Introduction
Classic prog rock masterpieces reborn in a new light in this time of crisis.
[Track List]
1. Red (King Crimson)
2. Atom Heart Mother (Pink Floyd)
3. Peace~Fallen Angel including Epitaph (King Crimson)
4. The Cinema Show~Aisle of Plenty (Genesis)
5. Trilogy (Emerson Lake & Palmer)
6. Close to the Edge (Yes)
i) The Solid Time of Change
ii) Total Mass Retain
iii) Rise and Fall I GET UP I GET DOWN
iv) Seasons of Man
7. The Land of Rising Sun (Keith Emerson)
*Original artist name in parentheses
Arrangement: Eiji Arai
Recorded: September 30, 2013, January 27, and February 7, 2014, Crescent Studios
Two years have passed since the shock of the critically acclaimed progressive rock album "The Mentally Normal in the 21st Century." Keith Emerson himself asked Eiji Arai (first violin) to arrange a string quartet version of a short piano piece written by the composer in response to the Great East Japan Earthquake. Arai says he unwittingly linked the "Fukushima Crisis"—an unprecedented man-made disaster resulting from the earthquake—with "Atom Heart Mother," and saw "Red" and "Crisis" on the same line, determining the direction of this album. Arai's brilliant arrangement and Morgaua's powerful performance surpass the previous work in concentration and intensity. "Music should not be an escape from reality. On the contrary, it teaches us to confront it." (Eiji Arai)
MORGAUA QUARTET
Eiji Arai (First Violin, Solo Concertmaster of the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra)
Tetsuo Tozawa (Second Violin, Concertmaster of the Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra)
Fuji Ono (Viola, Junior Cellist of the NHK Symphony Orchestra)
Ryoichi Fujimori (Cello, Principal Cellist of the NHK Symphony Orchestra)
MORGAUA QUARTET was formed in the fall of 1992 to perform Shostakovich's 15 string quartets. The following year, in June 1993, the quartet held its first regular concert. In January 1998, it received the 10th Muramatsu Award. At its 14th regular concert in January 2001, it completed a complete performance of all 15 of Shostakovich's string quartets.
In April of the same year, the second violin position was replaced by Tetsuo Tozawa from Takashi Aoki. At its 19th regular concert in June 2003, it completed a complete performance of Beethoven's late string quartets.
Starting in November 2001, the quartet performed the Morgau Quartet Shostakovich Series five times in collaboration with the Triton Arts Network, completing the second performance in December 2003. In April 2005, they released Borodin: String Quartets from Meister Music. In June 2006, they performed all six of Bartók's string quartets at their 25th regular concert.
In September 2006, they co-hosted a concert of all 15 string quartets in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Shostakovich's birth with Triton Arts Network, garnering acclaim for performing all 15 pieces in just three days.
In November 2008, they were invited as soloists to perform Martinů's Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra at the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra's 761st Suntory Regular Series, where they were recognized for the high quality of their string quartet. In January 2009, they completed a rendition of Beethoven's mid-period string quartets at their 30th regular concert. In May 2011, they received the 2010 Arion Prize.
In June 2012, they celebrated their 20th anniversary with the "20th Anniversary Morgaua Quartet GALA," a gala concert held in Fukushima, Tokyo, and Osaka. With the release of their progressive rock album, "21st Century Mentally Normal Persons," all arranged by Eiji Arai, released by Nippon Columbia, the quartet has earned high praise as a borderless string quartet. The Morgaua Quartet's innovative programs and performances that delve into the heart of the music consistently garner attention and enthusiasm.
"Morgau" originates from the Esperanto word morgaŭa, meaning "tomorrow."
Media Reviews and More
This is the second album of progressive rock covers by the Morgau Quartet, a string quartet formed in the fall of 1992 to perform Shostakovich's 15 string quartets. This album, once again, features soulful arrangements by violinist Yoji Arai, a true prog rock enthusiast, and is a passionate and passionate work that stands out from the average classical arrangement. (C)RS
