Saint-Saens/Faure: The String Quartets

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Saint-Saëns is an also-ran in musical history. A few of his compositions made the big time, but the bulk of his work lies forgotten in libraries. His two string quartets, both relatively late works, will tell you why. They hold interest as long as they are playing, and then they fail the recognition test. Hear one a week later and you probably won't recognize it. But if you like to investigate late Romantic chamber music, you will find these performances, by one of America's best young quartets, excellent in all respect. And you'll also get to hear the Fauré Quartet, which is memorable. --Leslie Gerber

Tracks:

Str Qt, Op.112: Allegro
Str Qt, Op.112: Molto Allegro Quasi Presto
Str Qt, Op.112: Molto Adagio
Str Qt, Op.112: Allegro Non Troppo
Str Qt, Op.153: Allegro Animato
Str Qt, Op.153: Molto Adagio
Str Qt, Op.153: Interlude Et Final
Str Qt in e, Op.121: Allegro Moderato
Str Qt in e, Op.121: Andante
Str Qt in e, Op.121: Allegro

Amazon.com

Saint-Saëns is an also-ran in musical history. A few of his compositions made the big time, but the bulk of his work lies forgotten in libraries. His two string quartets, both relatively late works, will tell you why. They hold interest as long as they are playing, and then they fail the recognition test. Hear one a week later and you probably won't recognize it. But if you like to investigate late Romantic chamber music, you will find these performances, by one of America's best young quartets, excellent in all respect. And you'll also get to hear the Fauré Quartet, which is memorable. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Miamis Win the Super Bowl.......2000-02-06

This is a luminous recording! I typically shy away from chamber music (with the exceptions of The Kronos Quartet and the Emerson String Quartet) finding it less dynamic and emotionally compelling than orchestral works, but this album rates as one of my favorite classical recordings. The musicians show incredible skill and soulfulness as individuals yet combine their virtuosity into an ensemble performance that is truly transcendent.