Edward Gregson continues to gain plaudits and critical acclaim for his compositions following the release of his latest CD of his Chamber Music performed by the Navarra Quartet.

The recording has been described as showing "…a rich seam of expression… by exploring musical opposites — darkness and light, past and present, reality and dream…"

String quartets

Recorded on the Naxos label late last year, and produced by Paul Hindmarsh, it features two string quartets plus his solo violin work, 'Triptych' performed by Ben Gilmore and 'Le Jardin a Givency' originally composed for clarinet and piano as one of his earliest works in 1964.

'Triptych' was first performed at the RNCM in 2011 and explores what the composer calls a "Dionysian dialogue"of conflicting opposites, whilst 'Le Jardin a Givency' is inspired by the famous garden of artist Claude Monet.

The composer revised it in 2016 for Cor Anglais and string quartet where it is performed on the release by the BBC Symphony Orchestra's Alison Teale.

The two quartets were written in 2014 and 2017 respectively — the first a request to mark the centenary of the famous Manchester Mid-day concert series based on classical principles found in late Beethoven and Bartok, the second a much more compact, dramatic structure in five distinct sections.

One critic wrote that his First String Quartet was, "an extraordinary work, both gritty and serene"4BR

Extraordinary

One critic wrote that his First String Quartet was "an extraordinary work, both gritty and serene". The CD has already been featured on Radio 3.

Also included is a new version of 'Benedictus' from his 'Missa brevis pacem' (Mass for Peace) — originally for boy soprano and wind ensemble but realised for the recording for alto saxophone and string quartet performed by Rob Buckland.