The
Press on the “The Daedalus underscored the [Debussy
quartet’s] formal elegance with impeccable balance and articulation,
while also emphasizing its elusive passion and wit through imaginative
management of phrasing and dynamics.”
—THE NEW YORK TIMES (January 19,
2007)
“Polished and vigorous.”
—THE NEW YORK TIMES (August 24, 2005)
“One of the freshest and most exciting of the younger American
ensembles.”
—THE NEW YORKER (January 15, 2007)
“They built a labyrinth of sound out of the most delicate of materials.
Overall, this was splendid music-making … a fabulous performance …
infectiously buoyant and exuberant.”
—THE NEW YORK SUN (March 13, 2006)
“The Daedalus Quartet seemed it was flying not on wings of waxy
feathers, but rather on jet-propelled rockets of blistering virtuosity.
… The music rang gloriously, and the audience emerged wowed and
grateful.”
—THE WASHINGTON POST (May 15, 2006)
“Such security, technical finish, interpretive unity and sheer gusto it
sounded as if these young string players had somehow been performing
these works together for a good 50 or 60 years. … The Daedalus
members were so at-one with their composers, we were happily caught
off-guard by every emotional surprise they sprang.”
—THE WASHINGTON POST (October 3,
2005)
“There are so many fine new string quartets and chamber ensembles today
that it can be hard to keep them straight — but there’s no fear of the
Daedalus Quartet getting lost in the shuffle. … Full of verve and
energy. … It was a beautifully detailed, finished performance …
both incisive and unified.”
—THE SEATTLE TIMES (April 20, 2006)
“Among the most impressive young quartets on the international scene.”
—MERCURY-NEWS (San Jose, March
24,2008)
“The Daedalus Quartet is about clear, refined musicality, drawing an
audience into a performance through understatement. Pretty soon,
the hall is stock-still as the quartet goes about exposing the delicate
inner workings of the music. … In its best moments — and there were a
lot of them — the performance of works by Schubert, the tortured
Romantic, and György Ligeti, that harrowed soul of contemporary
composition, was pretty extraordinary. It felt like a tour
through hidden worlds. … Finely cultured, authoritative yet
relaxed, the group is a string quartet to keep an eye on.”
—MERCURY NEWS (San Jose, January 29,
2005)
“Most of all, the quartet deserves recognition for a performance that
embodied the unsettled quality of the music while still emphasizing
focus and momentum. … The evening began with a bang, with a
searing performance of Haydn’s G major quartet, Op.77, No.1. The
Daedalus captured both the flash and substance of the piece, with high
energy and tempos that were often breathless but still felt organic.
… Transporting clarity and grace.”
—SAN FRANCISCO CLASSICAL VOICE
(April 25, 2004)
“Played with a beguiling sweetness that could melt the heart of even
the most experienced chamber music fan. With no pretense or
ostentation, the group offered a wash of gorgeous sound produced by
polished technique and applied with care and sensitivity.”
—HOUSTON CHRONICLE (January 20, 2005)
The Daedelus players overcame the technical difficulties [of Carter’s
Quartets Nos. 2 and 5] and got to the heart of the music with all its
fantasy and exuberance.
—STAR-TRIBUNE (Minneapolis,
September 20, 2003)
“A riot of joyful noise.”
—THE BUFFALO NEWS (April 18, 2005)
“Daedalus is capable of every dynamic shading, from a whisper to a
fortissimo, and approaches the music with a keen sense of its
architecture. That paid off in the final movement, which culminated in
a thrilling climax.”
—ALBANY TIMES UNION (March 29, 2004)
They display a vitality that springs from an understanding of and
respect for the work before them. … One had the sensation of the
work unfolding naturally, without artifice, but with a combined
intellectual and sensual appreciation. It was compelling stuff, and the
audience was on its feet applauding following the performance.
—SYRACUSE POST-STANDARD (May 25,
2006)
“The group’s perfect intonation, lustrous tone, and brilliantly
perceptive interpretations emerge magnificently on a recent Bridge CD
of quartets by Sibelius (“Intimate Voices”), Stravinsky (Three Pieces),
and Ravel. Equally memorable, too, was the Daedalus version of
Beethoven’s Op. 132 at a recent Tully Hall concert.”
—MUSICAL AMERICA (December 2007)
“The first thing one notices about the Daedalus Quartet is how
resplendent is their sound; on a surface level, this is absolutely
gorgeous playing, and not even the Guarneri Quartet can produce such
attractive sounds. … Fortunately, if you peel back that outer
layer, you find that the musical argument is given its due, and that
there are brains to go with the beauty.”
—INTERNATIONAL RECORD REVIEW
(January 2008)
“Full and warm in tone, always clear, and vigorous in the big climactic
passages.”
—AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE
(November/December 2001)
“Fleet, shimmering. … Even the sudden, harmonic clashes resonate
with luxuriant beauty, a labor of love all around.”
—AUDIOPHILE AUDITION (March 17, 2008)
“They have the seriousness of purpose and the musicality needed for a
bright future.”
—THE STRAD (December 2001)
“Brought freshly and profoundly to life by the Daedalus players, the
marvels of Beethoven’s Quartet Op. 131 caught us unaware and touched us
to the quick yet again. The entrancement was complete. …
The measure of this concert was how often and how deeply it moved me by
the magnificence of the music and by the powerful perceptions brought
to it by the Daedalus Quartet. At a time when greed flourishes,
terrorists rove the world and threats of war are uttered, such
enlightened music-making can only give us hope that sanity will
prevail.”
—TORONTO GLOBE & MAIL (October
26, 2002)
“Whether addressing Beethoven, Mendelssohn or Hindemith, there was a
combination of stylistic awareness, technical polish and sheer
musicality that could hardly be ignored. … In the hands of such
musicians, the future of chamber music looks sunshine bright.”
—TORONTO STAR (October 28, 2002)
“Daedalus has an especially sensitive way of revealing the silences in
the music. Even one-beat rests become like moments where thoughts can
be collected before a fresh statement can be made. It feels as though
the music is being both composed and played in the moment. A fine
talent, indeed. … Standout playing.”
—EDMONTON JOURNAL (March 17, 2003)
Virtuosic, intense playing … a five-star recommendation.
—KÖLNER STADT-ANZEIGER
(Germany, May 10, 2005)
“A promising group with accurate pitch control and a deep-seated
dedication supported by a keen sense of ensemble. In the Mozart,
their flexible artistry was splendid, with all four players
contributing fresh, imaginative phrasing.”
—ONGAKU NO TOMO (Tokyo, December
2002)