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www.jansmusic.co.uk - for musical independence
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JANSMUSIC RECOMMENDED RECORDING
Antonin Dvorak: String Quartets 14 & 9Including this section of best string quartet is a joy for me, since it gives me the chance to discover lots of new string quartets, and I humbly confess my ignorance when it comes to Dvorak quartets. These have been a wonder to discover, full of passion and life, and bringing out the subtle influences of other prominent romantic composers: I can particularly hear Beethoven coming through in parts (probably because I know Beethoven better than any other string quartet composer).
The recording begins with Dvorak's final quartet, which took him longer to write than any other chamber work, and which shows a real maturity of style and nature. It is pastoral in nature: the first movement is soulful and changeable, alternating darker passages with a high-spirited rustic theme, the second movement is more folky, using rhythms from a Czech dance, which features interesting cross-rhythms, the slow movement is sublime, quite simply written, and the last movement returns very much to the pastoral theme, with images of green fields and fresh air.
Quartet no. 9 is from some 20 years earlier, and I prefer it. It says more to me in terms of emotion.The first movement is darker, more filled with secrets and the same tragic world of the romantics that comes out in his contemporaries' works, the second movement has a bouncing lightness with a wonderful cello version of the melody that comes through the texture, which is a delight to listen to and I tend to put it on repeat play, the third movement is just gorgeous: gentle, sustained and soulful, followed by a pleasant lively finale.
The Delme celebrated their 40th anniversary
with this CD. They have been around a while and are settled into
their own style. Occasionally the tuning on a note is not perfect
but all the better for a live sounding performance. That's what I like -
it sounds natural, it sounds like they've gone into a studio, played it
through, then gone home for tea, rather than spending 3 days having every
note edited into place. Bring back those days!
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