Escher Quartet ft. Jason Vieaux

During the last decade, New York's Escher String Quartet has risen through the ranks of a crowded field to become one of music's most engaging string ensembles. The quartet has broadened its reputation by becoming an eager collaborator, working with classical, jazz, and Latin legends alike. One of its more regular and rewarding partnerships has been with GRAMMY-winning guitarist Jason Vieaux, a new classical guitar luminary who, like the Escher, prefers to remain free of the restrictions imposed by the traditional repertoire.

The Quartet begins by contrasting the elegant Haydn op. 76, no. 1 with two energetic pieces by György Kurtág, the entrancing Hommage à Jacob Obrecht and the dizzying Hommage à Mihály András. Vieaux, as soloist, explores an intricate Bach lute suite and the seductive "Rumores de la caleta" from Spain's Isaac Albéniz. Then he contributes two twentieth-century masterpieces: Tom Jobim's "A Felicidade" and Duke Ellington's "In a Sentimental Mood." The five musicians then gather for a kinetic finale, Boccherini's aptly named guitar quintet, "Fandango."