Luigi BOCCHERINI (1743-1805)
String Quartet Op.9 No.2, G172 (c.1770) [13:07]
String Quartet in G minor, Op.32 No.5, G205 (1780) [16:36]
Nicolò PAGANINI (1782-1840)
String Quartet MS20 [23:15]
Guilet Quartet
rec. 1950 (Paganini) and 1952 (Boccherini)
FORGOTTEN RECORDS FR 456 [53:01]
The Guilet Quartet was led by Daniel Guilet, later to become violinist in
the Beaux Arts Trio. By 1952 the second violinist was Roger Chermont, violist
George Grossman and cellist Daniel Soyer who, with Guilet, is the best remembered
of the foursome. When these recordings were made in the years 1950 to 1952
the quartet was in fine estate and these restorations have been unfussily
but well managed to show the fact.
Boccherini quartets were not wholly new ground on disc by 1952. Groups such
as the Pascal, Italian, Poltronieri, Rome, Roth, Kreiner, York and Belardinelli
quartets had all made contributions of some sort, though admittedly some were
on hard-to-find 78 sets. The Guilet went for two less well-known works starting
with Op.9 No.2 to which they bring quite an intense and sonorous strength,
and a raft of expressive touches, canny dynamics and flexible, lighter bowing
when required. Maybe the more raffiné touches are overdone in the central
Larghetto, but its forlorn character is certainly enhanced by such
gestures, not least the rich portamenti. The finale, meanwhile, has a delightfully
sprung rhythm.
The Guilet was a stylish quartet and style defines their performance of Op.32
No.5. The quartet brings a luscious quality to the Andantino, and pertinent
colour to the finale, including its unusual quasi-cadential passage.
Paganini’s chamber music was also not often recorded in the post-war
period. His violin music continued to be mined, of course, but only the York
Quartet, who also recorded Boccherini, seems to have recorded anything before
about 1950, and then on the American Royale label which, whilst an exploratory
one, was not the most obvious source. Whereas the Boccherini Quartets were
recorded by Classic, the Paganini was on Concert Hall, and also Guilde Internationale
Du Disque. It’s a boxier recording than the companion works. This 1950
disc catches the group at an earlier stage in its personnel with both inner
seats changed. Second violinist here is Henry Siegl, and the violist is Victor
Schoen. This work has a droll, deft concertante part for Guilet, a role that
had allowed Paganini to preen and pirouette above his accompanying fellows.
Guilet shows throughout, and especially in the finale, that he possesses silvery
assurance and confidence sufficient for the job in hand.
Jonathan Woolf
Guilet - silvery assurance and confidence.
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