Leos Janácek: String Quartets No. 1 "Kreutzer Sonata" & No. 2 "Intimate Letters"

1. String Quartet No. 1 ("Kreutzer"), JW 7/8
Composed by Leos Janacek
with Christian Wolff , Marie Bereau , Alain Pelissier , Manfred Bourgogne Quatuor , Luigi Vecchioni

2. String Quartet No. 2 ("Listy duverné," "Intimate Letters"), JW 7/13
Composed by Leos Janacek
with Christian Wolff , Marie Bereau , Alain Pelissier , Manfred Bourgogne Quatuor , Luigi Vecchioni

Customer Reviews:

classic performances of great chamber music.......2007-01-07

The Janacek string quartets are classics of the chamber music repertoire - they are immediately accessible works that should be in the library of any music lover. As these performances by the Janacek Quartet were at one time regarded as definitive, buyers should have no reservations at all about the interpretations. The recordings of the Janacek quartets date from 1963 with sound that is warm & full-bodied. The players sound as if they were right on top of the microphone & the result is thick & up-front in a way that I find very pleasing.

The disc is rounded out by Novak's String Quartet no. 2, a good companion piece for the Janacek. Highly recommended.

Czech Masters - Smetana, Janácek, Martinu: Complete Quartets (Box Set)

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Czech Masters - Smetana, Janácek, Martinu: Complete Quartets (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000UX5FM
Release Date: 2003-11-25

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Fabulour Lindsay String Quartet Recording

Janácek: The Two String Quartets

Manufacturer: Asv Living Era
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Mozart: String Quartets Nos. 14 - 23

ASIN: B0000030SB
Release Date: 1993-12-16

Tracks:

Str Qt No.1 'The Kreutzer Son': First Movt: Adagio-Con Moto
Str Qt No.1 'The Kreutzer Son': Second Movt: Con Moto Vivace
Str Qt No.1 'The Kreutzer Son': Third Movt: Con Moto-Vivac-Andante
Str Qt No.1 'The Kreutzer Son': Fourth Movt: Con Moto
Str Qu No.2 'Intimate Letters': First Movt: Andante-Allegro
Str Qu No.2 'Intimate Letters': Second Movt: Adagio-Piu Mosso-Vivace-Andante-Presto
Str Qu No.2 'Intimate Letters': Third Movt: Moderato-Adagio-Allegro
Str Qu No.2 'Intimate Letters': Fourth Movt: Allegro-Andante-Allegro-Adagio-Tempo l
Cypresses: No.1. Moderato ('I Know That On My Love To Thee')
Cypresses: No.2. Allegro Ma Non Troppo ('In Many A Heart Is Death')
Cypresses: No.3. Andante Con Moto ('In The Sweet Power Of Your Eyes')
Cypresses: No.4. Poco Adagio ('Oh, Our Love Will Not Bloom Into That Long Wished-For Happiness')
Cypresses: No.5. Andante ('Here I Search For Your Dear Letter')
Cypresses: No.6. Andante Moderato ('Oh, Golden Charming Rose')
Cypresses: No.7. Andante Con Moto ('I Lurch Around The House')
Cypresses: No.8. Lento ('Here In The Depths Of The Forest')
Cypresses: No.9. Moderato ('Oh, Dear Soul, Only One')
Cypresses: No. 10. Andante Maestoso ('There Stands An Ancient Rock')
Cypresses: No.11. Allegro Scherzando ('Nature Is Held In Light Sleep')
Cypresses: No.12. Allegro Animato ('You Ask Why My Songs')

Customer Reviews:

Fabulour Lindsay String Quartet Recording.......2003-10-28

This recording is one of the closest to a live performance I've ever heard. Its a must for anyone with curiosity - you don't have to like Janacek, string quartets or even classical music to hear the guts in the performance and sheer conviction. A long time fan of the Lindsays', I heard them play these pieces live in London many years ago at one of the most emotive concerts I've ever been to. The recording takes you on a similar ride - the music is visceral and the playing totally convincing.

Average customer rating:

Janacek at white heat
If you like Bartok...
4 interesting pieces from the czech composer

Janácek: String Quartets Nos. 1 & 2

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Ives: Violin Sonatas Nos. 1-4

ASIN: B0000060D0
Release Date: 1998-05-26

Tracks:

String Quartet No.1, 'Kreutzer Sonata': I. Adagio con moto
String Quartet No.1, 'Kreutzer Sonata': II. Con moto
String Quartet No.1, 'Kreutzer Sonata': III. Con moto: Vivace - Andante
String Quartet No.1, 'Kreutzer Sonata': IV. Con moto: Adagio
String Quartet No.2, 'Intimate Letters': I. Andante con moto - Allegro
String Quartet No.2, 'Intimate Letters': II. Adagio - Vivace
String Quartet No.2, 'Intimate Letters': III. Moderato - Adagio- Allegro
String Quartet No.2, 'Intimate Letters': IV. Allegro - Andante- Adagio
Sonata for Violin and Piano: I. Con moto
Sonata for Violin and Piano: II. Ballada
Sonata for Violin and Piano: III. Allegretto
Sonata for Violin and Piano: IV. Adagio
Pohadka (Fairy Tale) For Cello And Piano: I. Con moto
Pohadka (Fairy Tale) For Cello And Piano: II. Con moto
Pohadka (Fairy Tale) For Cello And Piano: III. Allegro

Customer Reviews:

Janacek at white heat.......2003-12-28

This was my first serious venture into Janacek and I wasn't disappointed. Impressive as Dvorak and Smetana's quartets are, frankly Janacek packs more intensity and white heat into his music, and also manages to "push the bounds" of music a little bit more. The Second String Quartet ("Intimate Letters", 1928) was one of his last compositions and represents the full development of his art. Its genesis was tied to his obsessive love affair with the singer Kamila Stosslova, and thus had great personal meaning for him, although unfortunately he died before he could ever hear it performed. As he wrote to her, "I have succeeded in writing a piece in which the earth begins to tremble. Here I can find a place for my most beautiful melodies." Likewise, the ravagingly beautiful First String Quartet ("Kreutzer Sonata", 1923) was inspired by another passionate love story, Leo Tolstoy's tale of love's destructive power. This is electric stuff.

While Janacek was never QUITE as "folksy" as Dvorak, he often dipped into Moravian folk tunes and transposed Slavic-inspired stories into music. The "Pohadka" (Fairy Tale) for cello and piano was based on Russian poet Vassily Zhukovsky's epic poem of the Kashchei, Ruler of the Underworld (Stravinsky later took up this same story in the "Firebird" Suite). Like the Sonata for Violin and Piano, this piece reminded me a lot of Bartok's early adaptations of Hungarian folkmusic, even with the liberal dose of Janacek's distinctive Czech idiom.

This is a lucid and intense performance by the Vlach Quartet. "Budget" be damned. Five stars.

If you like Bartok..........2001-01-02

I'm a Janacek fan with a working cd player, and I certainly haven't got money to burn. I'd just like to proffer a rather more enthusiastic review. First, these works are widely considered to be masterworks in the string quartet repertory. Second, the Vlach Quartet's rendering is in my view excellent, though I don't claim to have heard other performances: certainly, this ensemble has received very good reviews from professional critics. Third, the sound quality is about as good as my working cd player will permit! Nice liner notes, too, and attractive fillers (I mean the violin sonata and the pohadka). In short, an excellent choice for anyone with an eye for a bargain and a taste for hardcore string quartets (late Beethoven, Bartok, Shostakovich, Berg...). And if you like this sort of stuff, maybe you'll also like Purcell's Fantasias, Bach's Cello Suites, Reich's Different Trains, and/or Ram Narayan on sarangi. Though did I hear you say you don't know what a sarangi is?

4 interesting pieces from the czech composer.......2000-12-28

if you're a janacek fan with very little money and a working cd player this may be the disc for you. i'm not overly familiar with the composer's work myself and wouldnt exactly say this disc made me a convert but it is well worth a listen. not exactly my cuppa tea since i generally listen to string quartets when i'm trying to brood over the meaning of life and whatnot but still these are some pleasant, high energy pieces well played by prague's very own vlach quartet. sound recording is alright, it aint mind-blowing but what exactly do you expect for this price?

Average customer rating:

you said ...Janacek ?

Janacek: String Quartets Nos. 1 & 2
Leos Janacek , and Melos Quartet
Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00000JKFJ
Release Date: 1999-07-13

Customer Reviews:

you said ...Janacek ?.......2005-05-31

Sorry! I'm not a fan of the janacek Quartet
Sorry mr Janacek!

Smetana: Two String Quartets (No. 1 in E Minor "From My Life", No. 2 in D Minor)

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Smetana: Two String Quartets (No. 1 in E Minor "From My Life", No. 2 in D Minor)

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Release Date: 1993-08-31

Janácek: String Quartets No. 1 & 2; Pohádka; Violin Sonata

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Janácek: String Quartets No. 1 & 2; Pohádka; Violin Sonata

Manufacturer: Asv Living Era
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ASIN: B000FIH4S8
Release Date: 2006-07-25

Tracks:

Adagio-Con Moto
Con Moto
Con Moto
Con Moto
Andante-Con Moto
Adagio
Moderato
Allegro
Con Moto
Con Moto
Allegro
Con Moto
Ballade (Con Moto)
Allegretto
Adagio

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Debussy, Janácek: String Quartets

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ASIN: B00000E6Q3
Release Date: 1994-02-15

Bartók, Janácek: String Quartets (Complete)

Average customer rating:

A serious mismatch of artists and repetoire
Not so hot
One of the best Bartok sets
Since this is OOP:Review updated/Sept 3,2006

Bartók, Janácek: String Quartets (Complete)

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000003FYF
Release Date: 1996-01-16

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 1 - Adagio
String Quartet No. 1 - Con Moto
String Quartet No. 1 - Con Moto
String Quartet No. 1 - Con Moto
String Quartet No. 2 - 'Intimate Letters' - Andante
String Quartet No. 2 - 'Intimate Letters' - Adagio
String Quartet No. 2 - 'Intimate Letters' - Moderato
String Quartet No. 2 - 'Intimate Letters' - Allegro
String Quartet No. 1, Op. 7, Sz 40 - Lento-Attacca
String Quartet No. 1, Op. 7, Sz 40 - Poco A Poco Accelerando Al'Allegretto
String Quartet No. 1, Op. 7, Sz 40 - Introduzione: Allegro-Attacca
String Quartet No. 1, Op. 7, Sz 40 - Allegro Vivace

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 2, Op. 17, Sz 67 - Moderato
String Quartet No. 2, Op. 17, Sz 67 - Allegro Molto Capriccioso
String Quartet No. 2, Op. 17, Sz 67 - Lento
String Quartet No. 3, Sz 85 - Prima Parte: Moderato-Attacca
String Quartet No. 3, Sz 85 - Seconda Parte: Allegro-Attacca
String Quartet No. 3, Sz 85 - Ricapitulazione Della Prima Parte: Moderato
String Quartet No. 3, Sz 85 - Coda: Allegro Molto
String Quartet No. 4, Sz 91 - Allegro
String Quartet No. 4, Sz 91 - Prestissimo, Con Sordino
String Quartet No. 4, Sz 91 - Non Troppo Lento
String Quartet No. 4, Sz 91 - Allegretto Pizzicato
String Quartet No. 4, Sz 91 - Allegro Molto

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 5, Sz 102 - Allegro
String Quartet No. 5, Sz 102 - Adagio Molto
String Quartet No. 5, Sz 102 - Scherzo: Alla Bulgarese (Vivace)
String Quartet No. 5, Sz 102 - Andante
String Quartet No. 5, Sz 102 - Finale: Allegro Vivace
String Quartet No. 6, Sz 114 - Mesto; Piu Mosso, Pesante; Vivace
String Quartet No. 6, Sz 114 - Mesto; Marcia
String Quartet No. 6, Sz 114 - Mesto; Burletta
String Quartet No. 6, Sz 114 - Mesto

Amazon.com

Bartók's six quartets are the greatest set in that form since Beethoven; they have attracted most of the great quartets since the mid-century, and several complete recordings deserve consideration. The Tokyo String Quartet plays with high energy and dazzling technique in this, its second recording (notable for the presence of its newest, non-Japanese member, Peter Oundjian). It takes three discs, comparted with two for some other recordings, but it includes two of the century's most striking, original, and emotionally appealing quartets, composed by Janácek when he was involved in an intense, doomed, and reluctantly platonic love affair with a much younger woman. --Joe McLellan

Customer Reviews:

A serious mismatch of artists and repetoire.......2007-01-07

I've listened to this album repeatedly and can find little to recommend it. The playing is, for the most part, soft focus, with retrained dynamics, slow tempi, and little understanding of the ethnic music basis of Bartok's composition. On the other hand, the performance of the 5th quartet, which was the last recorded, is good. However, there are much better two disc sets of the six Bartok quartets by the Berg, Emerson, Keller, and Takacs Quartets. Similar reservations apply to the performances of the Janacek quartets.

Not so hot.......2006-08-03

I have to disagree. This performance is best characterized by the old joke: "they're playing Bartok, and Bartok is losing." It's not the fault of the core TSQ members, but rather that of Oundjian, whose playing I find agressive rather than spirited or assertive. Better to save your money for the (also OOP) *first* TSQ recording which was released, for about fifteen minutes, by Deutsche Grammophon in the early 1990s. It's worth a long crawl through broken glass: luxuriant, warm, extremely intelligent, and reasonably well recorded. The only other performance that does these pieces justice - by making them beautiful as well as dynamic - is an LP released by RCA Victor in the late 1970s. The performers? The Guarneri String Quartet, whose performance may not be the equal of that put out by the original TSQ, but it is quite good. Too bad it has yet to be released on CD.

One of the best Bartok sets .......2006-04-09

It's a shame that this set is out of print, it really is superbly played, on a par with the reference set by the Hungarian Quartet. The Janacek is a nice addition, although be warned that these are not mainstream performances - they are taken much more quickly than usual. The Bartok, however, really sings. It may be less authentic than those produced by the Hungarian, Vegh and Tatrai quartets, but they do a fabulous job in making the music understandable, perhaps less formidable than it can sometimes seem. A classic recording.

Since this is OOP:Review updated/Sept 3,2006.......2005-12-18

You'll have to "settle for" the New Budapest on Hyperion. I've compared the 2 one day and found both sets to be exceptional. , though the Tokyo/RCA group is my first pick. The Tokyo /DG group I didn't care for, too analytical, sharp, the music got lost in the technical mastery. i actually bought the Tokyo/DG set twice, just to double ck my comparison to the RCA group.
Not so with the RCA group.
This is a difficult set to come by, hopefully RCA will re-release it.

I see on Feburary 8th there is one copy avaliable at a very fair price of $99.
All you with the various recordings, Decca, Hungratron, Surpaphon, DG, EMI etc.
Think you have the best?
Wait til you hear this Tokyo/RCA group.
I have my copy otherwise I'd snap it up at a bargain price of $100.
This is the greatest recording of Bartok's SQ's , and I personally feel will never be equalled.
Ever.

EDIT: I had a chance to sit down this weekend and give both this Tokyo/RCA and the New Budapest/Hyperion sets a further review.
Seems I may have to slightly alter my above opinions. As finesly crafted as this set is performed, the New Budapest seems to have a deeper grasp of the emotional element that Bartok is trying to express. Not to say this Tokyo groups is not feeling the music. But in some sense a certain "hungarian earthiness" is revealed with the New Budapest players. No I am not favoring the "hometown team" as though i am biased.
Read my review on the New Budapest set. i'm still in listening session with both this weekend and will post any further comments, if need be.
EDIT: Sept 4, 2006, you can ck my further comments on the New Budapest/Hyperion release.
The 5 stars still remain for this recording.