Monday, September 19, 2016

Pleyel String Quartet Op.41-42 Nos 1-2 - Authentic Quartet

Ignaz Pleyel (1757-1837)
Performer : Authentic Quartet
Label : Hungaroton
Released : Aug 2016
BUY IT HERE 

It's been a while since we last heard about Authentic Quartet and Ignaz Pleyel. The Hungaroton front line period quartet ensemble finally dedicated some work on Ignaz Pleyel string quartet. This time we got four quartets, from Opus 41 and 42, both two quartets. I'm not sure what is the Ben catalog on this one. The consequent of C Major and F Major can be found at Ben 346 and 347, then the G Major and B-Flat Major in Ben 349 and 350. But the year of released  are seemingly not consistent. The front cover CD also suggested as "First Recording".

the CD blurb :

Authentic Quartet, the ensemble playing on period instruments, has released another world premiere recording featuring Ignace Pleyel's two string quartets. The pieces are most likely to have been written during the composer's concert tour in England, or maybe a bit later as the melodies and rhythmic structures remind the listener of Scottish folk music. Owing to their simple structures and lyrical melodic lines, the compositions can be classified as easy violin music offering a highly enjoyable listening experience. 


Pleyel String Quartet Op.41-42 Nos 1-2 - Authentic Quartet

String Quartet in C Major, Op. 41 No. 1
I. Allegro
II. Rondo eccossois: Allegro

String Quartet in F Major, Op. 41 No. 2
I. Allegro
II. Air eccossois: Andante
III. Rondo eccossois: Allegro

String Quartet in G Major, Op. 42 No. 1
I. Allegro
II. Air eccossois: Rondo moderato

String Quartet in B-Flat Major, Op. 42 No. 2
I. Allegro
II. Air eccossois: Adagio espressivo
III. Air eccossois: Rondo allegro



Friday, August 19, 2016

Lindsey Stirling - Brave Enough (2016)

Lindsey Stirling Brave Enough album review by silentstring.blogspot.com

Yeah, of course I listen to Lindsey Stirling also, along with my zillions of classical chamber music. Miss Lindsey Stirling is a hip hop / dubstep / disco violinist that taken the world by storm beat in 2012 with her debut album. Her music incorporated catchy violin playing accompanied by the last version of disco music that called "dubstep". Her other trademark is the Youtube video she always produced to visualized her violin playing. She is one of Youtube celebrity indeed, she easily make millions of Youtube likes just by playing violin, bet not much any violinist can do.

Brave Enough is her third studio album. The most elements that different from previous albums are, this album brave enough to included half dozen of vocal tracks. Well, people like to listen to your violin playing miss Lindsey, but hey we let you explore also. We'll talk about the instrumentals tracks first, as this is what the majority of the house looking at the album. I love the opener "Lost Girls", because its started mellow and slow with crystal clear violin playing trying to stealth your breath away. This track is the direct continuation of Lindsey Stirling styles. The pumping beat still there, with lots of minor scale licks, the electronic "uh-uh" vocal, we got Lindsey Stirling trademark. Then we got "The Arena", which is supposed to be bit of tango-like elements, judge from the videoclip. Indeed the track worth enough to be the album single because this one really biting here and there with the violin playing and mixed well with the choreography at the clip. "The Phoenix" is having bit of oriental feeling and that went good with violin usually. We then get "Prism", which according to sources, is the OST for the next Disney movie "Pete's Dragon".  The song is lighter then previouses. Prism lighten up situation with enjoyable disco violin music. I bet most children will like it as well.

Now I must praise "Mirage (feat. Raja Kumari)". This is the track where Lindsey collab-ing with Indian style music and musicians. Now if you like Bollywood, this is your chances to get it done with Lindsey Stirling. I like it very much and the song added more color to the album. "First Light" is the most 'standard' tunes with violin music without any 'stunt'. The other easy listening song are "Gavi's Song", where a duet of violin and piano is going to bring your evening to the moon. In several package (Deluxe version), there are about four additional bonus songs. Waltz, Afterglow, Powerlines, and Forgotten are that four songs , all instrumentals.

For the vocals songs, I recommended foremost is "Where Do We Go" featuring Carah Faye. This is a pop song that mixed well with violin lick playing at background. The two elements, vocals and violin is equal and fills in each other. The flag song "Brave Enough" itself is also powerful. Featuring Christina Perri, this song is focusing more into the vocals and the lyrics. The violin get some beautiful melodies though. "Those Days" featuring Dan + Shay, is intimate boy band style song, the violin comes a bit in the background. "Hold My Heart" featuring ZZ Ward is having complicated mix between disco+alternative pop+rock because of ZZ Ward's unique musical style. "Don't Let This Feeling Fade" well, the only song that I don't thing works in this environment, the rap of Rivers Cuomo & Lecrae is trying their best to fit. Mysterious singer, Rooty, is the next singer to sing in "Love's Just a Feeling", a pop song with bit of '80 feel. Must admit that the male voice also a bit of challenge in pair with violin playing. "Something Wild" featuring Andrew McMahon In the Wilderness, is this last challenge. The song gone with folk-like nuance, not much problem and I like it actually.

Brave Enough is lovely third studio album by Lindsey Stirling. The two years in wait maximum miss Lindsey creativity and this album is reflecting the quality of her music. This album is not strict violin orientated album, just like her debut. Some die hard violin lover might protest the, ehem, originality of this album is not as high as the first album. It is true that we found lesser Lindsey magic melodies in this album, because the large volume of vocals song. But, with about 18 tracks in Brave Enough, we have enough instrumental tracks to choose. At least I feel this album is better concept than her in-between second studio album, Shatter Me. So, shut the door and turn your ampli with maximum bass frequency, the album is really to rock beat it!


Lindsey Stirling - Brave Enough (2016)
BUY IT HERE - AMAZON

01. Lost Girls
02. Brave Enough (feat. Christina Perri)
03. The Arena
04. The Phoenix
05. Where Do We Go (feat. Carah Faye)
06. Those Days (feat. Dan + Shay)
07. Prism
08. Hold My Heart (feat. ZZ Ward)
09. Mirage (feat. Raja Kumari)
10. Don't Let This Feeling Fade (feat. Rivers Cuomo & Lecrae)
11. First Light
12. Love's Just a Feeling (feat. Rooty)
13. Something Wild (feat. Andrew McMahon In the Wilderness)
14. Gavi's Song
15. Waltz (Bonus Track)
16. Afterglow (Bonus Track)
17. Powerlines (Bonus Track)
18. Forgotten Voyage (Bonus Track)

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

String Chamber Music by 18th Century Bohemian Composers - Soijka Quartet (2016)

String Chamber Music by 18th Century Bohemian Composers 
Performer : Soijka Quartet
Label : TYX Art
Release : July 2016   BUY IT HERE

This is a series of largely forgotten Bohemian composers done by TYX Art label. In this CD four composers are submitted a piece of chamber music, well, three of them are string quartets. Of course the Czech string quartet had been familiar by the works of Johann Baptist Wanhal, Pavel Vranicky, Franz Krommer or Antonin Rejcha. The four of composers we introduced are lesser known by us, who are: Antonin Kammel, Florian Leopold Gassmann, Franz Koczwara, and Anton Zimmerman. A tasty feast for string quartet lovers as these quartet are wonderful in presentation.

The CD notes :

The goal of the Joachim Wollenweber Edition is to turn the publics attention to classical and romantic composers who have been largely forgotten. This release is the fifth album in the series, and is dedicated to four 18th century Bohemian composers, Antonin Kammel, Florian Leopold Gassmann, Franz Koczwara, and Anton Zimmerman. Performing these works is the Sojka String Quartet, which was founded by music students at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague in 2009. The ensembles focus is classical music, and contemporary works from the Czech republic. 

Antonín Kammel (born 1739 in Běleč / Biel Adige, died in 1784 in London) was formed according to studies in his home of Giuseppe Tartini in Padua. In 1765 he went to London, where he apparently wrote only instrumental music, mostly in occupations for Strings. The String Quartet in B flat major is the second plant of a set of six quartets, printed as Opus 7 in London (undated).

Florian Leopold Gassmann (born 1729 in Most / Most, died in 1774 in Vienna) came after studies at Padre GB Martini in Bologna initially produced primarily as an opera composer in Venice. Since 1763, he worked as a "court and Kammercompositor" in Vienna and helped the court orchestra to new heights. The String Quartet in C major is the second one in 1804 published collection of six quartets.

Franz Koczwara (born in 1750 in Prague, died in 1791 in London) spent his mature years in England, where he was a member of various orchestras, most recently as a double bass player at King '€ ™ s Theatre in London. The Sonata for Two Violas and Cello in C major is the sixth of a collection of sonatas for various occupations, which was published about 1775 in London.

Anton Zimmermann (born 1741 Breitenau / Široká Niva, died in 1781 in Pressburg / Bratislava) was in the service of the Archbishop (later Cardinal) and Primate of Hungary Joseph Batthyány in Preߟburg for which he established, among other things, a chamber orchestra since 1776th His String Quartet in F major is the third work of the six quartets Op. 3, which were created in 1770 and published about 1777th

written by : Andreas Wehrmeyer 

The Sojka string quartet went from students of the Music Faculty of Prague's Academy of Performing Arts (AMU) produced. Since 2009, it plays in the cast: Martin Kos and Martin Kaplan (violin), Josef Fiala (Viola) and Hana Vítková (cello). Priorities of the ensemble are the music of classical and contemporary music in the Czech Republic. Since 2012 the musicians have also been multiple guests abroad. 2015 was the quartet he has concerts in Japan and worked on feast days for contemporary music in Prague.


CD-Programm / Trackliste: - BUY IT HERE

Antonín Kammel (1739 – 1784)
Streichquartett B-Dur (op. 7 Nr. 2) /
String Quartet B Flat Major (op. 7 No. 2)
I Allegro,
II Andante espressivo,
III Tempo di Menuetto

Florian Leopold Gassmann (1729 – 1774)
Streichquartett C-Dur /
String Quartet C Major
I Andante,
II Allegro, Menuetto – Trio,
III Allegro

Franz Koczwara (ca. 1750 – 1791)
Sonate für zwei Violen und Violoncello C-Dur /
Sonata for Two Violas and Cello C Major
I Andante espressivo,
II Adagio,
III Rondo (Allegro)

Anton Zimmermann (1741 – 1781)
Streichquartett F-Dur (op. 3 Nr. 3) /
String Quartet F Major (op. 3 No. 3)
I Andante un poco Adagio,
II Menuetto (Allegretto) – Trio, Allegro, Menuetto – Trio,
III Finale – Allegro non molto





Saturday, May 28, 2016

Complete List of Luigi Boccherini String Quartets Recordings

Luigi Boccherini was Italian composer who composed a large number of chamber music. His string quartets numbered more than 100 works, unfortunately some are lost. Here are the complete list of Luigi Boccherini's string quartets and its recordings. There are 106 string quartets in the Gerard Catalog. The most recorded quartets seems to be the Six quartets in Opus 32. At the moment only less than 50% of all Boccherini string quartets got recorded, well according to my Amazon research only. Hopefully there will be more ensemble playing his pieces.

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

List of Hyacinthe and Louis-Emmanuel Jadin String Quartets

The two Jadin brothers composed numbers string quartets in their time. To avoid confusion this is the list of string quartets done by them, Hyancinthe Jadin and his elder brother Louis-Emmanuel Jadin.

Hyacinthe Jadin (April 27, 1776 – September 27, 1800)

3 String Quartets for 2 violins, viola, and violoncello Opus 1.
No.1 in B-flat Major (1795) recorded by  Franz Joseph Quartet , by Quatuor Cambini
No.2 in A Major (1795) by  Franz Joseph Quartet 
No.3 in F minor (1795) by  Franz Joseph Quartet , by Razumovsky Quartet

3 String Quartets Op. 2
No.1 in   E-flat Major (1796) by Franz Joseph Quartet, by Razumovsky Quartet
No.2 in   B minor (1796)
No.3 in   C (1796)

3 String Quartets Opus 3
No.1 in  C Major (1797) by Franz Joseph Quartet, by Quatuor Cambini
No.2 in  E Major (1797)
No.3 in  A minor (1797) by Quatuor Cambini

3 String Quartets Opus 4
No.1 in G Major (1798) by Razumovsky Quartet
No.2 in F (1798)
No.3 in D (1798)

Louis-Emmanuel Jadin (21 September 1768 – 11 April 1853)

3 String Quartets Book 1
No.1 in E-flat Major
No.2 in F minor by Franz Joseph Quartet
No.3 in C Major

3 String Quartets Book 2
No.1 in D minor
No.2 in B-flat Major
No.3 in A Major

 Franz Joseph Quartet
Razumovsky Quartet 
Quatuor Cambini 
Franz Joseph Quartet 

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Eugen d'Albert - Complete String Quartets Reinhold Quartett (2016)

Eugen (originally Eugène) Francois Charles d'Albert (10 April 1864 – 3 March 1932)
Performer : Reinhold Quartett
Label : Naxos of America
Release: May 2016

There already a release of Scottish composer Eugen d'Albert string quartets earlier than this one. The Sarastra Quartet had released Eugen d'Albert only two string quartets in the past,  Eugen d'Albert Sarastro Quartet - BUY IT HERE

But now we got the latest rendition of Eugen d'Albert string quartets, done by Reinhold Quartett released by Naxos of America. Notes:

Scottish-born German composer Eugen Francois Charles dAlbert (1864-1932) began his musical career as a pianist. As years passed, he began focusing more on composing, and produced 21 operas, and a variety of piano, chamber, vocal, and orchestral works. The works chosen for this album are his String Quartet op. 11 in E flat major, and String Quartet op. 7 in A minor. These are the only two string quartets that dAlbert wrote. The Reinhold-Quartett is Dietrich Reinhold and Tobias Haupt, violin, Norbert Tunze, viola, and Christoph Vietz, cello.

and a longer descriptions:

Eugen d’Albert was born in Glasgow to a French father and an English mother. Already as a child, however, he was attracted to Germany and began learning the language of the country he felt was his own. He then spent long periods of his life in Germany without ever feeling at home there. He remained a British subject until World War I and then became a citizen of Switzerland. Contradictions continued throughout his entire life: he was a piano virtuoso of epochal stature, but his most ardent wish was to enjoy a composer’s fame. He married six times, regularly changed his place of residence, and experimented with spiritist practices. His compositional oeuvre was just as multifaceted as his life and personal character. Before his thirtieth birthday, in 1886 and 1893, Eugen d’Albert had composed two string quartets. Given the reports about the public’s response to them at the time of their composition, it is quite astonishing that they are only rarely performed today and not mentioned at all in the standard guides to quartet music. The quartets show us a composer embodying the cutting edge of the musical developments of his times who not only met the compositional-technical requirements of the demanding quartet genre but also fully satisfied the tonal needs of a string ensemble. His second quartet in particular is a wonderful late product of romanticism. Dedicated to Johannes Brahms, this work is distinguished by an extraordinarily dense and markedly polyphonic compositional style, highly developed late romantic harmonies, and very nuanced rhythms – while confronting the instrumentalists with considerable challenges. The two quartets remained the only representatives of this genre in d’Albert’s oeuvre: in the end he went down in music history as a »pianist and opera composer.« The recording by the Reinhold Quartet, renewing the composer’s close ties to the Gewandhaus, invites you to get ready once again to revise the traditional picture of this astonishingly multifaceted artist.  from CPO website

Eugen d'Albert: Complete String Quartets

String Quartet No.1 in A Minor, Op.7
1 I. Leidenschaftlich bewegt 9:18
2 II. Langsam, mit Ausdruck 10:05
3 III. Mäßiger bewegt 6:58
4 IV. In mäßiger, ruhiger Bewegung (Thema mit Variationen) 10:38

String Quartet No.2 in E flat Major, Op.11
5 I. Andante con moto 7:33
6 II. Allegro vivace 7:50
7 III. Adagio ma non troppo e con molta espressione 12:33
8 IV. Allegro 6:51 



Sunday, April 17, 2016

Paul Juon - Complete String Quartets - Sarastro Quartett (2016)

Paul JUON (1872-1940)
Performer : Sarastro Quartett
Label : CPO
Release : April 2016
BUY IT HERE - Amazon

Born in the middle of Romantic era, Paul Juon hold several string quartets that are mystery to us ever before. Recently, the rise of his chamber musics (some piano quartets) enable CPO label to put the string quartets into recording. So, here we are with the new never heard before Romantic string quartets of Paul Juon. Paul was born in Moscow, his parent are Swiss. Paul return to Switzerland in 1934. His four string quartets in these double CD had been described as influenced by Russian music. Here the CD notes:

The missing link between Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky"" - This is how a contemporary critic once termed the late romantic composer Paul Juon, who was born to Swiss parents in Moscow, graduated from the conservatory with flying colors, and then went to Berlin in 1894 to study with Clara Schumann's half brother Woldemar Bargiel. In 1907 the very discriminating Joseph Joachim appointed him to a full professorship at the Berlin college of Music. Juon penned orchestral compositions and piano and vocal music, but chamber music was his domain. Following the release of his Piano Quartets and his Quintet and Sextet, likewise with piano music, it is now time to present his String Quartets. Once again all the essential traits of Juon's compositional style are brought together with the finest craftsmanship: his predilection for irregular rhythms and rhythmic-metrical peculiarities, bold harmonies, and an unmistakable Russian folk tone in the melodic sphere. Since Juon anticipated developments for which Stravinsky, Blacher, and Messiaen later became famous, we might wellconsider including him among the important rhythmic innovators. In his chamber music Pual Juon is in a class all by himself. 


Paul Juon: Complete String Quartets  BUY IT HERE - Amazon

String Quartet No. 1 in D major, Op. 5 (post-1896) [42:00]
I. Allegro moderato
II. Adagio sostenuto
III. Molto presto
IV. Intermezzo. Allegro
V. Finale. Vivacissimo

String Quartet No. 2 in B minor, Op. 11 (1896) [27:45]
I. Allegro risoluto
II. Andante tranquillo
III. Scherzo. Presto
IV. Finale. Allegro con giusto

String Quartet No. 3 in E minor, Op. 29 (1904) [32:44]
I. Allegro molto
II. Lento assai ma poco rubato
III. Moderato
IV. Lento assai - Vivace non troppo

String Quartet No. 4, Op. 67 (1920) [28:21]
I. Allegro
II. Andante tranquillo
III. Allegro
IV. Allegro non troppo

Sarastro Quartett
Ralph Orendain & Roman Conrad, Violin
Hanna Werner-Helfenstein, Viola
Lehel Donath, Cello


Sunday, April 10, 2016

Fröhlich Complete String Quartets - Rasumowsky Quartet (2016)

Friedrich Theodor Fröhlich (20 February 1803 - † 16th October 1836)
Performer : Rasumowsky-Quartett
Label : CPO
Release : April 2016  -  BUY IT HERE

We just got recording of Switzerland composer Frederich Theodore Frohlich last year, but here we got the new CD. This new recording by Rasumowsky comes with 2 CDs and the last quartet never hearded before,  string quartet in F minor. Here some of the CD notes :

Early Romantic Quartets from Switzerland

The string quartets of the Aargau composer Friedrich Theodor Fröhlich form a unique contribution in this genre to musical early romanticism in Switzerland. However, so far only one of these four works has been edited. The manuscripts of his other quartets currently continue to be housed in the Basel University Library. When poor health forced him to abandon his law studies, Fröhlich took compositional lessons in Aarau and then received instruction from Goethe’s friend Carl Friedrich Zelter and Bernhard Klein in Berlin, where he also met Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy. He was the most promising young talent of Swiss romanticism, but when his musical activity failed to meet with recognition, he threw himself into the Aare on 16 October 1836. Fröhlich’s music is distinguished by refreshing and natural melodies, a special feel for simplicity combined with compelling effects, and rich in emotional expression and unexpected modulations in the harmonic sphere. 

and...

Swiss composer Friedrich Theodor Frohlich began his compositional career after his poor health forced him to abandon his law studied. He took lessons in Aarau, and then was a student of Carl Friedrich Zelter and Berhard Klein in Berlin. A promising talent, the string quartets featured here show the composer had unique contributions to early romanticism. When his music did not meet the acclaim that he expected, Frohlich unfortunately took his own life at the age of 33. 

and....

The string quartets of Friedrich Theodor Fröhlich form a unique contribution to Swiss early romanticism. He was the most promising young talent of Swiss romanticism, but when his musical activity failed to meet with recognition, he threw himself into the Aare on 16 October 1836. Fröhlich’s music is distinguished by refreshing and natural melodies, simplicity combined with compelling effects, and rich in emotional expression and unexpected harmonic modulations.

Fröhlich Complete String Quartets - Rasumowsky Quartet (2016)
BUY IT HERE

Disk 1
String quartet in F minor
1. I Allegro moderato
2. II Allegretto quasi andantino
3. III Scherzo: Molto allegro - Trio: Meno presto
4. IV Finale: Adagio - Allegro ma non troppo - Adagio - Allegro tempo primo

String quartet in G minor
5. I Andante con variazioni
6. II Scherzo: Molto animato
7. III Largo cantabile
8. IV Finale: Allegro molto

Disk 2
String quartet in E Major

1. I Allegretto ma non troppo
2. II Scherzo: Molto animoso
3. III Adagio, con molto espressione
4. IV Finale: Allegro agitato - Adagio - Andantino - Allegro agitato - Recitativo senza tempo - Adagio - Andantino

String quartet in C minor

5. I Allegro agitato
6. II Andante
7. III Scherzo: Presto
8. IV Finale: Adagio - Allegro





Saturday, January 2, 2016

Bruch Complete String Quartets - Diogenes Quartett (2016)

Max Bruch
Performer: Diogenes Quartett
Label: Brilliant Classic
Release: January 2016 - BUY

Max Bruch finally can has his own "Complete String Quartets" CD. This improvement happened because his third string quartet had been discovered and recorded! To be precised, the new string quartet is actually his first, composed during his youth at the age of 14! The notes :

In 2013 an unknown quartet was discovered in the archives of the Mozart-Stiftung in Frankfurt, further research made it clear it was by the 14-year old Max Bruch! This fresh and spontaneous youth work clearly has its roots in the romantic tradition going back to Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Schubert and Schumann.

If you thrilled about two Max Bruch string quartets that already known (as I am!), this new piece is very much welcome for string quartet fans. Brilliant Classic recorded this with Diogenes Quartett, who done lot of little known Romantic era string quartet in their repertoire. The new quartet is written in C Minor key, exactly the same as his first string quartet. Is this the proto type of the first quartet? Let's wait till the CD being released then we will write review on it.





Max Bruch : Complete String Quartet
BUY IT HERE

    1.    String Quartet in C Minor, Op. Posth.: I. Adagio ma non troppo – Allegro molto
    2.    String Quartet in C Minor, Op. Posth.: II. Adagio
    3.    String Quartet in C Minor, Op. Posth.: III. Scherzo. Allegro molto
    4.    String Quartet in C Minor, Op. Posth.: IV. Finale. Presto agitato
    5.    String Quartet No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 9: I. Andante – Allegro ma non troppo
    6.    String Quartet No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 9: II. Adagio
    7.    String Quartet No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 9: III. Allegro molto energico
    8.    String Quartet No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 9: IV. Molto vivace
    9.    String Quartet No. 2 in E Major, Op. 10: I. Allegro maestoso
    10.    String Quartet No. 2 in E Major, Op. 10: II. Andante quasi adagio
    11.    String Quartet No. 2 in E Major, Op. 10: III. Vivace non troppo - Un poco meno vivo
    12.    String Quartet No. 2 in E Major, Op. 10: IV. Finale. Vivace

Diogenes Quartett
Stefan Kirpal violin
Gundula Kirpal violin
Alba González i Becerra viola
Stephen Ristau violincello


Boccherini - 6 String Quartets Op. 26 (2016)

Luigi Boccherini (1745-1805)
Performer: Ensemble Symposium
Label: Brilliant Classic
Release: January 2016
BUY IT HERE

The collection of Luigi Boccherini string quartet is keep coming. This time the good news coming from Ensemble Symposium which done six string quartet as Op.26 or G 195 to 200. This is indeed the first recording, as the CD stated, and true I can't remember it had been recorded elsewhere. The website include some important notes on this:

About this release
Generally known as Boccherini’s Op.26, this set of two-movement ‘quartettini’ was first published as Op.32, but confusion has continued down the years, which may be one reason why these delightful works have remained little-known and under-recorded; the only extant version on CD is of arrangements for keyboard and piano quartet, so this set offers a valuable first chance to acquaint oneself with Boccherini’s original scoring.   more HERE

another notes:
The first recording for string quartet of the 6 Quartets Op.26 by Boccherini.
Boccherini was in the service of the Infante Don Luis, the brother of King Charles III of Spain. He was required to write 3 sets of 6 pieces every year, a duty which led to the rich and substantial oeuvre of chamber music by the Italian master.

The quartets are small scale, consisting of usually two movements, the first Allegro in sonata form followed by a Menuetto plus Trio. The style, “Classical Pure”, is here and there infused by Spanish elements, such as certain syncopations suggesting Spanish dances, like the Fandango: high class entertainment!

Let's wait until this CD been released and will write review for it.

 


    1.    Quartet in B-Flat Major, G. 195: I. Allegro moderato
    2.    Quartet in B-Flat Major, G. 195: II. Minuetto con moto – Trio
    3.    Quartet in G Minor, G. 196: I. Larghetto
    4.    Quartet in G Minor, G. 196: II. Minuetto – Trio
    5.    Quartet in E-Flat Major, G. 197: I. Allegro vivace
    6.    Quartet in E-Flat Major, G. 197: II. Minuetto – Trio
    7.    Quartet in A Major, G. 198: I. Larghetto
    8.    Quartet in A Major, G. 198: II. Minuetto con moto – Trio
    9.    Quartet in F Major, G. 199: I. Allegretto
    10.   Quartet in F Major, G. 199: II. Minuetto allegro – Trio
    11.   Quartet in F Minor, G. 200: I. Andante appassionato ma non lento
    12.   Quartet in F Minor, G. 200: II. Minuetto – Trio

Ensemble Symposium
Igor Cantarelli violin
Gian Andrea Guerra violin
Simone Laghi viola
Gregorio Buti violoncello