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.

Beethoven - String Quartet 15 [Quartetto Italiano]

Surprisingly, this is the very first time i have listened to this set, the Quartetto Italiano have been around for yonks, and i've enjoyed their set of Beethoven's Middle Quartets for nearly a decade, but i must admit i'm a latecomer to the Late Quartets of Beethoven, they really just don't jive with me, am i missing something here?, they sound like a step back from the Middle Quartets, not a step forward, and Beethoven seems to split the regular four movement model up into a fragmented 'suite' of movements at times, what's he up to?, but listening to this set over the last few days, i have a new appreciation for these late works, i'm beginning to understand, i think?.

The Quartetto Italiano were formed in 1955, and disbanded in 1980, their legacy has been immense, and they've influenced a whole host of other String Quartets, the booklet shows the Quartet in some ancient Church possibly [by Arje Plas], almost monotone, except for the browns of their instruments, and the red of the logo / lettering, it's a set that's increasingly becoming expensive to obtain in this original four disc incarnation.

It was the String Quartet 15 that i warmed to the most, though not without a feeling that some of the movements seem to be poor alongside others, the opening movement i felt was weak, a mixed bag really, but the glorious centre of the Quartet is the middle movement, at nearly 20 minutes here, it's huge, and if you sort of add the last two movements together, well there's your four movement model i guess!.

Here's my feelings on this central 'Canzona Di Ringraziamento' / 'Sentendo Nuova Forza' = 'Song Of Thanksgiving' / 'Feeling New Strength', it's a beautiful and solemn song, almost like a plainchant, but with strings instead of voices, very well sustained by the Italiano's, rising almost out of nothing to begin with, when the first 'Sentendo Nuova Forza' comes in [4:11+], it's such a powerful statement of sweetness and joy!, it's a movement that could so easily have stood on its own, it alternates between long passages of the 'Canzona' and the 'Forza', in the second 'Sentendo Nuova Forza' [10:17+], it takes things into a higher realm of joy, the music swells more than usual, and the third 'Canzona' gets more passionate towards its end, i feel i'm always left hanging waiting for a third beautiful 'Forza' to come in and create the perfect closure, but it never appears, there's some truly 'spiritual' music in there, the following short movement almost seems like a silly blasphemy by its side, the sacred and the profane, still don't understand how Beethoven put them in the same Quartet!, but that's the prerogative of the master for you!.

Here's the Escher String Quartet playing the third movement on YouTube.

Ravel - String Quartet [Carmina String Quartet]

It's great to revisit this disc again, the last time i played it was in 2013, i delved into the Carmina Quartet when they won an award for their Szymanowski String Quartets, and that disc is superb, so it's good to find this is up to standard also, it's got a lovely front booklet cover, i well shot photo, with a blue theme, this disc appeared in my Blog early in its incarnation [27th January 2010].

The Carmina String Quartet are still going strong, now clocking up their 30 year anniversary, they are from Switzerland, they recorded this disc in 1992 on the Denon label.

So the best thing about this performance was the second movement assez vif, tres rythme = fairly lively, very rhythmic, and it's certainly the rhythmic bit which is very fitting, lots of pizzicato involved, love the way Ravel starts this movement, with a pizzicato quartet [0:00-0:15], very satisfying indeed, but even when the bowing comes in, there's always some instrument still playing pizzicato, and Ravel uses the power of each instrument to give different string effects, a treble twang from the violins, and a deep bass from the cello, there's a serene middle section of mainly bowing [1:51-4:48], and even within this middle section there's a couple of more sour and searching little episodes [3:28-3:45 & 4:08-4:26], i just love the lead back to the opening [4:46-5:10], it's such a tease!, and even within this passage, there's a great little rhythmic run by i believe the viola [4:56+], and the movement ends on a staggered last loud pizzicato!

Here's the Hagen String Quartet playing the second movement on YouTube.

Beethoven - String Quartet 7 'Razumovsky' [Melos String Quartet]

Surprisingly i haven't played these discs much, they're still newish in my collection, but others i've played to death, especially the Lindsay String Quartet, and to a lesser degree the Vermeer String Quartet, i really recommend both, but the Melos have their way as well, i really enjoy their Ravel / Debussy Quartets, and these discs are growing on me.

The Melos String Quartet, where active for 40 years [1965-2005], a German String Quartet, one of the things i notice about the Melos Quartet, is that they don't hang around much, especially in slow movements, and this can be quite a drawback, Beethoven has some of the loveliest, even 'spiritual' slow movements that you could wish for, but you need to give them time to cast their spells, something missing here, especially the slow movement of Quartet 8, which if played right [thinking of the Vermeers here] can transport you to another world.

So i really loved the first three movements, my favourite movement is the first, but on this listen i found the second really interesting, the 'sempre scherzando' means 'always playful', it helps to give a feel as to what Beethoven is trying to say, it sounds a serious statement, here's a sort of breakdown of its highlights,
It alternates between legato lyrical and staccato rhythmic, i can hear the playfulness in there, but definitely not 'always', there's these outbursts at the end of sections which are loud and forceful, at times it can work up into a heady menace [3:27-3:45], the powerful motor rhythms are quite spectacular [5:46-5:57], and it always alternates between sweet and sour, it's a real tour de force of a movement, it's ending is quite ingenious, and quite startling, almost out of nowhere the end appears, a bit of a false pizzicato ending [8:19], and then a final outburst [8:23-8:30].

Here's the Belcea String Quartet playing the second movement on YouTube.

Schubert - String Quartet 14 'Death And The Maiden' [Tokyo String Quartet]

Ah this disc is getting played a lot in my Blog, this is its fourth outing [5th January 2010 / 4th July 2011 / 10th July 2012], not entirely sure which is my favourite interpretation, probably the Lindsay String Quartet comes close, and the Tokyo Quartet seem sweeter than others, i'm really impressed with their Beethoven Op18 set, it's also good to have an early String Quartet on this disc as a companion.

The Tokyo String Quartet of course originate from Japan, they decided to retire the Quartet, and are now officially inactive, it's been 44 years as a unit, and we have so many documents of recordings from them, they will live on in our disc players.

Every time i play this disc, it always seems to come back to the 'nerve center' of this work, the second movement theme and variations which i always love, one of Schubert's greatest inventions ever, five variations that couldn't be more diametrically opposite, here's a 
Theme [0:00-2:14] - A slow and solemn / sad dirge of a theme, at first very sparse and quiet, but you can hear the underlining theme of death lurking beneath, a straightforward transcription of the Schubert song of the same name.
Variation One [2:16-4:14] - A more complex an interesting variation, different strings give different voices, seemingly sweet, and yet there's a sourness there, the first violin dominates this variation, the others are either a gently chugging rhythm, or a gentle pizzicato.
Variation Two [4:16-6:31] - Now the Cello becomes the soloist, while the others swirl this background vortex, each variation seems to get more darker and despondent, and yet the whole thing is still beautiful.
Variation Three [6:32-8:22] - Now we hit the real anger of the piece, a whooping and wailing from the strings, this is my favourite variation, the second repeat of the variation finds a real greater intensity.
Variation Four [8:23-11:05] - And now for a real innocent sweetness, almost a parody considering the subject matter is death!.
Variation Five [11:05-12:52] - The underlying feeling of anxiety comes back, and turns into a louder outburst and complaint, but then returns to its quiet acceptance.
Coda / Finale [12:52-14:06] - The coda / finale slows things down to a simple pleading, and the peaceful dying in deaths arms.

Here's the Takacs String Quartet playing the second movement on YouTube.

Dvorak - String Quartet 12 'American' [Takacs String Quartet] 

One of my favourite String Quartets, and this is a nice Dvorak collection of works, giving us the String Quartet 14 as well, and of course the Takacs are a fine group, and this Quartet is almost the Chamber Music twin of Dvorak's Ninth Symphony, the aching melodies are similar, and some of the 'American film music' ideas also abound, Dvorak seemed to have got better and better the longer he lived, and his greatest works came towards the end of his life, his United States residency proved particularly fruitful, and he integrated indigenous musical ideas into his compositions.

The Takacs String Quartet are from Hungary, formed in the mid seventies, they are still going strong today, nearly 40 years old, though two of the original members are no longer with the group, they recorded this disc in 1989, the front cover picture is a fantastic one [by David Gamble], showing the Quartet in a Town Hall, lovely ornate marble pillars and railings, all couched in chocolate and cream, nicely posed and lit, and shot from a creative low angle, and given nice browns for the background colour scheme, i like the visuals a lot on this issue.

The first two movements were very rewarding, full of invention and longing, and it was the gorgeous slow second movement that i was transfixed by, it's almost a hymn in its spirituality, 

Here's the second movement Lento played by the Fry Street Quartet on YouTube.

Debussy - String Quartet [Melos String Quartett] 

This is a lovely disc, coupling together the usual Ravel and Debussy pairings, usually it's the Ravel Quartet i always find superior, but this time listening, i feel i'm developing a new appreciation for the Debussy Quartet, the two Quartets are similar in so many ways, and of course the Ravel was based on the Debussy, both have a dynamic pizzicato second movement, it was good to get to know this Quartet better today. 

The Melos String Quartett is a German Quartet that was active for 40 years, from 1965-2005, they recorded this disc in 1979, the booklet front cover is a great one [picture by Annette Lederer], a colourful picture of the Quartet, large umbrellas in hand, very long grass in the background, and carrying their instruments in cases.

Well i just love all of the pizzicato playing, the second movement really is a true scherzo, brief and playful, here it lasts less than 4 minutes, a combination of pizzicato and bowing, and i just love that high treble plink plink [0:09+], and i just love the twang at [0:10], the way it resonates and dies, also in the first minute i can hear Grieg's 'In The Hall Of The Mountain King', after the pizzicato opening, the music  gravitates more towards bowing [0:58+], there's this lyrical yet sour song from the first violin [2:16-2:34], and right afterwards some lightning bowing from the whole Quartet in turn [2:34-2:43], ending on the cello, nice sonorities here, the pizzicato returns but it's different, i like the ending, a fairly lazy version of the opening tune [3:26-3:50], the whole thing kicks nicely, perfectly placed second in the whole scheme of the Quartet. 

Here's the Cuerteto Casals playing the second movement Assez Vif Et Bien Rythme on YouTube.

Szymanowski - String Quartet 2 [Carmina String Quartet] 

Now this is a truly unique String Quartet, and like a lot of Szymanowski music, it's so inventive and original, especially the opening at the start, you just know you're onto something special when it starts, these are also fairly short Quartets, each lasts just 17 or 18 minutes long, always cast in three movements, the only grumble is that the whole disc only lasts 45 minutes, but it's more than made up for in quality, i'm so glad i'm slowly delving into more of Szymanowski, i wrote about this in my Blog nearly 2 years ago [24th October 2010].

The Carmina String Quartet started up in Switzerland in the early Eighties, i get the idea they're Swiss, so  i'm not sure, they are still together and coming up to their 30th anniversary, they recorded this disc in 1991, the front cover shows the Quartet in full sunshine [photo by Jakob Thur], though not truly inspiring, it's quite well laid out.

Like i said, the first movement is just so inspired, it has you on the edge of your seat with excitement, the very opening is one of those 'wow!, what is this?' moments, an opening where the second violin and the viola play a quiet pulsating rhythm, over which the first violin plays an unearthly and eerie siren song, .

Here's the Belcea String Quartet playing the first movement on YouTube.

Schubert - String Quartet 14 'Death And The Maiden' [Brandis String Quartett] 

Another version of Schubert's 'Death And The Maiden', i was only bemoaning a week ago that it seems i don't play this all that often, this box set contains 3 discs, with String Quartets 12-15, and the String Quintet, as i remember i bought this in HMV Oxford Circus for £5 brans new, a real bargain, it's great to have Schubert's late Quartets all in one package, and String Quartet 14 is still the pick of the bunch, i love it's darkness, and funereal vibes, i played this the same time last year [5th July 2011].

The Brandis String Quartett was founded in 1976, i don't know much more about them, they recorded this work in 1984, the front cover is clever [photo by David Tack], a shot indoors, the sun streaming through the windows, very much side lit, almost as if their faces are halved in black and white, the silver box for the lettering is great, the whole thing is lovely and symmetrical.

And yet again it just has to be the second movement Theme and Variations that i enjoyed the most, it starts with a solemn
Theme [0:00-2:25], like a funeral march, it sweetens slightly in the middle, but also intensifies in an anger,
Variation 1 [2:26-4:18] is all about the First Violin, a quickening of the pace, the cello pizzacatos throughout, while the other two strings make a soft staccato vibe as background to melody on,
Variation 2 [4:19-6:15], now the cello takes up the melody, and the violins take the place as the staccato background vibe, all the while there's this sadness,
Variation 3 [6:16-8:11] is my favourite, though the Brandis Quartett don't play it so hard driven as say the Lindsay Quartet, i'm used to this sounding full of hate and anger, it comes in sort of waves, loud at first, and then quieter with more melody, and then some more loud bowing, it rocks back and forth, an exciting an intense experience,
Variation 4 [8:12-10:18] is more lyrical and sweeter, less serious, and a nice oasis of 'happiness' before the sorrow returns,
Variation 5 [10:18-] starts off quiet, and grows in power, this Variation has the most chops and changes to it, mainly as it employs a sort of coda / finale to end things,
the whole movement starts in G Minor, but ends in a more positive G Major, very telling how Schubert views Death, and all his many transformations / variations, for as the Schubert song says of Death, 'Softly in mine arms you shall sleep!'. 

Here's the Gewandhaus Quartet playing the second movement on YouTube.

Schubert - String Quartet 14 'Death And The Maiden' [Tokyo String Quartet] 

Seems like i play this work almost every month, however my Blog says different, i haven't listened to this in a while, it's a great favourite of mine, 'D for Death' [written in D Minor], it's a dark and troublesome work, composed at a time in Schubert's life when he knew that he was dying, it's quite possibly autobiographical, Schubert uses the song of the title, and maybe he hoped to obtain some solace 'in the arms of Death', very unlike Mozart's 'sweet' Quartets, it's bleak in comparison, and yet it's a work of unremitting genius, and i find much comfort within its pages, this disc has appeared in my Blog twice [4th July 2011 & 5th January 2010].

The Tokyo String Quartet have finally decided to call it a day, and they will finish in 2013, this brings to an end an illustrious career that has spanned over four decades, and most importantly has spawned countless recordings, and it's this recorded legacy where new audiences can enjoy the past triumphs of the Quartet, they recorded this disc in 1989, the front cover [photo by Christian Steiner] shows the Quartet with their instruments, lovely colours of black and orange, and the lettering is well laid out.

The first two movements were thrilling, and again i have to say that the second movement variations are the spiritual centre of the work, it's a theme with 5 variations, the theme is played solemnly like a funeral march [very apt], and the second part of the theme is played more intensely [as is all the variations], the theme is played simply without any embellishments [0:00-2:14], the first variation tune is played by the First Violin, with the rest of the Quartet creating a background thrum [2:16-4:14], the second variation is darker, and now features the Cello as the soloist, while the rest of the Quartet chatter amongst themselves [4:16-6:31], the third variations is my favourite, a real angry variation in a way, hard driven at times, with lighter moments, almost as it were coming in waves, it has a tremendous ongoing drive to it [6:32-8:22], the fourth variation by contrast is lyrical and sweet, something that Haydn would do, yet it still has a touch of melancholy [8:23-11:05], the fifth variation is one of turmoil, starts of pleading and quiet, but soon shouts, all the instruments are pained, the movement ends on a sort of peaceful resignation of acceptance [11:06-14:05], a really lovely set of variations that explore all the facets of what a String quartet can do.

Here's the Takacs String Quartet playing the second movement Theme and Variations on YouTube.

Beethoven - String Quartet 7 [The Lindsay String Quartet] 

What a lovely 'fatbox' set of the Razumovsky Quartets this is, the Seventh is my favourite Beethoven Quartet, i listened to a Quartet each day, it's good to make this set last three days!, and i was surprised how much the other two Quartets are becoming well loved also, i listened to this out on a walk round my neighbourhood, the batteries conked out on the first movement, but luckily i had some spares, so i started to listen to the first movement from the beginning again, a bit like an exposition repeat i suppose, this was a good exercise, but the same thing happened in the second movement, hearing things, then listening very soon all over again is quite meaningful, a bit like rewinding a movie film to watch a scene again, it's that second time you notice things you missed the first time, repetition really hits you.

The Lindsay String Quartet are a British phenomenon, they existed for 40 years between 1965-2005, they made two complete cycles of the Beethoven String Quartets, this was part of the first, recorded in 1984 i believe, the second was recorded twenty years later in 2004 i think.

What can i say about the sheer inspiration of this great work?, every movement had me in awe of Beethoven, what a true genius he is, after the first movement i thought 'nothing can top that' [it's my favourite movement], but the following Allegretto Vivace did exactly that!, 

Here's The Belcea String Quartet playing the second movement on YouTube.