vision string quartet

Vision String Quartet: in the fields CD / Vinyl (LP, 180g) / digital  Florian Willeitner violinDaniel Stoll violinLeonard Disselhorst celloSander Stuart viola Five years on from their last album, vision string quartet are back, and they’re on stupendous form. ‘In the Fields’, their debut on ACT, is a brilliant demonstration of new worlds opening up to the musically curious, and also a statement of how astonishingly versatile a modern string quartet as good as this one can be. This Berlin-based ensemble - Florian Willeitner (violin), Daniel Stoll (violin), Sander Stuart (viola) and Leonard Disselhorst (cello) - has established itself in recent years as the ‘string quartet of the future’ (Sydney Morning Herald) and is known for its way of traversing between classical music, folk, jazz and new and original compositions. The release is also significant in the context of the ACT label, marking a further step beyond the world of jazz. ACT CEO Andreas Brandis comments on the collaboration: "My connection with the Vision String Quartet goes back many years – it began with the Concerto.21 masterclasses that I lead, and has continued through my close collaboration with the quartet’s first violinist Florian Willeitner. In the future, ACT will open up even more to connections between classical music, contemporary music and improvisation – and Vision String Quartet is an excellent example of this new pathway."The new album is a journey in sound, with a consistent dramaturgy from start to finish. Its shape and structure are based on Béla Bartók's five-movement String Quartet No. 4. For the members of the quartet, Bartók, who found his inspiration ‘in the fields’ and in the folk music of Europe, is their point of departure and their guiding figure. “We were infected by his fascination with what is familiar but also unknown,” the musicians explain, inviting listeners to dive with them into the depths of this music.The opening track, ‘Kopanitsa’, a Bulgarian folk song in 11/8 time, already reveals the earthiness and rhythmic fire that pervades the album. In the booklet, the quartet also refer to this introduction to the new recording as the ‘first movement of our work’. Florian Willeitner heard the piece played by a bagpipe player on the streets of Sofia – authenticity and the simple joy of playing are the order of the day here. This is followed by the second movement from the string quartet in F major by Ravel, an evergreen of the quartet repertoire, to which Willeitner and pianist Joel Lyssarides add a post-impressionistic sound world in ‘Ravel Reloaded’. Bartók's String Quartet No. 4 is the centrepiece of the album: its movements are not only interpreted classically, but also expanded in collaboration with Austrian percussionist Bernhard Schimpelsberger to include a ‘percussive dimension’ that opens up new dimensions for the listener. The musicians describe the experience of playing this work in 13 concerts on their 2023 tour of Australia as a “living in a compositional dream”; living and breathing a work until it became a part of them.In addition to working with Schimpelsberger, the vision players have had many exciting and inspiring encounters and collaborations with other musicians on their numerous concert tours around the world. For ‘In the Fields’, they composed and recorded pieces together with Iranian guitarist Mahan Mirarab and Swedish pianist Joel Lyssarides. These original compositions and arrangements provide the chance to hear further surprises. ‘Lydian Rose’ celebrates the colourfulness of the Lydian mode, “Raindance” allows plucked melodies to dance in the rain, and ‘Convalescence’ by Mahan Mirarab, written during the pandemic, is a wild ride between poetic gentleness and unremitting drive. The final ‘Skymning’ by Lyssarides is a gently flowing folk song that lingers in the ear. The vision string quartet remain true to their approach of performing as a band, playing the classical repertoire from memory and standing up – a trademark “that means maximum freedom and liveliness for us,” Willeitner explains. The group’s concert formats are equally innovative: dark concerts, cross-genre projects and collaborations with artists such as Fatma Said, Gabriel Kahane and Golnar Shahyar - all are demonstrations of the quartet's versatility.  It is definitely worth coming out of shuffle mode, and listening to this album straight through from start to finish in its intended order. That allows a true appreciation of the thoughtful interplay and contrast between the quartet movements by Bartók, Ravel and Dvořák and the quartet's own compositions. Heard like this, the dramaturgy and the utterly convincing shape of the album can unfold as intended, in all their depth. Together with their extraordinary guests, the four musicians on ‘In the Fields’ have demonstrated with complete conviction what the string quartet in the 21st century can be: packed with life, driven by curiosity, a place where the possibilities are limitless. CreditsRecorded between 7–12 October 2024 and 29–30 October 2024 at Studio 1,BR Franken, NürnbergProduced by vision string quartetExecutive producer for BR: Beate SampsonRecording producer, engineer, editing, mixing: Christian JaegerRecording and editing technician: Tatjana SchewtschenkoPiano tuner: Theo KretzschmarMastered by Christoph Stickel, Vienna Cover photo by Sander Stuart

Limited test pressings of the album by Vision String Quartet.Album: in the fieldsRelease: 30.01.2026A rare collector's item: A test pressing is the very first sample disc of an album and is used for quality control before the final pressing. It does not always match the sound of the later release exactly, which makes each copy a distinctive collectible with its own history. Every test pressing is a limited edition: ideal for collectors and for anyone who appreciates jazz vinyl, rarities and exclusive editions. Your ACT test pressing package includes:  1 Bio-Vinyl test pressing in its original white sleeve. A beautifully designed card, featuring hand-written key details about the release such as artist names, album title, production year, number of test pressings. Album booklet in PDF format. This sheet provides an in-depth look at the album and includes: The cover artwork, a thoughtfully written text about the album, tracklist, full credits for production and performance,  instrumentation details. Test Pressing Authentication Certificate. This certificate confirms the authenticity of this test pressing, which was produced as part of the quality control process before the final vinyl pressing. Test pressings are made in limited quantities to ensure the highest audio fidelity and manufacturing standards. Each test pressing is carefully inspected and approved by our team before production proceeds. This document serves as verification of its authenticity and uniqueness. For official validation, this certificate bears the company stamp.Please note: A test pressing is a preliminary version of the vinyl record used to evaluate the quality of the pressing before full production. The audio quality may not be identical to the final version and may include some imperfections inherent to the test process. It holds historical significance as part of the production process.