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The Arcanto Quartet is an extraordinary group. Unlike most quartets, it was formed not by young, still developing musicians, but by four mature artists, well-known as soloists, ensemble players, and conservatory professors who, after trying one another out in different combinations, decided to form a string quartet. Founded in 2002, it first appeared in Stuttgart two years later, and since then has performed widely in Germany and Japan. This is its debut recording, and it is terrific. The players are all superb; the two violinists are completely equal. In only a few years, these four musicians have found a single style for their separate personalities. Their tone blends homogeneously, yet remains individually distinct. They can alternate between taking the lead and receding into the background seamlessly and unnoticeably. Their intonation is impeccable, their articulation unanimous; they weave a clear contrapuntal texture from multi-colored strands and build climaxes upon each others' phrases within a huge dynamic range. They make Bartók's constantly changing rhythms and idiomatic syncopations rock-steady but not stiff and fit meticulously observed details into a cohesive whole. They express the sometimes wildly contrasting moods and feelings of the music with all the power of personal identification and achieve an enormous emotional impact. --Edith Eisler