Franz Schubert:
- String Quartets Volume 2
Franz Schubert, like Beethoven before him, refused to target the general public with his compositions. There is much evidence to suggest that the majority of his early string quartets were written for and first performed by his family’s own ensemble.
This recording brings together three such early works written during Schubert’s teenage years: It begins with the Overture in B B470 – seemingly the only one of its kind for string quartet by the composer, and in which traits such as unison playing and fanfares show us the focus of Schubert’s orchestral experimentations at that time.
In this recording we also hear the following:
Schubert:
- Fragment D 470 as Quartet
- String Quartet No. 8 in B flat major, D112
- String Quartet No. 11 in E major, D353
Performed by the Diogenes Quartet
After the D. 470 fragment, we get to hear the quartet #8, D112, also a work of different origin (originally a string trio). Schubert is still searching for the right response to the quartets of the Viennese masters here, too. More compact and less experimental is the final work, Schubert’s quartet #11, D353, which may have been composed while Schubert studied with the Italian composer Antonio Salieri.
The performers on this CD are members of the Diogenes Quartet, considered to be one of the most successful string quartets in Europe.
“Glorious string tone and impeccable ensemble are trademarks of this first-rate quartet” (MusicWeb International, June 2012).
Here is the Diogenes Quartet playing the music of Maurice Ravel:
And here are several audio selections from this specific recording:
Tags: Franz Schubert, Diogenes Quartet, Quartet #8, Quartet #11