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Dvorak: String Quintets Op. 1 & 97
Antonin Dvorak, Ladislav Kyselak, Vlach Quartet
Dvorak: String Quintets Op. 1 & 97
Genre: Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (7) - Disc #1

These two quintets make an interesting pair. Dvorák wrote Op. 1 when he was 20; the seeds of greatness to come are clearly discernible in its passionate romantic ardor and simple, lovely melodies. However, the piece t...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Antonin Dvorak, Ladislav Kyselak, Vlach Quartet
Title: Dvorak: String Quintets Op. 1 & 97
Members Wishing: 1
Total Copies: 0
Label: Naxos
Release Date: 5/15/2001
Genre: Classical
Styles: Chamber Music, Historical Periods, Classical (c.1770-1830)
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPC: 730099437622

Synopsis

Amazon.com
These two quintets make an interesting pair. Dvorák wrote Op. 1 when he was 20; the seeds of greatness to come are clearly discernible in its passionate romantic ardor and simple, lovely melodies. However, the piece tends to ramble, and he had yet to find his own distinctive voice. There are echoes of Mendelssohn, Schubert, and Schumann, and an almost direct quote from Mozart's G-minor Piano Quartet. The piece was premiered 17 years after Dvorák's death and published a century after his birth. The other quintet here, one of his consummate masterpieces, was written more than three decades later in Spillville, Iowa, an enclave of Czech immigrants where Dvorák spent summer holidays during his stay in America. Like all the composer's so-called American pieces, it seems to reflect homesickness rather than any New World influences. While the early quintet starts with a slow introduction, the opening here merely feels slower; hesitant and questioning, like a curtain drawn gradually to reveal a scene basking in mellow sunlight. The Scherzo is a lively dance with a lyrical Trio, the Finale is vigorous and exuberant. But the work's jewel is its slow movement, a set of inspired variations on a theme of incomparable, heart-melting beauty. The writing is masterly; as usual, Dvorák makes the violas, his own instrument, especially prominent. The playing is excellent. The Quartet, joined here by violist Kyselák Ladislav, is literally the inheritor of the great Czech tradition: Josef Vlach, leader of the famous Vlach Quartet, is the first violinist's father and mentor to the younger players. Dvorák's music is as natural to them as their native tongue. Tempi are sensible, rhythmic liberties poised, textures rich but transparent. The tone is warm, vibrant, and expressive. They prize spontaneity and immediacy of expression over perfection. --Edith Eisler
 

CD Reviews

Well done
G. Metcalf | United States | 10/07/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Vlach quartet, Prague does a wonderful job with these two pieces. Opus 1 is pleasant and tunefull but Opus 97 is the real stand-out. As the other reviewer mentions this was one of several works written during Dvorak's stay in the U.S. and it shares the attributes making those such great works: folksy tunes and nostalgic moods among other things. The recorded sound here is excellent and allows you to easily hear the fantastic job done by each musician. This CD is easy to recommend highly."
Fine performance - 4 1/2 stars
J. Grant | North Carolina, USA | 02/18/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)

"While this may not be the very best performance of Op.97 that I've heard (I slightly prefer the Talich or Leipzig), it is, nevertheless, very good. When you take into consideration the price, it becomes even more attractive."