CD Review: Visions (EnAccord string quartet) Etcetera KTC1691

Visions is the second recording made by the all-female Dutch EnAccord string quartet. It follows the format of their previous release by presenting a varied programme of ‘gems from the quartet literature’, as the albums subtitle terms it. That is no understatement either, as there are some rarely performed gems deserving of a wider audience included here. The repertoire varies from Purcell to Mendelssohn, Lekeu, Maddelena Sirmen and Elizabeth Maconchy. Selected movements of Prokofiev’s Visions Fugitives, sensitively arranged for string quartet by Sergei Samsonov, intersperse the other pieces to run through the recording as a spine of interludes that are quirky, humorous or ferocious in their turn. The mood of each is judged appositely by the quartet.

Several of the works recorded here present their composer’s viewpoints on writing for a string quartet within one or two movements. Purcell’s Chacony in G minor begins the recital, full voiced and aware of the intricacies of instrumental interplay at work; yet a sense of veiled melancholy is never far from the surface. Guillaume Lekeu’s single movement Meditation is the most extensive single movement work included here. Initially there are potential links with the ambiance of Purcell’s Chacony that might be inferred, however the EnAccord string quartet clearly love this music (as do I) and play Lekeu’s passionate outpouring for all it is worth. A shaping of line, a feeling for sonority and acknowledgement of emotion are all present in the playing. Elizabeth Maconchy’s third string quartet, written in a single movement of five linked sections, has been described as ‘a psychological thriller in which four instruments disagree heartily’. There is indeed something quite Hitchcockian to the way their characters are played off against one another or the tension is slowly ratcheted up throughout its duration. Most involving, and one suspects, as interesting to play as to listen to.

Venetian-born Maddelena Sirmen (1745-1818) wrote the second of her six string quartets in just two movements. The Andantino first movement is charming, refined and, like the Allegro which follows it, is written with considerable skill. The EnAccord players bring out the inner passions of the music and imbue it with a sense of light and shade that benefits it greatly, as does the players’ ability to layer individual instrumental lines to build beautiful sonorities. Felix Mendelssohn’s seventh string quartet, also in two movements, presents another take on a compacted quartet form. The theme and variations first movement is almost Schubertian in its artfulness, whilst the second movement recaptures the brilliance of Mendelssohn’s own youth.

The admirable EnAccord string quartet are captured in a recording that presents them in faultless sound: Ilka van der Plasa and Helena Druwé’s violins are bright yet never over-steely of tone, Rosalinde Kluck’s viola carries a hue of caramel richness, whilst Maike Reisener’s cello is warm and supportive of the quartet’s overall sound. The liner notes by Koen Uvin are serviceable yet not too extensive on each work. In short, this is an interesting programme by a young quartet intent on broadening the repertoire beyond the standard fare. They play it all with style and conviction, so this recording is very warmly recommended.

Looking to the future, the EnAccord quartet may wish to record further selections of bon-bons from the literature, but complete cycles of the Sirmen and Maconchy string quartets would be good to have. Whilst there are recorded cycles available, they are either in less-than-ideal recorded sound or are now hard to obtain.

CD Review: Enescu String Quartets (Quatour Athenaeum Enesco) cpo 999068

In my 2005 survey of the available recordings of Enescu’s compositions for Musicweb International, I wrote about the string quartets:

“Enescu’s two essays in the [string] quartet format show, as elsewhere in his output, a tightening of thematic materials and compactness of structure from the earlier work to the later one.

An obvious candidate for pairing on disc, there are so far three main versions in contention: the Voces Quartet (Electrecord or Olympia OCD 413 - if you can track them down), Quatuor Athenaeum Enesco (cpo 999 0682) and the Quatuor Ad Libitum (Naxos 8.554721). All three are celebrated ensembles in Romania and each brings experience to their recording of the works. But as often is the case Naxos’s issue will be a clear winner – they play this music as if it were the greatest music ever for a quartet, with total conviction, commitment and love. In a recording that gives each plenty of bloom against the somewhat boxy Electrecord or recessed acoustic of cpo’s release, there seems little argument to answer.”

The cpo release under consideration here is a re-issue of the recording by the Quatuor Athenaeum Enesco. The recording was made by Swiss Radio in May 1992, and re-listening to it after some time from a digital download I stand by my earlier comments about the recorded acoustic. That is a shame, as by and large, both works are given sympathetic interpretations. If I do not find the readings quite capture the white heat and zeal of the Ad Libitum Quartet on Naxos, this does not do particular disservice to the Athenaeum Quartet’s players. I find their realisation of the first quartet's slower movement rather beautifully phrased, actually. Considering that the indications of 'moderato' and 'pensieroso' are so important within three movements there are some finely judged touches of tempo and instrumental colour.

There have been a couple of other recordings of the second quartet that have appeared since I wrote my original review. It is a slight surprise though that no string quartets of substance have risen to the demands of the earlier work, It is surely a jewel in the entire string quartet repertoire, to stand alongside anything by Beethoven or Schubert.

A worthy effort, which would be more recommendable, if it were not for the availability of stronger competition captured in a more favourable acoustic.