After almost a year of spending a lot of time shut away in our homes, there is a heightened appreciation of the natural beauties that surround us. And with the Saint John String Quartet’s latest release, they are putting Canadian beauty and legacy together in a wondrous display. The video features their arrangement of Stan Rogers’ “Northwest Passage” from last year’s album Canadian Hits: Unplugged, and also features some of the heart-stirring landscapes of New Brunswick.
The video, directed by Lauchlan Ough, sees the members of the quartet placed stoically at beautiful and expansive locales such as the Minister’s Face Nature Reserve and along the Bay of Fundy. Familiar natural areas are given the height of regality and honour they deserve. Each member of the quartet is also seen alone in aesthetically varying spots–a simple but elegant tool that highlights the voices of each instrument, gives a feeling of exploration and movement, and hones in on the intimacy of both the arrangement and the glorious snapshots of nature. Stood somberly in their formal attire, the dichotomy of SJSQ’s presentation in these environments does all the more to draw the viewer in.
Stan Rogers’ “Northwest Passage” is also given great care in a powerful new context. Verging on cinematic dynamics, the SJSQ evoke the swells of the original song’s choruses just as beautifully, but the chamber spin on the track makes the story hit differently. Sonically, the arrangement is perhaps more stylistically in line with the times that are detailed in the song, conjuring images of the historical tale even without the words. It sits wonderfully between folksy heart and classical beauty, and without a doubt does justice to the passion of the original.
The Saint John String Quartet has proven their mettle time and again, and this video and song are proof of their value to Canadian music. The visual journey is breathtaking, the arrangement is glorious, and the thought behind both is eloquent. They are not only highlighting and bringing new life into classic cultural staples, they are also paying tribute to the beauty of New Brunswick and beyond.