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The Emersons: technique and expression; Dvorák: art of the f

Sébastien Melmoth | Hôtel d'Alsace, PARIS | 04/28/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Emersons: technique and expression; Dvorák: art of the first water...

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The Emersons' trademark technical perfection is now fully wed to a ripened mellow expressive method apropos to an active circle of ensembles of the highest artistry and recorded repertoire (which includes the Leipzig and Prazák Quartets).



The Emersons seem to have a real dedication to this music--a commitment immediately palpable in their interpretations.



Writing in the 1970s, Malcolm MacDonald in his book on Schönberg rightly reminds us that `Dvorák's quartets (even now much undervalued) were among the most vital contributions to the genre in the later nineteenth century'.



The Emersons revitalize Dvorák's vibrant art.



The Eb-major Quartet (B.92), for example, has much to offer (as do all the works here) in terms of ecstatic melodies, interesting harmonic key changes, and curious quartet sonics (e.g., pizzicato, glissando, perdendosi, etc.): the Allegro, Dumka, Romanza, and Finale are all one could ask for in the quartet medium: it's virtually a perfect package.



Dvorák's range of expression--his enthusiastic development of motifs, application of colour, and apprehension of textures--attains the summa cum laude of chamber music, while the Emersons realize this with the highest artistic process.



Along with the magnificent two last Quartets (B.192-93), on offer here is a scrumptious reading of the `American' String Quintet (B.180), mate to the wondrous and understandably popular `American' Quartet (B.179).



The `American' Quintet is of course in the Entartete [`Degenerate'] (a reminder of this infamous critique) vein with suggestions of African and native American rhythms and scales.



Dvorák's third Quintet is with additional viola--(as opposed to his second Quintet [B.49] with double bass).



Enthusiasts need not hesitate in obtaining this immensely gratifying set.

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See too:

Schoenberg (Master Musicians Series)

Dvorák, Tchaikovsky, Borodin: Quartets

Dvorák: String Quartet No.12

Dvorak: String Quartet Nos. 10 & 13

Dvorak: String Quartet No. 12 in F major (American), B. 179 (Op. 96); String Quartet No. 14 in A flat major, B. 193 (Op. 105); 5 Bagatelles, B. 79 (Op. 47)

Dvorák: Complete String Quartets (Box Set)

Dvorák: String Sextet in A, Op. 68; String Quintet in G, Op. 77

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