Death And The Maiden

The traditionally ceremonial key of C major takes on a different hue in Schubert’s Quintet. Its demands, ranging from the pensive to the passionate, don’t ruffle the Belcea Quartet and Valentin Erben. Take it for granted that the playing is on the loftiest level, ensemble always transparently clean; and the ability to think, listen and prepare as a coordinated team results in an extraordinarily cogent performance sure in its grasp of phraseology, structure and dynamics.

The 12 Ensemble present 'Death and the Maiden', a powerful and personal journey through an evolving musical landscape that highlights the unique voice and vision of London's pioneering un-conducted string orchestra. With their own arrangement of Schubert's iconic string quartet at its heart, the record features a brand new commission from newly-appointed ROH composer in residence Oliver Leith, alongside a poignant work by Tavener and a tribute to the ensemble's time in Iceland with a heart-felt arrangement of a song by Sigur Rós.

Death preyed heavily on the minds of both Schubert and Sibelius when they were composing the two string quartets on this new recording from the Ehnes Quartet. Sibelius had undergone several operations to remove a tumour in his throat. The bleak and highly personal 4th Symphony is the masterwork from this period, but the string quartet ‘Intimate Voices’ of 1908 should not be underestimated. Taut and highly concentrated, it has an almost Haydnesque construction, and the quartet’s first movement’s sheer perfection of form approaches that of the 3rd Symphony’s opening movement.

‘When we approach a composer, we like to immerse ourselves in his or her early works, in order to understand the evolution of the person behind the score.'

Hyperion’s Record of the Month for October marks the debut on the label by the Takács Quartet. After seventeen years recording for Decca, including multi-awarding-winning cycles of quartets by Beethoven and Bartók, this thrilling ensemble is now embarking on a new relationship with Hyperion; future projects will include works by Brahms, Janácek and Schumann. Schubert’s famous String Quartet, D810, subtitled ‘Death and the Maiden’, is one of the pillars of the repertoire. This new performance is electrifying, and was recorded following a global concert series, enthusiastically welcomed in the press: ‘The Takács’ reading of the second movement was characterized by unremitting pain and mystery.

Dans l'histoire de l'enregistrement, le pianiste Richter est bien celui dont les éditions témoignent de la plus hallucinante autant que pléthorique foutraquerie, mâtinée de beaucoup de redondances sur fond d'éditions pirates et officieuses. C'est la vraie tour de Babel de l'édition musicale, et Brueghel l'Ancien n'a plus qu'à aller se rhabiller de son manteau de probité. Je renonce donc ici (ce réveillon de fin d'année m'a tué) à recenser ma discothèque personnelle (quelque 15 000 disques…) pour discerner si, dans l'ordre ou dans le désordre, ce qu'on trouve sur ce CD nous est donné pour la première fois, ou si c'est là doublon partiel ou intégral, voire la trois virgule quatorze cent seizième version du même par les mêmes.