Friedrich KUHLAU (1786-1832)
Piano Quartet No.1 in C minor Op.32 (1820-21) [33.54]
Piano Quartet No.2 in A major Op.50 (1831-32) [38.50]
Copenhagen Piano Quartet
rec. Royal Danish Academy of Music Concert Hall, Copenhagen, Denmark, 4-5, 7-8 December 2013 (No.1), 5-7, 9 June 2014 (No.2)
SACD/CD Hybrid Surround 5.0 and Stereo
Reviewed in surround
DACAPO 6.220596 SACD [72.44]
Friedrich Kuhlau was a German by birth but took Danish citizenship
in 1813. He is recognised as one of the key figures in the history of Danish
music having brought to the country some of the new European trends. He is
known in Denmark mainly for the incidental music to Heiberg's comedy
Elverhøj (Marco Polo Dacapo 8.224053 or DCCD8902) but his list of
compositions is quite long including operas, concertos, a string quartet,
piano works and a large amount of flute music. His opera Lulu is
well worth hearing and has been recorded complete by Michael Schønwandt on
the Kontrapunkt label. Stylistically he can be described as similar to such
as Cherubini, Weber, Schubert and even Schumann. With the exception of the
latter this is hardly surprising for these were his contemporaries. The fact
that his vocal works are in Danish must inevitably have limited their spread.
Even in our cosmopolitan times Danish is spoken mostly only by Danes.
The comparative rarity of performances of these lovely Piano Quartets is a
surprise however. They have been recorded before (1997), also by Marco Polo
Dacapo (8224044-45) to get these new and extremely fine performances on such
a splendid SACD is indeed a surprise and pleasure. The pleasure comes as much
from the spectacularly fine Copenhagen Piano Quartet. This is their first
recording but on the strength of this, it will not be their last. They mention
on the entertaining YouTube promotional YouTube
video that they spent an unusual amount of time preparing the performances
for this recording. It was even necessary to prepare their own full score
because only the solo parts were initially available. Being young students
this seems to have been a lucky opportunity to combine a commercial exercise
with their studies. What comes across is the absolutely top quality playing
as well as a remarkably mature cohesion as a group. We have all heard young
chamber music groups where the individuals are excellent but the group has
not yet jelled. These four musicians are very much a group. They seem to have
the mutual trust needed to play with individual passion. I thought this was
a splendid achievement.
As to Kuhlau's quartets, they are recognisably of the period but have
surprising touches of the later Schumann Piano Quartet and Piano Quintet about
them: there is a strongly romantic feel to the slow movements for example.
The faster movements have a rhythmic drive that would not have disgraced Schubert.
One hears hints of Beethoven in the introduction to the First Quartet. He
did in fact meet and briefly befriend Beethoven in 1825. The notes, curiously
printed with the two quartets in reverse, the Second quartet is discussed
first, describe in some detail the stages of these two quite extended pieces:
they are about 34 and 39 minutes long respectively but never outstay their
welcome. The fact that Kuhlau breaks no new ground is not a problem. What
we have here are two pieces of very high quality music with melody and energy.
The recordings are spacious and detailed with the piano placed behind the
strings and with the ambience of the acoustically excellent, and rather beautiful,
DKDM Concert Hall subtly present. 'What's not to like?'
as they say. One hopes this group will record the Third Quartet to complete
the set, with perhaps the Suk A minor Piano Quartet that is in their current
repertoire.
Dave Billinge
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