Raschèr Saxophone Quartet
The ensemble carries on a tradition established in the 1930’s by the pioneer of the classical saxophone and founding member of the quartet Sigurd Raschèr, who animated many composers to write music especially for him. In a similar fashion, the quartet has inspired over 300 composers to dedicate music to them, including, Berio, Bergman, Bialas, Dean, Denhoff, Donatoni, Firsowa, Franke, Glass, Gubaidulina, Halffter, Haubenstock-Ramati, Kagel, Kaipainen, Kancheli, Keuris, de Leeuw, Maros, Moe, Nilsson, Nordgren, Nørgard, Rosenblum, Raskatov, Sandström, Stucky, Terzakis, Tüür, Urbanner, Wuorinen, Xenakis, Chen Yi and Zechlin.
All of these composers have shared an enthusiasm for the four musicians’ unique homogeneous tone quality, virtuosity and dynamic interpretation of new and old music.
Regarding their interpretation of Bach, the well-known German musicologist Ulrich Dibelius wrote, “When the Raschèr Quartet plays Bach, the music takes on a seraphic aura—as if the organ and the string quartet had come together.”