Schubert: String Quintet; Quartettsatz [Original recording remastered]
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
During its distinguished 40-year career, the Guarneri Quartet has generated an enormous discography. This recording of the 1970s must be among its earliest. It is totally amazing. The group's unique, instantly recognizable characteristics are already fully in evidence: its beautiful, expressive sound, its unanimous, aristocratic style, its unfailing sense of pacing, its poised, organic transitions. Every note is alive and expressive; every line stands out in a seamlessly woven tapestry. In the Quintet's unusual scoring, the viola holds the balance between two high and two low voices. Michael Tree makes his part a source of tensile yet flexible strength. The mercurial first movement encompasses melting lyricism and high drama; in the second, the anguished middle section is much faster, making the return to the original celestial mood problematic. The Scherzo is robust, the Trio tragic; the Finale is an exuberant, austere, gracious dance. The "Quartetsatz" is urgent, ominous; the lyrical second theme floats serenely. The Guarneri recorded the Quintet again in the 1990s with cellist Bernard Greenhouse--tracing the differences and similarities is fascinating. The two violins sound uncannily equal, the second cello more prominent; the slow movement tempo changes are more balanced. The basic concept seems unchanged, but the projection is heightened and intensified with greater freedom, spontaneity, ardor, repose, daring, breadth and depth of feeling. Two great recordings--both indispensable. --Edith Eisler
Schubert: String Quintet; Quartettsatz, Music, Leonard Rose, Franz Schubert, Chamber, Chamber Music & Recitals, Classical, Classical Composers, Quartet for Four String Instruments, Quintet for Five String Instruments
Average customer rating:
- Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!
- Beginner or Expert
- Very Informative and Enjoyable
- Frank's view
- Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra
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Instruments of the Orchestra
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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ASIN: B00006O0NT
Release Date: 2002-12-03 |
Tracks:
- Overture To 'Tannhauser'
- Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
- We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
- Hungarian Dance No.7
- The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
- Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
- But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
- The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
- The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
- Csardas Music
- The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
- The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
- Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
- The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
- Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
- Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
- The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
- Tzigane
- Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
- Caprice No.24
- The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
- Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
- Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
- Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
- Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
- The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
- The Violin Muted
- Clair De Lune
- The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
- Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
- The Pizzicato Violin
- Pizzicato Polka
- In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
- Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
- Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
- The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
- The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
- Hungarian Dance No.4
- Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
- The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
- Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
- Bolero
- Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
- Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
- Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
- Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
- Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
- Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
- And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
- Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
- The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
- Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
- The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
- Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
- Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
- The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
- Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
- Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
- Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
- The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
- Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
- Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
- Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
- Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
- Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
- To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
- Elfenreigen
Tracks:
- Introduction To The Viola
- Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
- Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
- Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
- Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
- Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
- The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
- Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
- The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
- Cypresses (No.9)
- The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
- Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
- The 'Period' Viola In Bach
- Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
- The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
- Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
- Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
- Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
- Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
- Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
- In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
- Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
- But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
- Elfentanz, Op.39
- Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
- The Protecting Veil (Opening)
- A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
- Flamenco
- Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
- Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
- It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
- Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
- It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
- Symphony No.9 (Finale)
- Introduction To The Double-Bass
- The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
- But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
- Elegy No.1 In D Major
- The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
- Capriccio Di Bravura
- Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
- The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
- Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds
Tracks:
- The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
- Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
- The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
- Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
- The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
- Sa'Dawi
- Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
- Chamber Music No.II
- The Piccolo - Aptly Named
- La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
- From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
- Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
- A Variety Of Techniques
- Chamber Music No.II
- Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
- The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
- From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
- Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
- An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
- Naelden, Naelden
- The Bachian Oboe
- Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
- Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
- Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
- The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
- The Swan Of Tuonela
- The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
- Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
- Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
- Bolero
- The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
- Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
- As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
- Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
- The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
- The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
- The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
- ...And Quite Low.
- Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
- The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
- Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
- But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
- Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
- Introduction To The Saxophone
- Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
- The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
- L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
- The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
- Bolero
- The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
- Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
- The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
- Sax-O-Phun
- The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
- Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
- The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
- Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
- Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
- And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
- Bolero
- The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
- Symphony No.3 (Opening)
- The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
- The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
- Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
- The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
- The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
- Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
- The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
- Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
- The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
- Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
- Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
- The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
- Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)
Tracks:
- The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
- Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
- The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
- Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
- The Ceremonial Trumpet
- Fanfare For The Common Man
- Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
- Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
- The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
- Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
- The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
- Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
- The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
- Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
- The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
- Billy The Kid
- The Trumpet As Character Actor
- Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
- The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
- Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
- The Birth Of The Trombone
- Aenmerckt Nu Hier
- The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
- Canzon 12 In Double Echo
- The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
- Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
- The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
- Hosannah
- The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
- Symphony No.5 (Finale)
- The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
- The Trombone As Caricaturist
- Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
- The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
- The Horn And The Hunt
- Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
- The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
- Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
- The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
- Walter Music (Minuet 1)
- The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
- Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
- Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
- The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
- Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
- The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
- Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
- The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
- Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
- The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
- Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)
Tracks:
- Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
- Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
- At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
- Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
- Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
- Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
- The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
- The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
- Den Hoboecken Dans
- Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
- Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
- No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
- Gymnopedie No.2
- The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
- Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
- More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
- Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
- Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
- Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
- A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
- Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
- The Birth Of The Bongo
- Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
- From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
- Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
- From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
- Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
- Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
- But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
- Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
- Taking Advantage Of Tunability
- Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
- The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
- Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
- Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
- The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
- Ravel And The Xylophone
- Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
- Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
- Introducing The Vibraphone
- The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
- The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
- Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
- Folk Dances
- The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
- Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
- Introducing The Tubular Bells
- Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
- A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
- Carmen Suite (Introduction)
- But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
- Introducing The Celeste
- The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
- Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
- Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
- Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
- A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
- The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
- Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
- The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
- Petrushka (Russian Dance)
- The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
- Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)
Tracks:
- Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
- Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
- But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
- Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
- The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
- An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
- Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
- Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
- Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
- Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
- Mahler's Sleighbells
- Symphony No.4 (Opening)
- A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
- Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
- Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
- Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
- National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
- And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
- And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
- The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
- The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
- The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
- The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
- The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
- The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
- The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
- The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
- There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
- The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
- Nocturnes
- Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
- The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
- The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
- The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
- The Oboe As Duck
- Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
- The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
- The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
- The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
- Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
- Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
- Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
- Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
- The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
- A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
- Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
- A Thunderstorm In A Million
- Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
- the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
- The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
- Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
- The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)
Tracks:
- The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
- Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
- A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
- Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
- Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
- String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
- The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
- String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
- The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
- String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
- The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
- String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
- The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
- String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
- The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
- Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
- Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
- String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
- The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
- Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
- Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
- In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
- In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
- In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
- Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
- And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
- The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
- Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
- Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
- A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
- Octet In F (Mvt 3)
- The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
- Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
- Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
- Canzon 28
- Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
- Symphony No.5 (Finale)
- From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
- Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
- Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
- The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
- Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
- When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
- Images (Gigues)
- A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
- Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
- The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
- Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
- Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
- Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
- A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')
Customer Reviews:
Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04
This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!
Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12
This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!
Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20
Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!
Frank's view.......2006-08-19
This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.
Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08
I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.
The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!
I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.
The one complaint I have is the last CD. This deals with the orchestra. I wanted more of a tour of how the orchestra has been used through history up to the present. Instead, it was a tour of how different groups of instruments sound. I thought it could have been better. The other 6 CDs are excellent.
Average customer rating:
- Masterpiece
- Equally as beautiful as the book
- "Two Treasures of Pure Pleasure"
- Compulsory reading
- Truly Equal!
|
Vikram Seth: An Equal Music
Manufacturer: Decca
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Similar Items:
- An Equal Music
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ASIN: B00003OO0L
Release Date: 2000-08-22 |
Tracks:
- Partita No. 3 in E major, BWV 1006: Preludio
- String Quintet in C minor, op.104: Allegro con brio
- String Quintet in C minor, op.104: Andante cantabile con variazioni
- String Quintet in C minor, op.104: Menuetto: Quasi allegro
- String Quintet in C minor, op.104: Finale: Prestissimo
- Quartet in A major, op.20 no.6, Hob.III-36: Allegro di molto e scherzando
- Quartet in A major, op.20 no.6, Hob.III-36: Adagio: Cantabile
- Quartet in A major, op.20 no.6, Hob.III-36: Menuetto: Allegreto
- Quartet in A major, op.20 no.6, Hob.III-36: Fuga a 3 soggetti: Allegro
- The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080: Contrapunctus 1
- Sonata for piano and violin in E minor, K304-300c: Allegro
- Sonata for piano and violin in E minor, K304-300c: Tempo di Menuetto
- Quartettsatz in C minor, D703: Allegro assai
Tracks:
- Piano Quintet In A Major, D667 'The Trout': Allegro vivace
- Piano Quintet In A Major, D667 'The Trout': Andante
- Piano Quintet In A Major, D667 'The Trout': Scherzo: Presto
- Piano Quintet In A Major, D667 'The Trout': Theme & Variations: Andantino
- Piano Quintet In A Major, D667 'The Trout': Finale: Allegro giusto
- String Quintet in C major, D956: Scherzo: Presto - Trio: Andante sostenuto
- 'Manchester Sonata' No. 1 for violin and piano in C major, RV 3: Largo
- Piano Quintet In A Major, D667 'The Trout': The Lark Ascending
- The Art of Fugue, BWV 1080: Contrapunctus 1
Amazon.com
Vikram Seth's novel An Equal Music is as evocative a portrait of the world of chamber music as you could wish for, but Seth is the first to say that words "can only attempt to describe what cannot truly be described." This two-CD set adds the inevitably missing dimension to a great book, with performances of works featured in the story. They include the world-premiere recording of Beethoven's String Quintet in C minor, an obscure work that is central to the plot.
This piece, like the other selections, is beautifully played and recorded, for this is not a collection of second-rate recordings cobbled together to suit the theme. Vikram Seth himself has chosen the performances, and with performers of the stature of Iona Brown and Andras Schiff, the playing is as good as it gets. Included in the selection is Schubert's celebrated Trout Quintet. If the book gives a taste for the music, and vice versa, these CDs will also get us delving further into this delightful and infectious repertoire. --Keith Clarke
Customer Reviews:
Masterpiece.......2006-11-11
The book is a masterpiece of literature on music, and the music itself are masterpieces
Equally as beautiful as the book.......2006-03-17
A beautiful collection of music ideal for lovers of Seth's stunning novel - a perfect introduction to classical music .
"Two Treasures of Pure Pleasure".......2004-09-21
I purchased the book "An Equal Music" by Vikram Seth, not knowing that there existed a CD that was meant to accompany it. I was about a third of the way through the book, and Vikrams story was so captivating, that I longed to hear the musical pieces that his characters where so passionate about. So I set forth on a quest of my own trying to track down and put together each piece of his repertoire. During my search, I discovered this CD, purchased it, and stopped all reading until its arrival. I slipped it into the disc player, settled in with liner notes in hand, closed my eyes, and found a new appreciation and passion for the classical genre. Exceptional was track 8 of disc 2, "The Lark Ascending" composed by Ralph Vaughan Williams, an absolutely enchanting piece! Not to say that the other tracks are not of equal caliber, they are, just of a different mood.
This compilation is a brilliant companion to the book, yet alone, it stands proudly on its own merits. Bach, Beethoven, Hayden, Schubert, Vivaldi, and of course Williams are all featured on this CD, names all renowned in the world of classical music. The difference between this CD, and say another classical compilation, is that through the inspiration and support of the book, what once one could not identify nor differentiate between in the works of the above, begins to unfold with a keen grasp of each. This assemblage will definitely help you to recognize and feel each composer's unique style.
In the book, the Maggiore Quartet members expose to you, through beautifully interpreted prose, their driving passion behind performing each piece as they become consumed in each note. This caused me to listen intensely not only to each composition, but also to the individual score of each instruments harmonious part. Bringing a deeper connection with not only the characters in this book along with the featured musical selections, but also with the professional musicians themselves whose lives are music.
Mr. Seth should be commended for this creative marriage of fervent fodder. A brilliantly moving novel enhanced and brought to life through this CD. My next stop, an evening out savoring a live performance!
Compulsory reading.......2004-03-30
This amazing book MUST be read by any person who is even slightly interested in music. if you have ever been in a string quartet, you will love the way that this book perfectly captures the delicate balance of emotions within such a close kint group. the love story is alternated with lyrical and descriptive passages, often about something of little significance. The book is a rich and heartwrenching story of love, music and loss. absolutely fabulous!
Truly Equal!.......2004-02-03
Vikram Seth casts a melacholic spell with his novel. This is the first time I am reading a work of fiction woven around chamber musicians, which leads one to explore the inner workings of their thoughts.
The accompamying CD is truly marvellous. Listen to Iona Brown soar away in Vaughan Williams 'Lark Ascending'. The others are also truly 'equal'.
Average customer rating:
- One of the best of the Masterworks series
- Will not buy this
- Worth it!
- Great way to jumpstart a schubert collection
- Better to Pick a Few First-rate Performances
|
Schubert: The Masterworks [Box Set]
Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
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ASIN: B00062FLJC
Release Date: 2004-11-30 |
Customer Reviews:
One of the best of the Masterworks series.......2007-07-06
Brilliant Classics' "Masterworks" series, if you can get them cheaply (and currently they go for about $1/CD from Amazon's France Web site), are a great way to amass a significant library of the works of several great computers. The production values and the performances themselves are uneven, and the interpretations are not always historically-informed (unlike the bulk of Brilliant's "Complete Editions" of the works of Bach and Mozart). But there are numerous gems in the rough in The Masterworks, and the economic value is unsurpassed, even if you were to throw away half of the CDs in each set.
You're unlikely to throw away much of this Schubert collection though. This seems to be the finest of the Masterworks sets, with a succession of solid, often first-rate performances of most of the major Schubert works. Here's what you get:
- The symphonies, performed by The Hanover Band in a historically-informed style. Very interesting performances perhaps marred by an odd recording balance that makes the woodwinds sound distant. Takes up four CDs
- The six Latin masses. Also the Deutsche Messe in the version with wind instruments. Five CDs in all
- Edison Denisov's completion of Schubert's unfinished dramatic work Lazarus (2 CDs, Helmuth Rilling's premier recording)
- The last four string quartets (including the Quartettsatz) with #9 thrown in. Also the octet, piano quintet ("The Trout"), string quintet and both piano trios. In short all the canonical chamber works. Performances are strong, and well recorded
- Two CDs of violin/piano duets, including Op. 137 and Op. 162
- 19 of the 21 "canonical" piano sonatas (missing #7 and #12) as well as the Moments Musicaux, Impromptus, German Dances, Wanderer Fantasy and several other piano works, 11 CDs in all. As with the chamber music, the performances and recordings are strong, often stunning
- Two CDs of piano duets, including the Divertissements and D. 617
- Song cycles: Die Schöne Müllerin, Winterreise, Schwanengesang, and four CDs of standalone songs, including such "standards" as Erlkönig and Gretchen am Spinnrade. The singers are a bit uneven here, ranging from standouts Robert Holl, Deitrich Fischer-Dieskau and John Shirley-Quirk to the somewhat shrill Arleen Augér
Missing from the collection is Rosamunde, and a number of famous songs: Die Forelle (The Trout), Death and the Maiden, Ellens Gesang III (the so-called Ave Maria, D. 839), Der Hirt auf dem Felsen and Der Wanderer. But you do have almost all the important instrumental works, and most of the vocal works generally considered to be essential, with some padding added in the form of minor works such as the parochial Deutsche Messe, the German Dances, and the modernist-informed completion of Lazarus by the 20th Century Russian composer Denisov.
As with the other Masterworks sets, there are no program notes. You'll need to do your own research. Answers.com is a good starting point for Schubert compositions. There are also no song texts or translations provided, so again you'll need to track down your own. Try "The Lied and Art Song Texts Page" for lieder lyrics and translations. Hunt down a good price on this collection, browsing one of Amazon's European sites if necessary, and treat yourself to many hours of lovely music for the cost of a modest night out.
Will not buy this.......2007-03-16
I can't see D965 or D945 on this 40 disks worth of Schubert. Bizarre! There are so many great songs missing it scares me.
Worth it!.......2006-12-19
One of the best in "The Masterpices" series. Many of the discs (the symphonies in particular) were licensed from Nimbus and other full-line labels. Not all that long ago these discs would have set you back $18 to $20 a piece. That said, I still wouldn't part with my Hyperion collection. 40 CD's at this price... you can't go wrong.
Great way to jumpstart a schubert collection.......2006-12-19
Hartmut Holl, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Stephanie Brown, and Jaime Laredo as well as the Stuttgart Bach Collegium performing Schubert are hardly "left-behind artists and ensembles" as the previous naysayer states. These are licensed from major label releases and from the original masters issued at a bargain price, especially for the number of discs you get. Sound quality ranges from good to excellent. Good for all Schubertians and anyone who wants to jumpstart a Schubert collection.
Better to Pick a Few First-rate Performances.......2006-11-14
This is a bargain in dollar/listening time ratio, but who cares? There are many second-rate performances by left-behind artists and ensembles. Obviously the economics of resurrecting disks that don't require royalties has been the driving factor of selection. (On the other hand, the complete edition boxed sets of Bach and Mozart, which you'll find if you look, are stupendous successes artistically.)
Average customer rating:
|
Schubert: The Late String Quartets; String Quintet
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
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Similar Items:
- Beethoven: The Late String Quartets
- Franz Schubert: Complete Trios
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ASIN: B0001ZWGI8
Release Date: 2004-06-15 |
Customer Reviews:
FULL APPRECIATION.......2007-03-20
Until this bargain priced recording on three discs of the Emerson Quartet playing Schubert`s last four string quartets (included also is the String Quintet in C major, D956 featuring Rostropovich on cello), down through the years, I really did not have too much of an appreciation for Schubert's Quartets # 12, 13, 14, 15. For some reason their beauty eluded me. Now, with this recording, I love the works especially the #15 in G major. It is indeed filled with drama, pathos and great beauty. I don't think I can blame this "new found" appreciation on any maturation on my part. I really believe, it's soley due to the exquisite playing of the Emerson Quartet. They really play these works not like they are "walking on eggshells" but with vigor, passion and beauty. Also, I'm sure, that the wonderful recorded sound helped in my appreciation too.
I plan on seeking out more Schubert performed by the Emerson Quartet--they are so very good!!
Average customer rating:
- SO MUCH THAT I WANT EVEN MORE
- Schubert's late chamber masterpieces
- Awesome music, interesting performance
- Schubert + Emerson = Listener Satisfaction
- Good but not Best
|
Franz Schubert: String Quartets D 804 "Rosamunde", D 810 "Death and the Maiden", D 887, D 703 and String Quintet D 956
Franz Schubert , Emerson String Quartet , and Mstislav Rostropovich
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
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- Intimate Voices
ASIN: B00000I0L8
Release Date: 1999-02-09 |
Tracks:
- String Quartet In A Minor, D 804, Op. 29: Allegro ma non troppo
- String Quartet In A Minor, D 804, Op. 29: 2. Andante
- String Quartet In A Minor, D 804, Op. 29: 3. Menuetto. Allegretto - Trio
- String Quartet In A Minor, D 804, Op. 29: 4. Allegro moderato
- String Quartet In D Minor, D 810 'Death And The Maiden': 1. Allegro
- String Quartet In D Minor, D 810 'Death And The Maiden': 2. Andante con moto
- String Quartet In D Minor, D 810 'Death And The Maiden': 3. Scherzo. Allegro molto - Trio
- String Quartet In D Minor, D 810 'Death And The Maiden': 4. Presto
Tracks:
- String Quartet In G Major, D 887: 1. Allegro molto moderato
- String Quartet In G Major, D 887: 2. Andante un poco mosso
- String Quartet In G Major, D 887: 3. Scherzo. Allegro vivace - Trio. Allegretto
- String Quartet In G Major, D 887: 4. Allegro assai
- Quartet Movement In C Minor, D 703: 5. Allegro assai
- Quartet Movement In C Minor, D 703: 6. Andante (fragment)
Tracks:
- String Quintet In C Major, D 956: 1. Allegro ma non troppo - Franz Schubert
- String Quintet In C Major, D 956: 2. Adagio - Franz Schubert
- String Quintet In C Major, D 956: 3. Scherzo, Presto - Trio, Andante sostenuto - Franz Schubert
- String Quintet In C Major, D 956: 4. Allegretto - Franz Schubert
Customer Reviews:
SO MUCH THAT I WANT EVEN MORE.......2007-05-24
To say the least, nobody purchasing this set is likely to regret it. Just at the pedestrian level of value-for-quantity the value is brilliant, and at the artistic level it is more brilliant still. The professionalism and technical proficiency of the Emerson group probably needs little highlighting by now, but these players are musicians first and foremost. Apart from perfect intonation and ultra-perfect ensemble they have added variety to their unfailing beauty of sound. The start of the G major quartet, which can sometimes be a bit of an assault on the ears, is done ideally, with the exploding chords sonorous and majestic. At the other end of the volume-scale there is a wonderful breathless hush near the end of the variations in the D minor, and in this same quartet I don't think I ever heard the enchanting second subject of the first movement phrased so beautifully.
How do they relate to Schubert? For me, Schubert is a composer apart. All his compositions are early works, and in the five pieces comprised in this set I sense a steady advance in certainty and consistency. By the time of the quintet he is fully inside his own individual style, but at every stage of his development there are sequences in which someone or something beyond the merely human seems to be speaking or singing, using him as a mouthpiece, and it taxes even the greatest of his exponents to detect and express these. They are not a matter of one specific idiom, but of several, and the better the interpreters handle such passages the more I find myself longing for some ideal that I refuse to consider unreachable, because I have always heard it reached by someone at some time. One issue is represented by the second subject in the G major's first movement. When this comes round for the second time, in the recapitulation with new counterpoint, the Emersons are perfect for me. However at its first appearance this theme, with its muttering self-repetitions, has a somnambulistic air to it that the Novak quartet on my old LP capture ideally for me, and I wonder whether the Emersons are just a little bright-eyed and clean-limbed. The sense of that grew on me as the set progressed. The great melody from the first movement of the quintet (with Rostropovich on the second cello) suits me fine as they do it, but in the trio of the G major's scherzo while they sing the melody like angels what I want is not people like angels but the angels themselves. I have heard them in this movement before. In a different mode of expression there is the G major's last movement. Schubert produced a similar finale to his late C minor piano sonata, and I would have been more than satisfied with the Emersons here, particularly with the magnificent tone at the end, if I did not know Ogdon's performance of the sonata movement, one of the greatest interpretations I ever heard, with the whole huge piece seemingly taken in a single breath.
The very first and the very last things on this set are especially testing for interpreters of Schubert. The last movement in the quintet, a piece in a very special Schubertian idiom, is my idea of unqualified perfection here. The speed is not too fast, the variations in pace are superbly judged, there is the right sense of a heavy and almost dragging undertow to the rhythm in the accompaniment, and the phrasing of the second theme is something to live for. The set starts with the A minor quartet, and here I held my breath, because with that opening theme we are communing with something not of this world. Verdi, so immune in general to German influence and so gifted with melody himself, explicitly takes off his hat to it at the start of his Requiem. The balance of the melody against the hypnotic wavy accompaniment is perfect here, so is it my absolute ideal? It's somewhere near it at least.
Only one movement out of the whole eighteen seems to me not quite right. The last movement of the D minor is a little fast for my liking, but I could live with that. However the Emersons' fast tempo really does seem symptomatic of a sense that they have missed a deeper tone to the movement, and I felt that in the cadence-theme to the exposition and recapitulation in particular. My thoughts reverted to how this is done by the Gabrieli Quartet on my beloved old LP, with the impression of an apparition of the four horsemen of somewhere that makes me catch my breath to this day. On the other hand, for many people the high spot of such a set is likely to be the slow movement of the quintet, and I can report a reading to rank with the finest here, time held in abeyance as it should be and the control of the sustained long notes perfect beyond perfection.
The set dates from as long ago as 1988, I see, and I wonder how these divinely gifted artists do these pieces nearly twenty years on. The recording is excellent, an absolute necessity for playing like this. The liner notes are also good, except for the one on the quintet, and I seem not to have mentioned so far that we are given the outstandingly lovely fragment of the intended slow movement to the Quartettsatz. Altogether, an outstanding issue in nearly every way. I am reminded of Schubert's epitaph `A rich treasure and still fairer hopes'. These players are young enough to do these quartets again, as they are to do Beethoven's again, and I hope I am still young enough to hear how they do them.
Schubert's late chamber masterpieces.......2005-10-29
The strong points of this 3-CD set are: (1) the immeasurably rich compositions from Schubert, (2) the excellent coupling of the last four quartets with the quintet, (3) the above-average Emerson Quartet performance and (4) the superb value from DG. If you are not familiar with Schubert's chamber works, these four quartets and string quintet are very late masterpieces and some of Schubert's most intricate, mature and monumental compositions. These, along with Schubert's late piano sonatas, reveal glimpses into his deep struggles and pain (through the explosive, dissonant outbursts) but also tender moments of joy and repose as well. It seemed in his final year or two that he was emerging into a consumate maturity as a composer - which tragically was cut short by his early death (supposedly due to complications from Syphilis). The quintet is especially magnificant with each movement being as towering as the next.
There is no arguing that the Emerson Quartet stands among the finest current quartets around. Whether you gravitate to their particular style and sound is quite a personal matter. Certainly, the Emersons get strong accolades for their late Beethoven and recordings of more modern (and 'edgy') composers. In such bold, purcussive and chromatic music they seem to excel and find their greatest expression. Schubert - while 'edgy' in his own way in these late chamber works - still composed in the somewhat-restrained Vienesse tradition (being born and bread in Vienna himself) although parallels to Beethoven are abundent in the music here. Consequently, Schubert's chamber music has still a strong classical flavor and typical Schubertian lyricism. Like another reviewer mentioned, the Emerson Quartet's style is a bit more "direct" and "sharp" in terms of phrasing, articulations and tonality somewhat. Some call their style "A Manhattan style" - I guess suggesting the directness that people from Manhattan are known for (no offense to New Yorkers).
Regardless, the Emerson's style becomes more apparent when comparing with European quartets like the Alban Berg, the Quartetto Italiano and the Quatuor Mosaiques - all of which perform this music with what is often described as a more traditional "Old World Austrian style" (particular the Alban Berg Quartet who hails from Austria). So, while the Emerson's put forth dramatic, precise and interesting readings here, I think at times they "attack" the music too aggressively for its intent and period in history. Schubert was first and foremost a master of melody and lyricism - which does not go away even in his most dissonant and explosive momements. There just seems - at times - an overly-direct expressiveness and tempos that are driven a bit too quickly from the Emersons and a lack of the needed elegance and lyrical smoothness of Schubert's music when called for. But, such things are nuance and not a matter of right or wrong really. However, this quartet dynamic brings out the needed emotive effect in pieces like the potent G-major scherzo movement or the electifying Quartetsalz. Ditto that as well for the great quintet in C major - which a live recording with the legendary cellist, Rostropovich. So, the Emerson's playing here on the whole is impeccably precise and consumately professional so it is more a question whether you like their style nuances as compared to others.
Part of this above conclusion may be colored in part by the sound quality here on DG, which I found to be deficient in tone richness and resonant depth. It just sounds stark and dry - lacking the resonant, harmonic fullness and proper sound stage that allow music to "breath" more and sound more expansive and dramatic. But on the positive side, the instrument balance is great and the sound is full in volume and not "hissy" with a close-miked ambiance allowing clear differentiation of instruments if you like that kind of sound.
The Quartets who to me best capture these most complex and emotive quartets most fully are the (1) Alban Berg (quartets and especially the quintet), (2) the Quatuor Mosaiques (who play a most expressively and nuanced Rosamunde) and (3) the Quartetto Italiano (all quartets, especially the G major quartet which is truly staturesque in its harmonic depths). And for the great quintet, the Marlboro Festival recording (Sony) is highly recommended for its spirited live performance, along with the Alban Berg's "Great Recording of the Century" on EMI.
This DG 3-CD set is a fine recording and value - I just don't think it is the music in which this top quartet shines the brightest. I think the others listed above represent Schubert on a higher plane of excellence and more idiomatic to the composition. But, this DG coupling of the last four great quartets plus the monumental string quintet is fairly unique and priced to be the best value out there. Either way, what is most important is to explore these most wonderful chamber masterpieces.
Awesome music, interesting performance.......2004-07-22
These five compositions--Schubert?s last quartets and nearly his last work, the string quintet--have got to be one of the most underappreciated achievements in the history of artistic endeavor. Who else ever captured such an incredible spectrum of emotions in such exquisite poetry, without Romantic excess? Only Shakespeare comes to mind.
The Emerson performances of the quartets are extremely interesting?very high on the drama, maybe not so high on the poetry. There is immense energy and passion, the usual Emerson technical excellence, but not warmth exactly. Someone reviewing the Berg Quartet?s version of D.887 said he hasn?t gone back to Emerson after hearing ABQ (?honey has replaced the razor blades?). I feel like I couldn?t go back to ABQ after Emerson. The way the Emerson four do the first movement of D.887?I just get a lump in my throat and a little shiver down my spine every time I hear it. If the music can be played this way, why wimp out? I guess I?ll take the razor blades?.
The performance of the quintet with Rostropovich is of a different order: brilliant AND warm. I suggest checking out the reviews of the separately issued CD. This is music-making of a very high order indeed. If the set was the only way to get this performance of the quintet, I?d recommend buying the set. With the quality of the other performances, a fantastic deal.
Schubert + Emerson = Listener Satisfaction.......2002-02-23
First, these quartets are some of the best written to date so if you've not heard them, you should. Second, This is a great set to start with.
From the subtle first movement of Rosemunde, to the confused fury of Death and the Maiden, Emerson's interpretations are immense and multi-dimensional, constantly engaging the listener to jump further into the music. Not bad for a thirty some-odd dollar CD set.
The shining moment is the Quartettsatz. Already (in my opinion) THE BEST nine minutes of chamber music ever, Emerson adds to its appeal taking a bold flirty approach with it; Like a good crime novel, building an undeniable forward motion. It's so sad when after two minutes, the second movement cuts off. If the reader has no idea what I'm talking about, take my word. It will effect you.
The reason for the subtracted star is that, although Emersons in-your-face approach works well for the fast, bold movements, they can not fully shake it in the slower movements, where it sounds clumsey and innapropriate. The second movement in Rosamunde and D 703 could've done with more delicate treatment. For experienced Schubert listeners, Emerson adds a refreshing twist to these quartets. For the beginner, this is an exciting starting point.
Good but not Best.......2000-12-12
Unless you are in a hurry or care about the modern, digital sound, wait for Sony to release the Budapest Quartet version of these quartets on CD. That is the version to have; its absence from CD is one of the great gaps in the catalog.
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Schubert: String Quintet D. 956; Quartettsatz D. 703
Guarneri Quartet , and Leonard Rose
Manufacturer: RCA
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ASIN: B0002VYE0Y
Release Date: 2004-10-12 |
Tracks:
- Allegro Ma Non Troppo
- Adagio
- Scherzo: Presto
- Allegretto
- Allegro Assai
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During its distinguished 40-year career, the Guarneri Quartet has generated an enormous discography. This recording of the 1970s must be among its earliest. It is totally amazing. The group's unique, instantly recognizable characteristics are already fully in evidence: its beautiful, expressive sound, its unanimous, aristocratic style, its unfailing sense of pacing, its poised, organic transitions. Every note is alive and expressive; every line stands out in a seamlessly woven tapestry. In the Quintet's unusual scoring, the viola holds the balance between two high and two low voices. Michael Tree makes his part a source of tensile yet flexible strength. The mercurial first movement encompasses melting lyricism and high drama; in the second, the anguished middle section is much faster, making the return to the original celestial mood problematic. The Scherzo is robust, the Trio tragic; the Finale is an exuberant, austere, gracious dance. The "Quartetsatz" is urgent, ominous; the lyrical second theme floats serenely. The Guarneri recorded the Quintet again in the 1990s with cellist Bernard Greenhouse--tracing the differences and similarities is fascinating. The two violins sound uncannily equal, the second cello more prominent; the slow movement tempo changes are more balanced. The basic concept seems unchanged, but the projection is heightened and intensified with greater freedom, spontaneity, ardor, repose, daring, breadth and depth of feeling. Two great recordings--both indispensable. --Edith Eisler
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Schubert: Chamber Masterpieces
Manufacturer: Vanguard Classics
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ASIN: B0000B1A67
Release Date: 2004-03-09 |
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- An under-appreciated quartet
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Weller Quartet: Decca Recordings, 1964-1970
Manufacturer: Decca
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ASIN: B0009A41YM
Release Date: 2005-08-09 |
Customer Reviews:
An under-appreciated quartet.......2006-02-26
It was through the Weller Quartet that I came to love the Brahms Op. 51 quartets during music school years ago. Theirs are very warm and loving performances in a style of playing that one finds less of now. The quartet's history tells you much of what to expect--all of the players were from the Vienna Philharmonic, and were the sons of professional musicians. Their sense of ensemble is first rate, and their sound is warm, even lush at times, though with reserve.
Walter Weller's comments say much about their interpretive stance: "nothing should be exaggerated--too much of any dynamic does not make any musical sense"..."always floating, never hard or sharp." Indeed, to me, their Brahms was like a warm bath...not to say that it was lacking in passion, but there was nothing fierce or overly aggressive about it.
Listening to the other performances in this box (some of which I'd heard, some not) provided a similar pleasure. The Wellers' approach harkens back to the traditions from which it came; very solid music making, impeccable ensemble, warm sound, and, while not lacking in energy or excitement, overall somewhat conservative.
This is not to say I don't enjoy some of the great quartets of our day: The Emersons, Leipzig, Takacs. In fact, it is probably fair to say that the latter 2 in particular descend, to some extent, from the Weller-type tradition.
But I would urge those seriously interested in chamber music to invest in this box, for the pleasure of hearing a somewhat different approach, and, definitely, for the pleasure of a number of hours of fine music making. The recorded sound is first rate for Decca in the 60's.
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- THE LINDSAYS: A ONE-STAR ENSEMBLE
- Don't be silly, just buy it.
- Jolly Ol'Schubert, made in England
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Schubert: The Late String Quartets; String Quartets
Manufacturer: Asv Living Era
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ASIN: B0001Z2RSW
Release Date: 2004-08-24 |
Tracks:
- I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
- II. Adagio
- III. Scherzo (Presto) - Trio (Andante Sostenuto)
- IV. Finale: Allegretto
Tracks:
- I. Allegro
- II. Andante Con Moto
- II. Scherzo (Allegro Molto) - Trio
- IV. Presto
- String Quartet No. 12 in C Minor, D703 'Quartettsatz'
Tracks:
- I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
- II. Andante
- III. Menuetto - Allegretto
- IV. Allegro Moderato
- I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
- II. Andante Sostenuto
- III. Menuetto - Allegretto
- IV. Presto
Tracks:
- I. Allegro Molto Moderato
- II. Andante Un Poco Moto
- III. Scherzo: Allegro Vivace - (Trio: Allegretto)
- IV. Allegro Assai
Customer Reviews:
THE LINDSAYS: A ONE-STAR ENSEMBLE.......2005-01-05
To compare the Lindsays to the Busch Quartet, as a few do, is like saying that Maya Angelou is Walt Whitman -- only someone with the most ill-informed or execrable taste could make such a statement.
Praising performers for their "warmth" -- a virtue the Lindsays supposedly possess -- is rather like answering the question "Is she an attractive woman?" with "She has a good sense of humor." In other words, no, she is not attractive. Similarly, by praising performers for their "warmth," a critic essentially means, "No, they can't play, but they supposedly have these other, more meaningful, less superficial virtues." When I see the word "warmth" used to describe a performance, I have learned to look elsewhere for an attractive performance.
Spend your money and decide for yourself. Personally, I find the Lindsays consistently wretched, neglecting and disfiguring the longer melodic lines by dwelling far too much on incidental detail. They deliberately "uglify" their sound to pander to those critics who -- in a self-congratulatory sort of way -- pride themselves on seeing through mere surface beauty. If that describes you, the Lindsays just possibly might suit you. They absurdly, self-consciously, and over-obviously strive to seem "wise" or "warm" a la the Busch, but this doesn't really matter because, oh yeah, they can't play either. It gets confusing, really, trying to discern between what's deliberately ugly and what's just ugly...
Don't be silly, just buy it........2005-01-02
The Lindsays reputation for outstanding performance is sufficient not to be reiterated here (too late perhaps!). Having heard the Alan Berg Quartets sublime rendering of the Quintet I had almost unreasonable demands upon any other recording. Happily the lindsays came through - though i still prefer the Berg; probably for no other reason than that I heard it first! The Rosamunde is exceptional possibly the standout - such a brooding and flawless introduction. However my real litmus test was to be D810 and I wasn't dissapointed - the control of tone at the lowest dynamic level is remarkable.
The sound is excellent and the music swells and recedes flawlessly.
Anyway, I have rabbited on long enough just buy it or suffer until you do.
Jolly Ol'Schubert, made in England.......2004-11-22
Judging by output in any one given year, Schubert has to be the greatest composer ever to have put the pen to the paper-by some margin. The proof in the pudding is the String Quintet, an hour of inspired, painfully beautiful chamber music. The slightly earlier string quartets are no mean feat either. "Death and the Maiden" and the Quartettsatz will make you fall in love with the genre if you are not already. The economic Lindsays set - as far as sets are concerned - is probably the finest available: emotional and vivacious, leading with a rendition of the quintet that has few, if any, rivals. Another famous quartet (on DG) has a similar set out, but the uninspired (if technically perfect) playing only shows why The Lindsays are the ones to go with.
P.S. There are cleaner accounts available on single discs that are just as spirited... the Quatour Mosaiques (Astree) would be worth your attention if you are not hunting for all of them at once!
Average customer rating:
- Pie in the sky
- should one reviewer get to drag down a rating?
- Parting shot---
- Another Opinion
- Depth and insight don't have to preclude fine playing--
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Schubert: String Quintet D. 956/String Quartet D. 810 "Death and the Maiden"
The Lindsays , and Douglas Cummings
Manufacturer: Asv Living Era
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
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ASIN: B0000542HL
Release Date: 2001-02-27 |
Tracks:
- First Movement: Allegro
- Second Movement: Andante Con Moto
- Third Movement: Scherzo (Allegro Molto) - Trio
- Fourth Movement: Presto
- String Quartet No. 12 In C Minor, D703 'Quartettsatz'
Tracks:
- First Movement: Allegro Ma Non Troppo
- Second Movement: Adagio
- Third Movement: Scherzo (Presto) - Trio (Andante Sostenuto)
- Fourth Movement: Finale: Allegretto
Customer Reviews:
Pie in the sky.......2005-01-04
Agreeance with Don, Come on Amazon - how DOES one get more than one parting shot at a review?
I too cannot help but make some of my own observations about this set by the Lindsays. I have never read the Penguin Guide as I find it inferior to the similar publication produced by Gramophone. This led me to the purchase of the Busch rendition of 1937, which I found fascinating if at times frustrating soundwise. My purchase of the Lindsay set came as a result not of any biased guide or opinion but as a result of the impression their recording of the late Beethoven Quartets left upon me.
Who cares if some English hack with a nationalist streak says the Lindsays' are the new messiahs or if American hacks of a similar vain say something quite the opposite - I for one have more discernment than to look to the opinions of others to ensure the 'validity' of my purchase. I find it far more pleasurable to make the discovery - pleasant or otherwise - myself.
As for the current recording, whilst I still prefer the Berg for the quintet, I found the performance wonderful with the Lindsay's 'raw style' never getting in the way of the music. As for the Adagio I only wish it could go on forever... of course that's just me.
The Lindsays are a fine outfit, and our comprehension and interpretation of the pieces they have recorded and performed is greater for it.
should one reviewer get to drag down a rating?.......2004-12-20
I like the lindsays - scrappy or not. I am not sure one reviewer should get to make two review ratings. But I do appreciate Sky Sky's points.
Parting shot---.......2004-03-30
The pro-Lindsay reviewer below observes that he has not seen a live performance by a string ensemble that has not been plagued by the scrappiness with which every Lindsay recording is inevitably plagued.
I can't resist pointing out that the Ma / Cleveland performance (Sony/CBS) of the Schubert string quintet was--according to the liner notes--recorded live, in a single take: Yes, the entire quintet--the entire CD--is one take. So, contrast that disc, if you like, with the Lindsays' performance, which was not recorded live in a single take, and then offer an assessment of the Lindsays' ability to play--of egregious lack thereof. Even ensembles that do not stoop to so-called "vanity edits" have no difficulty in playing better than the Lindsays.
And again, while I do like the Ma / Cleveland performance, I still find the Raphael Ensemble on Hyperion to be in many ways the most satisfying of all. And for a second or third opinion, look for the Hagen / Schiff performance on DG (an import that I believe can be found through Amazon.com by searching with "Deutsche" in the label box and "Schubert" in the title box).
Another Opinion.......2004-01-22
It appears that reviewer sky5361 and I are severely at odds over the merits of the Lindsays' recording of the Schubert Quintet. Interestingly enough we do agree on one matter. I agree that the Lindsays are not a perfect ensemble. False intonation and the occasional "scrappy" attack do find there way (sometimes often) into their performances. However, to be fair, I've never played or have seen a professional live quartet play anything without similar problems. On this point I find it refreshing that the Lindsays choose to leave in blemishes if their musical point has been made rather than include a vanity splice to prevent reviewers from attacking their technical abilities. As far as musicianship is concerned, I (and many other professioanl chamber music colleagues of mine) believe the Lindsays are second to none in there ability to capture the spirit of the compositions. On a purely technical point, the Lindsays are masterful at their abilities to balance to one another in a fashion that allows every note that needs to be heard ring in total clarity. There is no lack of sensitivity to what is important in the musical argument. The individual playing may not be as fine as some, but faulting them for such a matter would condemn similar artists such as Pablo Casals and Yehudi Menuhin who were by no means technical giants in comparison to some of there colleagues. To "wrap it up" let me conclude by saying that the Lindsays will not be for everyone, but I would suggest experiencing their playing first before making an opinion. This CD was the first performance of theirs that I heard and needless to say, I would be disappointed if I never got to know their playing.
Depth and insight don't have to preclude fine playing--.......2003-12-14
England's Lindsay Quartet has always divided opinion--usually between England and the rest of the world!
I would suggest that the dichotomy between tonal beauty and a satisfying performance is a false one--this choice simply doesn't have to be made. The Talich and Italian quartets in Beethoven are supreme examples of players with impeccable tone and ensemble who nevertheless attain the heights.
The Lindsays' English supporters (primarily the Penguin Guide) began this critical shibboleth that the very rawness (and it is raw!!) of the playing somehow gets you closer to the "inner Schubert"--whatever that means. The point is that national chauvinism elicits these golden opinions, and nothing else. This is borne out by reactions to this performance from highly esteemed critics in France, Germany, and the U.S.
If it is true that a performance such as the Emerson / Rostropovich recording is essentially a "star" vehicle for their own fabulous intonation, then it is equally true that the Lindsay performance goes too far in the other direction, sacrificing intonation and ensemble and the singing line in a quest for a very idiosyncratic "inner truth."
Fact is, the Lindsays' scrappy playing is as much a hindrance to enjoying this piece as other groups' supposed excess of gloss--not to mention that the Lindsays stretch the adagio out to an almost absurd length, surely the longest on disc.
To my taste, the relatively unheralded Raphael Ensemble on Hyperion offer the finest digital version of this piece. The performance is refined, extremely well played, and allows you to hear a wealth of detail--and the recording is spectacular to boot. The Ma / Cleveland performance on Sony is another great digital recording that captures well the undercurrent of despair (though the breathing can be intrusive). The Hagen / Schiff performance on DG offer what strikes me as an echt-Viennese performance, replete with a gemutlichkeit that the Lindsays deplorably lack in everything they do.
Finally, to those who remain persuaded by the far-from-neutral opinion of the Penguin Guide, consider this: did you ever notice who wrote the liner notes to this Lindsay recording on ASV? Why, it's none other than Robert Layton, the very Penguin critic who gave the disc its rosette in the Penguin Guide! Hmmm... in politics, this is known as a conflict of interest. Do you think Mr. Layton is receiving a commission for every disc sold?
Music Review:
- Shostakovich: Symphony No. 13
- Simon Trpceski Plays Rachmaninoff
- Stojowski: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2
- Stravinsky: Oedipus Rex / Salonen
- Stravinsky - The Rake's Progress / Bostridge · York · Terfel · von Otter · Howells · LSO · Gardiner
- Susan Graham - Mozart & Gluck Arias ~ Il tenero momento
- Switched-On Brandenburgs [Enhanced]
- Symphonie Fantastique
- Tarrega: Recuerdos De La Alhambra [Import]
- Tchaikovsky: Piano Concerto No. 1; The Nutcracker (Excerpts)
Music Review
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Music Review
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Tadeusz Baird: Orchestral Works
Singers Of Imperial Russia, Vol. 5
Songs Our Daddy Taught Us
Studio One Ska
The Owl & the Tree [Import]
Sti Chora Ton Asmaton [Import]
The Fine Art of Surfacing [Original recording remastered] [Import]
The Best of The Guess Who, Vol. 2 [Import]
Tartini: The Devil's Sonata / Andrew Manze
The Other Side of Joe Henderson [Import]
Raggae Moon
Recargado [Import]
Guitar Favorites: Norbert Kraft
Azure