George Enescu - String Octet; Piano Quintet (Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective)

Information

Composer: George Enescu

• String Octet in C Major, Op. 7
• Piano Quintet in D Major

Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective

    Elena Urioste, violin

    Savitri Grier, violin

    Melissa White, violin

    Nathan Amaral, violin

    Rosalind Ventris, viola

    Edgar Francis, viola

    Laura van der Heijden, cello

    Tony Rymer, cello

    Tom Poster, piano

Date: 2026

Label: Chandos

_____________________

Romanian composer George Enescu (1881–1955) was a child prodigy who became the youngest student admitted to the Vienna Conservatory at age seven. Renowned as a violinist, teacher, and conductor, Enescu frequently led major ensembles such as the New York Philharmonic and taught prominent violinists, including Yehudi Menuhin and Arthur Grumiaux. Composed when he was just nineteen, his dense, complex String Octet reflects his extraordinary technical mastery, though its premiere was initially canceled as "too risky." Paired with his earlier Brahmsian Piano Quintet, written during his studies at the Paris Conservatoire, these chamber masterpieces demonstrate Enescu's early command of form, texture, and musical expression.

Kaleidoscope Chamber Collective is a British chamber ensemble founded in 2017 by pianist Tom Poster and violinist Elena Urioste, dedicated to inclusive programming that highlights diverse and historically underrepresented composers alongside canonical repertoire. Working with leading musicians such as Nicola Benedetti and Roderick Williams, the group performs internationally and records for Chandos. Their projects include American Quintets featuring works by Amy Beach, Florence Price, and Samuel Barber, as well as series exploring Johannes Brahms and his contemporaries, such as Luise Adolpha Le Beau. Through flexible collaboration and thematic programming, the collective seeks to broaden perspectives on chamber music repertoire and performance practice.

High Resolution 24-bit / 96 kHz