Search - Schubert, Talich Quartet :: String Quartet / String Quintet

Schubert with Gusto!

10/26/1998

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This album is more homogeneous than would appear at first sight, since Josef Suk and friends play with the same emotionality and gusto as the Talich Quartet. The Quintet receives one of its most expressive readings, high in contrast and strong in emphasis. The contrast of the slashing outer parts of the Scherzo, for example, could not be stronger with the quiet inner part, here approaching the maudlin. Both the quintet and the quartet benefit from these groups' clarity in defining individual voices, and the high quality of the recording aids them in that. The impression you get from the Talich of listening in on a conversation of the four players carries over to Suk's ensemble. The youthful Quartet in Eb (often labeled "No. 10") is full of engaging melodies and makes a beautiful complement to the Quintet in C. For those seeking a more classically restrained version I can recommend the Nuovo Quartetto Italiano (Denon)."