Various Composers - American Portraits (Pacifica Quartet)

Information

• Samuel Barber - String Quartet, Op. 11
• Gabriela Lena Frank - The Edge of Everything: Elegy for Rachel Louise Carson
• George Walker - Lyric for Strings
• Jennifer Higdon - Steps for Justice
• George Crumb - Black Angels: Thirteen Images from the Dark Land

Pacifica Quartet 

    Simin Ganatra, violin

    Mark Holloway, violin

    Austin Hartman, viola

    Brandon Vamos, cello

Date: 2026

Label: Cedille Records

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American Portraits brings together seminal chamber works alongside landmark new compositions, showcasing the depth and evolution of the American musical canon. The album features iconic masterpieces, including Samuel Barber’s String Quartet, Op. 11, George Walker’s Lyric for Strings, and George Crumb’s Black Angels. It also showcases world premiere recordings of two newly commissioned works narrated by NPR legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg: 2026 Pulitzer Prize winner Gabriela Lena Frank’s The Edge of Everything and Pulitzer and Grammy winner Jennifer Higdon’s Steps for Justice. Together, these works deliver a profound reflection on pivotal figures, historical struggles, and the multifaceted American experience.

Formed in 1994, the Pacifica Quartet quickly became one of America’s leading string quartets, winning top competitions including the 1998 Naumburg Award and receiving the Avery Fisher Career Grant. Renowned for its cohesive sound and energy, the ensemble champions contemporary composers, commissioning and premiering works by Keeril Makan, Julia Wolfe, Shulamit Ran, and James Lee III. The Quartet excels in performing complete cycles, from Carter and Shostakovich to Mendelssohn and Beethoven, often in intensive multi-concert presentations. Its acclaimed discography includes GRAMMY®-winning recordings of Carter, Shostakovich, and contemporary works, as well as collaborations with artists like Marc-André Hamelin, Menahem Pressler, and Anthony McGill, establishing it as a reference point in both classical and modern repertoire.