This disc contains two of Haydn’s greatest quartets and contrasts them with one of Beethoven’s early quartets that already demonstrates how he adopted Haydn’s model before developing it to his own ends.

The Haydn quartets are known as the “Emperor” and “Sunrise” respectively. The playing is similar in both and is a peerless example of quartet playing from the 1970’s technically speaking. Listeners who have become more accustomed to the more sprightly tempos for Minuet’s will be disappointed though and there are also numerous occasions where the phrasing is ignored in the passage work of the outer movements. Ornaments are also often placed in advance of the beat instead of today’s more common practice of on the beat. Listeners would be advised to sample before purchasing (the finale to the Sunrise quartet is perhaps a good bellweather).

There are no such reservations about the Beethoven. Here is playing and musicianship of the very highest quality. Tempo choices are perfect, both in themselves and in relation to each other. Phrase runs from instrument to instrument in a quite joyful manner; the dynamics are subtly observed rather than the hyper-intense fashion of today and seems to suit the mood of the music rather more than some of the dramatic accounts of the work heard in concert halls today.

The sound has aged well and reveals every aspect of the playing beautifully with only the seemingly constant thinning of the violin sound above the stage. Despite there being 3 years between the recordings on this disc and a change of location, the sound is remarkably consistent.

Recommended.

Copyright © 2010 John Broggio and HRAudio.net

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