Brahms - String Quartet 1 [Melos String Quartet]
This is a lovely triple box set of the Brahms and Schumann String Quartets, though i certainly don't think that the Schumann Quartets are the equal of the Brahms, and only in that sense do i feel this is a bit of a mismatch, it would have been better to issue the Brahms on two discs with the Piano Quintet instead, however i must also admit that i'm warming to the Schumann works, Brahms's First is a revelation, fantastic stuff, and yet he agonized over it for a decade, constantly unsatisfied with it, the shadow of Beethoven hung over him, roughly twenty String Quartets went into the fire from the self critical Brahms, this performance appeared early on in my Blog [13th March 2010].
The Melos String Quartet are from Germany, they were together for forty years [1965-2005], and ended when their first Violinist died, they recorded these discs in 1986 and 1987, the front cover is excellent [by Susesch Bayat], the Quartet with their instruments in cases, standing in the archway of some ornate doors, the lettering nicely placed, and for once the large yellow logo dispensed with and given a minor role.
Ever since i really got into this String Quartet, it's always been the first movement that's really affected me each time, so surprise here that it's the second movement that i felt the most affinity towards, marked Romanze, Poco Adagio, it's the only movement in the Major [A Flat Major], there's a real sweetness to it, i can't help feeling that the opening tune would be something Haydn would write, the delicious melody played by i believe the cello [0:04-0:25], is then repeated to great effect [0:29-0:50], all the strings play different threads, but it sounds so good together, although it's in a major key, there's a wistful melancholy there too, the second subject is more darker [1:42+], but still with an underlying sweetness, it's lovely to hear the cello come back in with the opening motif [3:37+], the movement is over too soon, maybe Brahms should have had some sort of trio section in the middle, i'm glad i experienced this today, it's beautiful.
Here's the New Orford String Quartets playing the second movement on YouTube.
The Melos String Quartet are from Germany, they were together for forty years [1965-2005], and ended when their first Violinist died, they recorded these discs in 1986 and 1987, the front cover is excellent [by Susesch Bayat], the Quartet with their instruments in cases, standing in the archway of some ornate doors, the lettering nicely placed, and for once the large yellow logo dispensed with and given a minor role.
Ever since i really got into this String Quartet, it's always been the first movement that's really affected me each time, so surprise here that it's the second movement that i felt the most affinity towards, marked Romanze, Poco Adagio, it's the only movement in the Major [A Flat Major], there's a real sweetness to it, i can't help feeling that the opening tune would be something Haydn would write, the delicious melody played by i believe the cello [0:04-0:25], is then repeated to great effect [0:29-0:50], all the strings play different threads, but it sounds so good together, although it's in a major key, there's a wistful melancholy there too, the second subject is more darker [1:42+], but still with an underlying sweetness, it's lovely to hear the cello come back in with the opening motif [3:37+], the movement is over too soon, maybe Brahms should have had some sort of trio section in the middle, i'm glad i experienced this today, it's beautiful.
Here's the New Orford String Quartets playing the second movement on YouTube.
