Pražák Quartet & Zemlinsky Quartet - Bohuslav Martinů: String Quartets Nos. 1, 3 & 6 (2009/2022) [Digital Download 24/96]

The composer of Julietta left seven string quartets that do not, by any means, form a cycle but rather a succession of testimonies stretching from 1920 to 1947. This second volume – the first is on PRAGA 250 205 - juxtaposed the French Quartet (No. 1), a lengthy and luxurious, homage to Debussy and Dvorak, the shortest (No.3) ‘pocket’ Quartet and the Sixth written in the post-war utopia, a fantastic counterpoint of madrigals for strings with astonishing polymelodicism, introduction da camera to last Symphony No. 6 (Symphonic Fantasies, 1951-53), with his earnest, struggling character and high symphonic spirit.

"Martinù’s seven numbered string quartets do not form a coherent cycle in the way that the quartets of Bartók, Simpson or Shostakovich do. Martinù’s belong rather to the general corpus of his chamber music as a whole, relating as much to those works written close to each in time as much as themselves.

The three recorded here could scarcely be more different in texture, structure and dimension – and idiom – and none goes over the ground again of its fellows. True, the expansive early First (1918), taking up half the disc’s playing-time, is stylistically impure, embracing the various influences of Brahms, Debussy, Dvoøák and Reger with the same easy charm with which his later music disdained technical challenges. It is a thoroughly engaging score, earnest and beguiling by turns, although sounding nothing like the neo-classical Martinù of the 1920s and ’30s.

The Zemlinsky Quartet excels in this warm-hearted, exuberant score, a performance I enjoyed immensely. But the Pražák Quartet’s of the spikier Third (1929) and lyrical Sixth, both more concise – No 3 runs for just 12 minutes – are equally impressive and balance the Zemlinsky’s of No 1 superbly. Praga’s sound, recorded in Prague’s Dominová Studio, is very clear and well balanced. Unequivocally recommended." (Guy Rickards, Gramophone)

Tracklist:
01. I. Allegro moderato
02. II. Andante
03. III. Allegro - Allegro con brio
04. I. Allegro
05. II. Andante
06. III. Allegro vivo
07. I. Moderato - Allegro ma non troppo
08. II. Andante moderato
09. III. Allegro non troppo
10. IV. Allegro con brio


Thanks to the Original customer!