ASV indicate that on
their Gold label they are committed
to providing a catalogue of high-quality
chamber music recordings, many of which
have received considerable critical
acclaim. Some of today’s leading artists
who have recorded for ASV include: cellist
Leonid Gorokhov and pianist Nikolai
Demidenko, the Schubert Ensemble of
London, cellist Raphael Wallfisch, The
Lindsays, cellist Julian Lloyd, violinist
Daniel Hope, pianist John McCabe, clarinettist
Emma Johnson, the English Chamber Orchestra,
soprano Dame Felicity Lott, pianist
Graham Johnson and The Nash Ensemble.
This release is an
excellent way to explore the String
Sextet
and G major String Quintet, two of Dvořák’s
lesser known chamber scores. They are
nonetheless hidden gems that greatly
assisted him to establish his mature
style. I have not seen these two scores
listed very often in recital programmes.
However, at the last three Lake
District Summer Music Festivals I had
the pleasure of hearing both the Sextet
and G major Quintet performed so admirably
by the renowned Chilingirian Quartet
and colleagues. A quick check has revealed
as many as eight or so available recordings
of the Sextet in the UK catalogues,
which I found rather surprising, but
only a handful of versions of the earlier
G major Quintet.
These three chamber
works were composed in the mid- to late-1870s
at a time when Dvořák was
beginning to become noticed both at
home and abroad. It was to be only a
few years before he made his international
breakthrough which progressed quickly
to phenomenal success. Dvořák began
to receive one compositional commission
after another and various prestigious
academic awards. Numerous offers of
tours and conducting obligations took
him five times to England alone. Between
1892 and 1895 he was working and composing
in the USA where he soon became esteemed
as one of the foremost composers of
his time.
String Sextet in A
major, B.80, Op.48 (1878)
Following closely in
the wake of his first set of Slavonic
Dances,
the String Sextet in A major from 1878
is the work which assisted Dvořák
on his way to international recognition,
being performed outside Bohemia, in
Berlin at the home of Joseph Joachim
before it was heard in his native Czechoslovakia.
In four movements the
score for the first time introduces
overtly Czech styles in his chamber
music.
In the allegro moderato
opening movement there is a heavy
nostalgic feel reminiscent of the English
Pastoral school that was to follow some
thirty or so years later. Highly attractive
and sensitive playing by the Nash. The
Dumka movement, subtitled ‘Elegy’,
contains contrasting blends of cheerfulness
and sadness here excellently communicated.
In the third movement, a fleet-footed
Furiant is vivaciously and mischievously
done. The colourful finale comprises
a theme and variations together with
a furious race to the finishing line.
The demands of this concluding movement
presents no problem to these impeccable
players.
The Nash deliver rich
and passionate playing burnished with
character and this version almost achieves
top spot. My primary recommendation
for the Sextet is the superb
1983 digital account from the Boston
Symphony Chamber Players lead by Joseph
Silverstein on Warner Apex 7559 79679-2.
The coupling is an equally fine version
of the Smetana Piano Trio in G minor,
Op.15.
String Quintet in G
major, B.49, Op.77 (1875)
Originally a five movement
work, the String Quintet in G major
was entered into a competition under
title of ’My People’. Subsequently
the second movement, the Intermezzo
(Nocturno), was removed from
the work. An unusual feature of the
score is the inclusion of a double bass
that provides additional richness.
The opening allegro
con fuoco overflows with wonderful
and contrasting tunes and ideas; one
minute brooding and the next galloping.
The Nash are more than equal to the
considerable demands of this melodic
movement. The mainly dance-like character
of the scherzo is tinged with
Slavic melancholy. Superb judgement
of tempo with a really beautiful silvery
tone from the excellent leader Marianne
Thorsen. The third movement poco,
andante with its distinctive and
gentle rocking theme is sensitively
done. The light-hearted mood of the
finale is given a jocular and vivacious
interpretation.
This wonderful account
of the String Quintet from the Nash
Ensemble is now my preferred version.
I would not wish to be without the first-rate
digital recordings from the: Chilingirian
Quartet on Chandos CHAN9046 c/w Intermezzo
in B major, B.47, Op.40, String Quintet
in E flat major, Op.97 and the Vlach
Quartet, Prague on Naxos 8.555378 c/w
Intermezzo (Nocturno),
from B.49, Four Drobnosti, Op.75a,
Andante appassionato, B.40a.
Intermezzo in B for
two violins, viola, cello and double
bass, B.49 (1875)
The third work on the
disc is the brief Intermezzo (Nocturno)
for two violins, viola, cello and double
bass that was the original second movement
of the G major String Quintet, B.49,
Op.77.
The sound quality is
a credit to the ASV engineers and the
concise notes are interesting and reasonably
informative. Sloppy work however with
the timings provided in the booklet
notes which are incorrect
but are given accurately on the rear
of the jewel case. This is an excellent
release from the highly talented Nash
Ensemble of two Dvořák chamber
works that deserve to be better known..
Michael Cookson
The Nash Ensemble: (Marianne Thorsen, violin I;
Malin Broman, violin II; Lawrence Power, viola;
Garfield Jackson, viola II (tracks 1-4); Paul
Watkins, cello; Natalie Clein, cello (tracks 1-4);
Duncan McTier, double bass (tracks 5-9)) 
