Search - Sergey Rachmaninov, Artur Balsam, Budapest String Orchestra :: Sergey Rachmaninov: String Quartet No. 1 & No. 2; Trio Elegiaque, Op. 9

The two-movement Rachmaninoff string quartets, both early works, are seldom heard today, and neither is the trio. The Budapest String Quartet played all this music at one concert in 1952. While the BSQ was a little past its prime, we are still lucky to have these performances. The trio in particular, with the normally mild-mannered Artur Balsam joining in, is breathtakingly passionate in this performance, which convinces me that it's better music than I usually think it is. The recorded sound, though hardly modern, isn't bad. For those who love Rachmaninoff but don't know these pieces, or lovers of the Budapest Quartet, this disc is a real discovery. --Leslie Gerber