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Schubert: String Quartets Vol. II - Mandelring Quartett

Schubert: String Quartets Vol. II - Mandelring Quartett

Audite  92.524

Stereo/Multichannel Hybrid

Classical - Chamber


Schubert: String Quartet in A minor D. 804 "Rosamunde", String Quartet in E major D. 353

Mandelring Quartett


“Not to be scorned as a first-born.”

That is what the Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung had to say about the 1824 premiere of Schubert’s A minor Quartet at the concert hall of the Vienna Musikverein. That critic could hardly have expected that the work would one day belong to the cornerstones of the string quartet repertoire! The Quartet is characterised by a lyrical, song-like basic mood as well as the moderate tempi of its movements. All movements begin with ideas for rhythmic material, more or less out of the blue; this material is just as important for formal and cyclical continuity as are the lyrical and dance-like themes. In spite of the overall lyric mood, Schubert also elegantly succeeds in drawing out material for dramatic passages from his motifs.

If the A minor Quartet was conceived for professional musicians, the E major Quartet is the last one that Schubert composed for amateur musicians for domestic use. Probably written as early as 1816, Schubert is here still clearly linked to the craftsmanship, sonorous mastery and formal proportions of the Viennese classics. The predominantly brief themes and motifs are striking; only later did Schubert give these up in favour of broader expanses and epic breadth. The atmosphere of Viennese Classicism can be sensed in the entire Quartet; one has a glimpse of the later Schubert only in the Andante, with its simple, folkloristic themes, especially its subsidiary theme.

Following the enormous success of “Schubert: String Quartets, Vol. 1,” the Mandelring Quartett now proudly presents Volume 2. The Quartet plays with dedication and takes great pleasure in detail, once more convincing the listener through its musical and technical mastery. These qualities can be especially vividly experienced in the Surroundsound of this SACD recording.

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Review by Mark Novak - January 28, 2006

This SACD is a disappointment primarily from a sonic standpoint. The performances of both works are adequate but nothing really special. They convey the music decently but there is nothing that really pulls you in. The Rosamunde quartet (#13 in Scubert's canon) is a masterpiece in the quartet literature and its always good to rehear this work. The Manderlings adopt middle-of-the-road tempi with good ensemble work throughout. I thought that some attacks were a bit muted but that may be the sound (more on that below). The other quartet is one of his earlier efforts and it suffers mightily in the company of the Rosamunde. Not a work that one would return to very often in light of all the great other quartets available.

The sound is very mediocre (at best). They are forthright in the booklet noting it is a 88/24 pcm recording and it sounds like it. Also, it seems to have been recorded in an overly resonant acoustic (or, even worse, may have add artifical reverb added). The instruments simply lack "woodiness". I attribute it to the pcm recording (or poor microphones/placement). So, overll, not recommended.

Copyright © 2006 Mark Novak and HRAudio.net

Performance:

Sonics (Stereo):

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Review by John Broggio - June 18, 2008

Like their opening volume in this cycle, the Mandelring Quartett pair a "named" quartet with a much earlier work and again, open with the more mature opus.

The "Rosamunde" quartet by Schubert is the first of his 3 great quartets (although the Quartettsatz should probably be added to this number) and like the last of these 3, strikes an uneasy balance between sadness and joy (erring on the melancholic view of the world). Playing with a disarmingly direct approach, the bitter-sweet world view was heart-rendering in its beauty and simplicity. The Mandelring Quartet are almost superhuman in their perfection technically, tonally and also musically. Here their special quality of unanimity of attack and phrasing allows melodies to extend from the depths of the cello to the heights of the violins without a gasp of (musical) breath. Welcome respite normally is attached to the slow movement (using music from the play Rosamunde) but the undercurrent of melancholy prevalent in so much Schubert was allowed to rear its head positively albeit sensitively in the Mandelring's hands. The Minuet then returns to a more world-weary frame of mind with fleeting, joyous escapism in the trio that was rendered oh-so-sweetly by all. The slightly strange finale with the sudden end (just as I was hoping despite my better knowledge that there was yet another harmonic and/or melodic detour up Schubert's sleeve) was pointed to perfection, allowing the integration of the Hungarian gypsy dance-like music into a formal framework without a hint of awkwardness. As with the volume one, for the most part, the rubato employed is within each phrase, allowing the continuity of music to be unhindered.

The "early" quartet is numbered as 11 in his output and is the last before the long chronological gap that precedes the Quartettsatz and the "Rosamunde" quartet. Taken at face value, the Mandelring never seek to find hidden emotional depths, the quartet becomes a very pleasant (if not especially memorable) listen indeed.

Having heard the quartet play the Rosamunde in concert, I can confirm that the sound conferred by Audite is astonishingly lifelike - a tribute to their "back room staff". Some may feel that the sound is not immediate enough nor is it possible to sound so gorgeous at all times; all I can say is that the Mandelring Quartett is very honestly represented here. Their golden tone is delightful in concert and is more than adequately reproduced here.

Highly recommended.

Copyright © 2008 John Broggio and HRAudio.net

Performance:

Sonics (Multichannel):

stars stars