Horn Quintets
Animal, 2022
8/10
The globally praised horn player Radek Baborák brings us pieces by three romantic authors, and they’re arranged for French horn and string quartets that includes Milan Al-Ashhab and Martina Bačová (violin), Karel Untermüller (viola), and Hana Baboráková (cello).
Johannes Brahms’ “Quintet in G Major, Op. 111” opens the listen with the soulful brass and dynamic strings interacting with much energy, emotion and grace that flows across 4 movements of very gripping song craft.
The stirring pieces by Alexander Glazunov arrive in the middle, where much intimacy and warmth populates “Serenade No. 2, Op. 11”, while “Idyll, Op. 14” allows the French horn to set the mood with a very soothing, cinematic appeal.
The final track, Jean Sibelius’ “Quintet in G Minor ‘Kayratorvi’”, moves with a very focused and expressive musicianship, where the climate builds into an uplifting, ebullient display of power, melody and charm.
Baborák handles the French horn meticulously here, and the strings don’t disappoint, either, as the ensemble bring both classical and romantic ideas into a very accomplished listen.
Travels well with: Radek Baborák- Des Knaben Wunderhorn; Aneta Majerová- Mieczyslaw Weinberg: Children´s Notebooks