Felix MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY (1809-1847)
Quartet No. 1 in E flat major Op. 12 (1829) [24:41]
Quartet in E flat major (1823) [27:16]
Quartet No. 4 in E minor Op. 44 No. 2 (1837) [27:11]
Escher String Quartet (Adam Barnett-Hart, Aaron Boyd (violin); Pierre Lapointe
(viola); Dane Johansen (cello))
rec. 2014, Potton Hall, Suffolk, UK
BIS BIS-1960 SACD [80:10]
The Escher String Quartet’s reputation has already
been enhanced by their recordings of the quartets of Zemlinsky on Naxos (review),
and with their lively international performing schedule I can only imagine
that this new CD from BIS heralds a welcome increase in their contribution
to the record catalogues. Mendelssohn’s string quartets are no strangers,
but their refreshing and inventive character makes them justifiably popular.
The Quartet in E flat major is an early work and remained unpublished
in the composer’s lifetime. As the product of a student, Mendelssohn
was at the time being taught by Carl Friedrich Zelter, this is a top quality
creation, harking back to models from composers such as Haydn and Mozart,
the final Fuga drawing on Mendelssohn’s admiration for J.S.
Bach. While perfectly pleasant and highly disciplined, this is a work which
never quite ‘takes off’ in the way that the numbered quartets
can. Having it here as a central intermezzo to the First and Fourth
quartets is a substantial diversion but not one for which you would always
cross the road on a busy Friday afternoon.
The Quartet No. 1 in E flat major Op. 12 was actually written after
the A minor Quartet Op. 13, and its seriousness of intent is clear
from the outset, with a questioning slow introduction and extensively developed
and weighty first movement. The second movement delivers light relief in the
form of a transparent and flighty Canzonetta, while the Andante
espressivo is both tender and passionate. The whole thing is topped off
by an energetic Molto allegro e vivace which refers back to the first
movement and gives the whole piece a satisfyingly cyclical feel.
The Quartet No. 4 in E minor Op. 44 No. 2 is actually the first of
the three quartets Op. 44 in chronological terms, but such confusions make
no difference to the nature and quality of the music, which has the most distinctive
themes of the three in this selection. The uplifting first movement is followed
by a Scherzo which “scurries past, artful and weightless in
equal measure.” The Escher Quartet follows the composer’s instructions
for the Andante, that it should be played “without dragging”,
it song-like character not really plumbing the deepest of heartfelt depths
but beautifully expressive nevertheless. Mendelssohn had only just married
Cécile Charlotte Sophie Jeanrenaud, and the optimistic energy of the final
movement reflects his positive mood at the time.
All of these works are performed with immaculate skill and engaging musicality
by the Escher Quartet, superbly recorded of course by the BIS recording team,
who balance the presence of the player against the subtle Potton Hall acoustic
perfectly. There are of course numerous other recordings of Mendelssohn’s
string quartets out there. The New Zealand String Quartet is impressive on
Naxos, their first volume on the Naxos complete set (review)
including both the First and Fourth quartets in impressively
expressive performances, but presented in rather a swimming-pool acoustic.
The Cherubini Quartet’s cycle for EMI (review)
has become something of a classic and is very nicely played indeed, with heart-on-sleeve
warmth but an avoidance of sentimentality through compact directness of playing.
Going further back there are the likes of the Bartholdy Quartet (review)
which is recorded rather closely and sounds rather unrelenting and four-square
these days. Michael Cookson’s review
of the Emerson Quartet on Deutsche Grammophon and even more of the Henschel
Quartet on Arte
Nova are full of references and detailed comparisons.
With glorious SACD sound and the Escher Quartet’s stylish panache with
their performances of these works I would be happy to put this recording near
or at the top of my list of recommendations. Their sonic fingerprint with
its compact vibrato reminds me a little of the Busch Quartet, a comparison
I’m sure these players won’t mind being made.
Dominy Clements
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