Marjolein Coenrady, PENTATONE’s Graphic Designer shares her thoughts on Hearth:
“Don’t we all crave a little extra warmth at this time of year? That’s why I’m delighted to recommend Hearth, a wonderful feel-good holiday album by the Miró Quartet. It’s an inviting and inclusive release that captures the spirit of gathering around the fire during these cold days. As a designer at PENTATONE, I set out to create a cover that embodies exactly that feeling.
I designed the artwork for Hearth by illustrating a solitary house nestled in a quiet winter landscape, surrounded by soft, snowy hills. I added an easter egg to this design: when you look closely, you can spot the members of the quartet gathered inside the warm glow of the house. I first created a daylight version of the scene, but it wasn’t until I made a night variation (with the moon hanging above the hills) that my colleagues said: “This is exactly what I imagine when I think of the album Hearth!”
The night version of the illustration was ultimately chosen as the album cover, while the daylight version appears inside the package when you open the album. For this release, the quartet invited contemporary U.S. composers to (re)write festive tunes specially for string quartet. I can’t wait to have this recording on repeat throughout the holidays. Enjoy!”
Hearth is out now.
