacing is gripping from beginning to end due to the palpable energy and commitment from Poiesis. To understand the quartet’s story is to understand the timeliness of this work. As winners of the Cleveland Quartet Award, Banff Competition, the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, and the Saint Paul String Quartet Competition, they certainly display the earnestness of a group who is surfacing. Their dedication to platforming frequently overlooked composers combined with their artistry and willingness to tackle difficult subject matter places them as arbiters for our profession and the arts.
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