CD version. This release for Elliott Carter’s 95th birthday collects composer-supervised recordings made in 24-bit, 96kHz sound. It pairs two quintets with major works for voices and ensemble, and adds two recent miniatures, performed by artists with long associations with Carter’s music.

The Quintet for Piano and Strings is played by its dedicatees, pianist Ursula Oppens and the Arditti Quartet, following their premiere tour. Fragment II was written as a gift for the Arditti Quartet on their Siemens Prize. Liner notes are by Paul Griffiths. The CD is audio only; the DVD adds Frank Scheffer’s film of the Piano Quintet and a 40-minute video conversation with Carter, Arditti and Oppens.

Fragment II (1999) for string quartet (4:31), first recording
Quintet for Piano and Strings (1997) (14:56), first recording
Syringa (1978) for soprano, baritone and ensemble (19:11)
Tempo e Tempi (1998) for soprano, oboe, clarinet, violin and cello (16:06)
Quintet for Piano and Winds (1991) (22:08)
Retrouvailles (2000) for piano solo (1:51)

Ursula Oppens, piano
The Arditti Quartet
Lucy Shelton, soprano
Andre Solomon-Glover, baritone
Ensemble Sospeso, Jeffrey Milarsky and Stefan Asbury conductors
Steve Taylor, Charles Niedich, William Purvis and Frank Morelli (Quintet for Piano and Winds)