This album is included in the following sets:
This set contains the following albums:
- Producer's Note
- Full Track Listing
- Cover Art
Brahms' First String Quintet
The Budapest Quartet's 1937 classic, remastered for finest sound quality
Brahms'
first String Quintet, written in 1882, shows the composer in his mature
period finally feeling comfortable in tackling a genre he had
previously avoided, confident that he need not feel daunted by the
perfection of Mozart's great quintets. Somewhat inexplicably this
particular work, which is a personal favourite of mine, has proved to be
one of the composer's least popular chamber works.
Brahms
himself would also be surprised to find this - at the time it was one of
his own personal favourites, telling his publisher, Simrock, "You have
never before had such a beautiful work from me", and writing to Clara
Schumann he stated it to be "one of my finest works".
The
Budapest Quartet, augmented by violist Hans Mahlke, had previously
recorded the Second Quintet (PACM041) in Berlin. For this recording,
made five years later, they had the talents of Alfred Hobday and the HMV
engineers at Abbey Road studios to assist them. This later recording
sounds closer and more up-front than the earlier one, recorded in the
Beethovensaal, and it will be a matter of personal preference as to
which better suits your tastes. There is certainly more detail to be
heard in this recording, but perhaps at times at the expense of a more
well-rounded overall texture.
Andrew Rose
BRAHMS String Quintet No. 1 in F, Op. 88
Recorded on 8th February, 1937, Abbey Road, London
Issued as HMV DB.3143-5
Matrix Numbers: 2EA.4803-8, takes: all 1st except side 3, take 2.
Total Duration: 24:59
The Budapest Quartet:
Josef Roismann, violin
Alexander Schneider, violin
Boris Kroyt, viola
Mischa Schneider, cello
with:
Alfred Hobday, viola
