The venerable Talich Quartet continues to revisit its discography in this
latest traversal of two quartets close to its heart. The group's current
line-up - Jan Talich, Roman Patočka, Vladimír Bukač and Petr Prause - has
also revitalised its association with La Dolce Volta by selecting a new
sound engineer (but retaining its producer) and changing to a new recording
location in Prague. Given that these are experienced and distinguished
musicians it's only to be expected that their ensemble sonority remains as
of old and that their interpretations sound fresh and uncluttered.
Firstly, however, keep your wits about you. Whilst the book-format CD with
its natty and colourfully brief notes in French, English, German and
Japanese is part of the label's much vaunted 'luxury' marque, the track
listing has unfortunately been mangled. Op.61 is first, not Op.51 as
advertised, but also further note that the movement tempo indications are
also transposed which leads to much confusion if you don't know the quartets
well.
Once past this glitch, the listener can enjoy unimpeded the refined and
sometimes even airy performances. Czech quartet playing has a long pedigree
and the country boasts some of the finest groups in the world, but
fortunately there's no sense of homogeneity in performances. As the Smetana
and Janáček groups represented Bohemian and Moravian approaches, so
Prague-based quartets offer very different approaches. The august Prague
Quartet on DG, whose set of all the quartets is still a reference edition,
offers a heavier toned approach to both works is a more billowy acoustic,
whilst the Panocha is more kinetic than either the Prague or the Talich.
In Op.51 the Talich presents the most clement and refined approach of the
three, though that's not to imply rhythmic slackness or lack of vitality.
Rather they don't sculpt phrases quite as dramatically, allowing the
material to unfold at natural tempos without too overt a use of rubato. The
Panocha tends to take a more excited approach to accelerandi, galvanizing
the music with local incidents of concentrated power and excitement. And
because the Panocha Quartet's recording is a touch distant and they use
heavier vibrato than the Talich their performance, certainly of the slow
movement, can sound less nimble, answering phrases a touch less
affectionate.
All this is very much a question of personal taste. The Dumka of Op.61
offers a fascinating test case of difference in approach. The Prague is the
most deliberate and the Talich and Panocha are both a good minute faster.
However the Panocha sounds significantly faster because of its tensile and
athletic approach to phrasing, whereas the Talich holds steadier tempi and
plays with beautiful lyricism.
This is by no means an unusual coupling. The Zemlinsky Quartet has also
offered it in their unfolding disc-by-disc complete quartet series on Praga,
though the two discs I've heard (including Opp.51 and 61) would not lead me
to prefer them to the three groups already cited. If you enjoy heavier
sonorities and a more cushioned recording and want to invest in the cycle
the Prague offers solid assurance. For a sense of galvanising energy, take
the Panocha. For sheer lyric elegance and an approach that lets the music
unfold naturally, warmly and affectionately, you can't go wrong with the
Talich.
Jonathan Woolf
