Now this is a nice set of the Brahms String Quartets / Piano Quintet, notice that the booklet is a single disc of only the first two String Quartets, but the back insert is for a Decca Double re-issue, i used this booklet instead because it's so much nicer than the other, Brahms's String Quartets are very underrated as far as i'm concerned, yes they are 'stodgy' to some degree, it takes time to delve into them, the first movements are generally excellent, but... though i would very much like to talk about one of his wonderful String Quartets, it's actually the Piano Quintet that really moved me this time, what a work of genius it is, i played this work / disc a couple of years ago, a wonderful performance [22nd August 2010].
The Takacs String Quartet are a Hungarian Quartet, formed in 1975, they are still going strong today, though with two newer faces, they recorded this work in 1988, the front booklet photo is great, showing the Quartet on the balcony of an Opera house i take it, the column nicely separating the players, the shot looking up into the faces is a good idea, nicely shows the architecture of the place, and he box with the lettering is well done, all those browns and golds are nicely offset by the blue of the back insert.
The opening movement is wonderful, very memorable, couched in Brahms's troubled and sad / angry minor key [F Minor], full of all sorts of expressive ideas, however it was the third movement Scherzo i liked the best, an agitated but strongly noble movement, almost military in its theme / execution, a slow build up explodes into the main theme of the movement [0:21+], i like the way Brahms uses agitation by both the piano and the strings separately, both slowly building up the music [1:05-1:45], before another explosion of the main theme, also i love the way the piano cranks up the franticness [2:32-2:49], there's a more lyrical and sweeter central section [3:05-4:22], which breaks the headlong surge of the first part, the opening returns as a sort of exposition repeat of the beginning [4:23+], a nice whirlwind of a movement.
Here's the third movement being played on YouTube.
Here's the third movement being played on YouTube.
