Ragazze Quartet plays both classical and modern string quartet repertoire: inspired and on the highest level. With attractive but unconventional programmes the quartet has come to be one of the most fresh and leading voices in the world of classical music.
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But Not My Soul
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About this programme
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THU 15 FEB, 9:00 pm
TivoliVredenburg / Utrecht / NL
SAT 06 APR, 8:15pm
De Vereeniging / Nijmegen / NL
SUN 14 APR, 12:00am
Kasteel Geldrop / Geldrop / NL
FRI 19 APR, 8:00pm
Goede Rede / Almere / NL
SUN 21 APR, 11:30am
Amphion / Doetinchem / NL
FRI 10 MAY, 8:15pm
Doopsgezinde Kerk / Leeuwarden / NL
SAT 18 MAY, 8:00pm
Hoogtij Festival / Groede / NL
SUN 14 JUL, 3:00pm
Walden Festival / Brussels / BE
THU 03 OCT, 8:15pm
Festival 20۰21 / Leuven / BE
FRI 04 OCT, 8:15pm
De Nieuwe Kerk / Den Haag / NL
SAT 05 OCT, 8:00pm
Krimpen aan de IJssel / IJsseldijkkerk / NL
TUE 08 OCT, 8:15pm
De Doelen / Rotterdam / NL
SAT 12 OCT
Common Ground Festival / Zwolle / NL
SUN 16 MAR, 3:30pm
Grote Kerk / Blokzijl / NL
SUN 30 MAR, 12:00am
De Schalm / Assen / NL
New album with Florence Price: mix of European romanticism, 'Southern' roots, the emerging blues and African-American spirituals

In ‘But Not My Soul’, Ragazze Quartet stands up for Florence Price, an American composer from the first half of the 20th century. She was the first African-American woman to be recognized for her symphonies and the first to have her compositions played by a renowned orchestra. Yet her music was forgotten for years. Unjustified, we think! Her work is a pleasant mix of European romanticism, her ‘Southern’ roots, the emerging blues and African-American spirituals. Thankfully, her name has become more and more known in recent years (there is even a street in Amsterdam named after her!) and we want to contribute to her fame.

 

We combine the music of Florence Price with the always beautiful ‘American quartet’ by Antonín Dvořák, a great inspiration to Price, and with a new work by singer-songwriter Rhiannon Giddens. She wrote a song in response to an advertisement she saw from the time of slavery, in which a young woman was offered for sale with her nine-month-old baby ‘at the purchaser’s option’. This song was arranged for the Kronos Quartet for their 50 For the Future project. The title of this programme is derived from one of the lines from this song: ‘You can take my body, but not my soul.’

 

The album ‘But Not My Soul’ by the Ragazze Quartet has been released by Outhere/Channel Classics on 8 March (International Women’s Day) 2024 and will be accompanied by a concert tour in The Netherlands. Check out our YouTube channel for several videos of this album.

 

Artwork: Joana Choumali

Repertoire
Florence Price
String Quartet No. 2
Antonín Dvořák
String Quartet in F major, opus 96 ‘American’
Rhiannon Giddens
At the purchaser’s option (arr. for string quartet by Jacob Garchik)
Musicians
Rosa Arnold
violin
Jeanita Vriens
violin
Annemijn Bergkotte
viola
Anastasia Feruleva or Nathalie Flintrop
cello
'Extraordinary quartet by Florence Price is played with great dedication.' ●●●●
Trouw
'Excellent performances from this challenging and always engaging ensemble.'
BBC 3
‘They translate their intention most strongly in the swinging 'Juba. Allegro', an Afro-American dance that did inspire Price many times, and in the 'Molto vivace' from Dvořák's 'American' string quartet. Despite much suffering, they remain upbeat, positive and lively.’ ●●●●
De Standaard
‘Performed with great taste and feeling.’
Diskotabel
‘Nothing but good words about the Ragazze: a great ensemble we should really be proud of, technically and stylistically optimally equipped for even the most difficult pieces [...]. The recording made by Jared Sacks in the church in Renswoude is gorgeous: christal clear, but at the same time warm and sonorous.’
Opus Klassiek
'Featuring superb, electric performances captured in terrific close detail, this album is an important step in our continued rediscovery of Florence Price’s music. Price’s Quartet … is brilliantly showcased by the Ragazze Quartet, who nurture its every detail, and relish its rhythmic and harmonic colors.'
Apple Music
'Ragazze Quartet plays Price's work with conviction and enormous urgency, rating 9.'
Luister Magazine