Archaeus String Quartet - Smyth, Beach And Spain-dunk (CD)

Release Date: 01/25/05Brilliant String quartets composed by UK womenFor me the best thing about being a reviewer for MusicWeb is expanding my musical knowledge and discovering works and performers new to me. This disc provided all those elements in spades and has had such an effect on me that I shall be seeking out all the chamber compositions written by these three women.I feel a personal sense of shame that I had never heard any chamber music by Ethel Smyth, only a string trio by Amy Beach, and, even worse, that the name of Susan Spain-Dunk was completely unknown to me. On the reverse of the liner notes it says that 'Lorelt (Lontano Records Ltd) was founded in 1992 to record and dispense throughout the world the work of contemporary composers, women composers throughout history, and Latin American composers from all centuries'. A record company with noble goals then (what a refreshing change!) and this disc has certainly done sterling service to these three women whose music demands