The Kreutzer Quartet has long been at the forefront of contemporary classical music, known for their enduring collaborations with a diverse range of composers. This album, Something So Transporting Bright, exemplifies their deep engagement with composers of multiple generations, from the late Gloria Coates, who began working with the quartet in 1992, to emerging voices like Tom Metcalf and Joel Järventausta, both in their twenties. The four featured works capture a profound sense of artistic exchange, reflecting the quartet’s unique position as both interpreters and collaborators.

The music presented here emerged during a time of unprecedented global disruption. The pandemic heightened the value of creative partnerships, particularly in the realm of performance and recording. This album includes three works that were developed under lockdown conditions, where the act of collaboration became a source of resilience and renewal. Themes of water and the river flow through the compositions of Järventausta and Metcalf, while Sadie Harrison’s contributions were shaped by a profound response to the social upheaval following George Floyd’s murder, reframing her ongoing work with the River Thames as a backdrop.

The Kreutzer Quartet’s long-standing relationship with Métier Records is central to their role within the contemporary music landscape. As a trusted ensemble for composers like Hans Werner Henze, Judith Weir, and David Matthews, they continue to push boundaries with each recording and performance. Gloria Coates’s final work, performed live at her last birthday celebration, marks a poignant close to the quartet’s decades-long collaboration with the composer, whose death in 2023 gives this album a reflective resonance.

Something So Transporting Bright is a testament to the quartet’s sustained commitment to new music, capturing the intensity and vitality of these compositions while showcasing the ongoing dialogue between past, present, and future in contemporary classical music.