BRESNICK: STRING QUARTET NO. 2, “BUCEPHALUS.” “WIR...

BRESNICK: STRING QUARTET NO. 2, “BUCEPHALUS.” “WIR WEBEN, WIR WEBEN.” Alexander String Quartet; Musical Elements conducted by Daniel Asia. CRI-536. In both these works, Bresnick explores a conservative language with imagination, urgency and a touch of tart lyricism. The 1984 quartet comes equipped with Alexandrine titles for its five movements, and deploys a fantasia-like format and extensive chordal writing in an apparent homage to classical culture. “Wir Weben, Wir Weben” (1978) borrows its title from a Heine poem and its reiterative methods and obsessed sustained tones from the minimalists; in this sextet version, however, Bresnick breaks through that limitation to offer his own individualized chromatic minidrama. The performances are uniform fiery; CRI’s sound is satisfactory.