Beethoven Complete String Quartets Volume 2: The Middle Quartets
Cedille, 2021
8/10
Listen to Beethoven Complete String Quartets Volume 2: The Middle Quartets
The Grammy nominated Dover Quartet return with a complete cycle of Beethoven’s string quartets, where Joel Link and Bryan Lee’s violins, Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt’s viola and Camden Shaw’s cello are spread out across 3 discs, as each player brings their respective skills to a very collaborative effort.
Disc 1 offers the sublime and playful string manipulation of “Quartet No. 7 in F major, Op. 59, No. 1”, where the violins dance around the well timed cello amid the busy, flowing moments as well as the calmer bouts of beauty and warmth.
The middle disc leads with “Quartet No. 8 in E minor, Op. 59, No. 2”, which displays both firm and dizzying playing, as well as bare moments that illustrate incredible synergy between the 4, while “Quartet No. 9 in C major, Op. 59, No. 3” showcases mesmerizing bowing techniques that are executed with much poise and a timelessness you won’t forget.
The final disc brings us the gentle and reflective “Quartet No. 10 in E-flat major, Op. 74”, which uses plucked strings superbly as the composition builds into a frisky album highlight, and “Quartet No. 11 in F minor, Op. 95” finishes the listen with tense moments of furious interaction that emits much awe and wonder.
A collection of work that isn’t short on intensity or emotion, even though Dover Quartet made their debut just 5 years ago, they deliver like they’ve been playing together for decades, and certainly do justice to these classic compositions with their technical proficiency and sublime balance of mood and texture.
Travels well with: Buchbinder- Beethoven Piano Concertos; Peter Gregson- Patina