Great Russian String Quartets

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:42:36 +0000

(Borodin) “movement-by-movement comparison makes it clear that …the Borodins win hands down … their internal balance at every point is irreproachable (Gramophone) (Glazunov): “reconciliation between the traditions of Borodin and Tchaikovsky … Shostakovich Quartet have great feeling for this music and play with real conviction” (Penguin Guide); (Tchaikovsky): “their earlier recordings (as here) are unassailable recommendations. Look no further” (Penguin Guide); (Prokofiev): “an excellent performance, which at times even matches the abandon and attack of the Hollywoods. The Second a work of real quality which has the astringent flavouring and poetic flair that characterize Prokofiev at his best” (Gramophone) (Shostakovich): “(They)…bring a special intensity to this repertoire as well as effortless technical address, and a tonal blend which gives their readings a strong claim on the collector’s allegiance.” (©Penguin Guide 3 stars)

Alexander Borodin (1833-87) Disc A
STRING QUARTETS No.l (1877-9) and No.2 (1881)

String Quartet No.1 in A major
[1] Moderato – Allegro 13:40
[2] Andante con moto 8:20
[3] Scherzo: Prestissimo 5:25
[4] Andante – Allegro risoluto 10:34
String Quartet No.2 in D major
[5] Allegro moderato 7:53
[6] Scherzo: Allegro 4:47
[7] Nocturne: Andante 8:12
[8] Finale: Andante – Vivace 6:51
ALEXANDER GLAZUNOV (1865-1936) Disc B
String Quartets No. 3 in G major op.26 “Slavonic”;
No.5 in D minor Op.70; Music From “The Fridays”
String Quartet No.3 in G major, Op.26 (28:04)
[1] I. Moderato 5:37
[2] II. Interlude. Moderato 5:14
[3] III. In Mazurka Style. Allegretto 6:00
[4] IV. Finale. Une fete slave. Allegro moderato 11:12
String Quartet No.5 in D minor, Op.70 (28:53)
[5] I. Andante – Allegro 9:19
[6] II. Scherzo. Allegretto 4:22
[7] III. Adagio 8:04
[8] IV. Finale. Allegro 7:06
“The Fridays” cycle for String Quartet:
[09] Prelude & Fugue (Book 1, No.1) 10:22
[10] Kuranta (Book II, No.6) 2:04
SERGEI PROKOFIEV (1891-1953) Disc C
String Quartets Nos.1 & 2
String Quartet No.l in B minor, Op.50 (26:21)
1. Allegro 8 :07
2. Andante molto. Vivace 7:00
3. Andante 11:09
String Quartet No.2 in F major, Op.92 (23:40)
4. Allegro sostenuto 6:33
5. Adagio 8:26
6. Allegro 8:37
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-93) Disc D
String Quartets No.1, No.2
String Quartet No.1 in D major, Op.11
[1] Moderato e semplice 10:26
[2] Andante cantabile 6:35
[3] Scherzo: Allegro non tanto 3:43
[4] Finale: Allegro giusto 6:42
String Quartet No.2 in F major, Op.22
[5] Adagio – Moderato assai 11:36
[6] Scherzo: Allegro giusto 5:23
[7] Andante ma non tanto 12:23
[8] Finale: Allegro con moto 5:42
Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-75) Disc E
GREAT STRING QUARTETS Nos. 4, 8, 10
String Quartet No.4 in D Major, Op.83 (1949) 24:36
1. I. Allegretto 3:55
2. II. Andantino 7:18
3. III. Allegretto – IV. Allegretto 13:22
String Quartet No.8 in C Minor, Op.110 (1960) 20:53
4. I. Largo 4:39
5. II. Allegro molto 2:45
6. III. Allegretto 4:33
7. IV. Largo 5:28
8. V. Largo 3:26
String Quartet No.10 in Ab Major, Op.118 (1964) 23:57
9. I. Andante 4:10
10. II. Allegretto furioso 4:10
11. III. Adagio 6:34
12. IV. Allegretto – Andante 9:01
Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-75) Disc F
GREAT STRING QUARTETS Nos. 7, 9, 11, 13
String Quartet No.7 in F# Minor, Op.108 (1960)* 12:06
[1] I. Allegretto 3:17 [2] II. Lento 3:18
[3] III. Allegro – Allegretto 5:30
String Quartet No.9 in Eb Major, Op.117 (1964)* 28:22
[4] I. Moderato con moto 4:15 [5] II. Adagio 4:42
[6]. III. Allegretto 3:53 [7] IV. Adagio 4:42 [8] V. Allegro 10:47
String Quartet No.11 in F Minor, Op.122 (1966)** 16:38
[9] I. Introduction: Andantino 2:11 [10] II. Scherzo: Allegretto 2:40
[11] III. Recitative: Adagio 1:27 [12] IV. Etude: Allegro 1:15
[13] V. Humoresque: Adagio 1:08 [14] VI. Elegy: Adagio 4:31
[15] VII. Finale: Moderato 3:22
String Quartet No.13 in Bb Minor, Op.138 (1970)**
[16] Adagio – Doppio movimento – Tempo primo 18:12

Borodin: Symphony No. 2 in B minor; Overture “Prince Igor”; Polovtsian Dances: Polotvtsian March; In the steppes of Central Asia

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:41:04 +0000

“Too long neglected on disc, (his excellent Nielsen symphonies now also ALTO) Ole Schmidt and the Royal Philharmonic, with ideal couplings, offers an outstanding version at budget price of the Second Symphony….beautifully played and recorded in vivid, open sound, one of the very finest at any price” (c) Penguin Guide, 3 stars
“rich, open orchestral sound…is just as impressive in the fill-ups” (c) Gramophone

From “Prince Igor”

[1] Overture from “Prince Igor”(completed Glazunov) 11:00
[2] Polovtsian Dances 14:08
[3] Polovtsian March 5:19

[4] In the Steppes of Central Asia 7:18

Symphony No.2 in B minor

[5] Allegro 7:03
[6] Scherzo: prestissimo 5:18
[7] Andante 7:48
[8] Finale – Allegro 7:07

Borodin: String Quartets Nos 1 & 2

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:37:42 +0000

“Performance thoroughly enjoyable“ (Penguin Guide)

String Quartet No.1 in A major

[1] Moderato – Allegro 13:01
[2] Andante con moto 8:37
[3] Scherzo: Prestissimo 5:24
[4] Andante – Allegro risoluto 9:51

String Quartet No.2 in D major

[5] Allegro moderato 7:52
[6] Scherzo: Allegro 4:33
[7] Nocturne: Andante 8:16
[8] Finale: Andante – Vivace 7:08

Borodin – Alto CD

Great Russian String Quartets

Borodin: Symphony No. 2 in B minor; Overture “Prince Igor”; Polovtsian Dances: Polotvtsian March; In the steppes of Central Asia

Borodin: String Quartets Nos 1 & 2