Saffire | The Australian Guitar Quartet

Photography: © Monty Coles

Saffire | The Australian Guitar Quartet spread its exciting cultural transformation of guitar music with Renaissance, the third release from this ARIA Award-winning group.

≺Hear free samples of Renaissance.≻

Renaissance may be based on music of the 14th to 16th centuries, but in the talented hands of Saffire's young classical guitarists--Gareth Koch, Karin Schaupp, Slava Grigoryan and Leonard Grigoryan--the music becomes inspiration for their own compositions, arrangements and performance skills. Together, they achieved a 'rebirth' of that early music in a contemporary context--in essence, a musical 'renaissance'!

While some of the new recording's Renaissance period pieces were composed for lute, for example, John Dowland's Fantasia and the perennially popular folk tune Greensleeves, Saffire performs on a variety of instruments from the guitar family, including baritone guitar, dobro, steel-string, classical, nylon and octave guitar. Saffire's newest member, Leonard Grigoryan, has also composed two guitar pieces, Faith and Hope, using the 15th century works of German lutenist Hans Judenkünig as his thematic base.

In keeping with Saffire's commitment to the performance and development of new music, the ensemble's new recording also features three Renaissance-themed pieces by contemporary Australian composer Phillip Houghton.

Saffire is Australia's highest selling classical group, and Renaissance is bound to consolidate their reputation for innovation, originality and strong artistic direction. It will build on the success of the quartet's 2003 self-titled debut CD, which reached number one on the classical music charts within days of release and won an ARIA Award for Best Classical Album, and also their second popular and critically acclaimed recording, Nostalgica.

Saffire has always delighted audiences with their unique live performances--informal showcases of musical joy, spontaneity, passion and group virtuosity.

Let Saffire | The Australian Guitar Quartet lead you on a musical journey through time with their guitar Renaissance--available through ABC Classics.

Buy Renaissance online.

... "mind-boggling accuracy" ... "group virtuosity"

The Sydney Morning Herald.

"Perhaps most importantly, the enjoyment these four derive from one another's company imbued the music with vitality as well as virtuosity; passion as well as precision."

The Age, Melbourne.

"With its cutting edge approach and almost superhuman performance precision, Saffire is a jewel in the crown of Australian contemporary music"

The West Australia.