Schubert: The Late String Quartets; String Quintet
 Schubert'S Late Chamber Masterpieces -- The strong points of this 3-CD set are: (1) the immeasurably rich compositions from Schubert, (2) the excellent coupling of the last four quartets with the quintet, (3) the above-average Emerson Quartet performance ... [... more]
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Beethoven, String Quartets; Grosse Fuge
The Guarneri Quartet Plays Beethoven -- I recently spent several days at home recovering from minor surgery and took the opportunity to revist the Beethoven string quartets and the Beethoven piano sonatas. I thought the quartets would be especially ... [... more]
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Schubert: Trout Quintet & Mozart: Clarinet Quintet
Sadly, An Old Favorite Dims -- I'm doubly glad that Sony released an excellent "Trout" Quintet led by Emmanuel Ax and Yo-Yo Ma, because this old favorite has lost its luster. The performance from a live Marlboro Festival concert in 1967 is full ... [... more]
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Mozart At Tanglewood
Not Definitive, Yet Still Enjoyable -- Simply put, I bought this CD because of Benny Goodman. Knowing his jazz artistry, I wanted to experience his classical works as well. While the performances were not awful, they were by no means perfect. Technical ... [... more]
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Brahms: Sextet in B-flat major, Op. 18 & Piano Trio No. ...
An Historic Performance Of The Highest Mega-Wattage! -- I've owned three copies of this recording of the first Brahms string sextet, the first two on LPs that I wore out from playing so often. When I saw, by chance, that it had been reissued, along with ... [... more]
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Beethoven: Sonatas for Piano No. 14, 8, & 23 - Expanded ...
Revelatory -- For those accustomed to hearing Beethoven as played by Schnabel, Kempff, or Brendel, these performances will come as a splash of cold water across the face. Serkin was unconcerned with niceties of tone, color, or pianistic perfection. He ... [... more]
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Adès: Piano Quintet & Schubert: Piano Quintet
A Taste Of The New With A Savouring Of The Old -- Thomas Adès is a rather extraordinary artist in that he is equally at home as a performer (pianist) as he is as progressively important contemporary composer. This terrific new recording ... [... more]
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Brahms: The String Quartets / Dvorak: "Amerikanisches" ...
Welcome Back -- There is no Amadeus Quartet any more, so this reissue is welcome for that reason alone. At the outset I ought to say that they omit the first movement repeats in all four works. This is a matter of indifference to me, but some may wish to ... [... more]
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Beethoven: String Quartets - The Late Quartets, Nos. 12-16
Incredible Performances -- I have several versions of the Beethoven Late Quartets including the Alban Berg and Guarneri sets. The Lindsays are the ones I keep playing however. Their interpretations bring extra depth to these profound works. These works ... [... more]
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Schubert: Quintet in C major, D. 956; Symphony No. 5 in ...
Unmatched Excellence -- I became familiar with this extraordinary piece of music--very possibly the single best work ever written for a string quintet--when I was 12 or so, and have loved it ever since. While my introduction came through a live ... [... more]
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