The prolific Leipzig
String Quartet are making quite a name
for themselves in the recording studios
and are in my opinion currently one
of Europe’s premiere chamber ensembles.
Their recent MDG collections of the
complete Schubert string quartets and
the Reger chamber music, in addition
to their continuing cycles of the complete
Mendelssohn string quartets and Brahms
and Beethoven chamber music et al have
all been received with considerable
critical acclaim. I was overjoyed with
a recent Leipzig String Quartet release
of the Dvořák
Piano Quintet op.81 and String Quintet
op.97 on MDG GOLD 307 1249-2 which I
had the good fortune to review.
Brahms displayed a
fondness for composing many of his works
in sets of pairs such as the: two Piano
Concertos; two Orchestral Serenades;
the Academic Festival and Tragic Overtures;
two Cello Sonatas, two Sextets, the
Piano Quartets No. 1 and 2, the Song
of Fate and Song of Triumph, for Chorus
and Orchestra. The two String Quintets
featured on this MDG release form part
of that pattern. Like the String Quintets
of Mozart, Brahms scores both his String
Quintets for two violins, two violas
and cello. The selection of two violas
is characteristic of Brahms who admired
the register of the instrument and the
richness of texture that it can impart.
In 1882, whilst on
vacation at the fashionable salt water
Spa resort of Bad Ischl in the Austrian
lake district, Brahms composed the three
movement String Quintet in F major,
op. 88. The composer was delighted with
his efforts and described it as a ‘beautiful
work’. Brahms's friend Theodor Billroth
also raved about the first String Quintet
stating, "After every movement there
stands 'In the Spring of 1882'. And
truly everything sounds and breathes
Spring." Not surprisingly the String
Quintet is sometimes given the title
‘Spring’.
The reflective yearning
and cheerful optimism in the central
movement of the first String Quintet
is particularly well performed by the
Leipzig String Quartet and provides
an emotional roller-coaster for the
listener. The string ensemble’s playing,
always alert and sensitive is impressive
and authoritative throughout.
Brahms intended his
four movement String Quintet in G major,
op.111 to be his last chamber work although
that was not to be. Also composed in
Bad Ischl some eight years later in
1890 when Brahms was fifty-seven the
work contains much youthful exuberance
combined with vigour and optimism. It
has been said that naturalness, harmony
and joy immediately come to mind as
attributes for the second String Quintet.
One contemporary of Brahms even heard
"the cheerful, relaxed atmosphere of
the Vienna Prater", and the composer
could only confirm this impression,
"Isn't it so! And the many pretty girls
in it!"
Straight from the opening
bars of the second String Quintet the
Leipzig String Quartet give notice that
they mean business providing a vigorous
and deeply satisfying performance. The
players are in top form amongst the
cheerfulness of the opening movement
and the third movement Scherzo.
The tragedy of the second movement Adagio
is thoughtfully performed by the Leipzig
String Quartet displaying the intensity
of this deeply sorrowful music.
With regard to alternative
versions of both these two String Quintets
the main competition comes from the
Raphael Ensemble on Hyperion CDA 66804
and the Hagen Quartet on DG 453 420-2
both of which will provide considerable
satisfaction. For the second String
Quintet op.111 only, my preferred version
is the recently released glorious interpretation
by the Belcea Quartet on EMI Classics
557661 2.
It is almost becoming
monotonous to comment about the fine
sound quality from the MDG engineers.
The annotation is also up to the usual
high standard. My only grouse is why
the record company, have for some reason,
confusingly placed the second String
Quintet, op.111 before the first String
Quintet, op.88 on the release. All future
programming in chronological order please!
This is a really high
class recording. Recommended!
Michael Cookson
Leipzig String Quartet 