# Schubert - String Quartet 13 'Rosamunde' D. 804 (SQ review)



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Rosamunde is a lovely quartet. As I've touched on before, getting the balance right is tricky as it's a 'grey' quartet, not as immediately touched with the sadness of the 14th or imbued with the haunting qualities of the 15th. I've listened to well over 70 recordings and here's my final list of the highly recommended or better recordings. Your fave may be here but if not explore a few of these. You may find a recording that resonates better than your current go-to recording.

Here's a fine recording from YouTube of the Parker Quartet. 






*Highly recommended*

*Italiano* - a justified classic. It's broader than most and the menuet may not dance as others but their playing is so convincing its easy to hear why many love this account.
*Leipziger* - perfectly balanced between a classical and romantic approach this is a great starter for this quartet.
*Belcea* - strong, clean, strident and articulate. A fine recording. More emotion would have placed it higher.
*Kodaly* - superb sense of ensemble, lyrical, rhythmic and the Kodalys' smooth lines and flow nails it.
*Endellion* - punchy, not too classical and honest.
*Mosaiques* - I struggled with this at first but it's won me over. The gut strings give it a very dark, moody feel and tempi are broad (especially in the 1st movement) but it's a real grower of an HIP performance.
*Terpsycordes* - unusual, marmite period performance with an odd soundstage. Try it.
*Juilliard (1980s)* - A fine jagged performance. Nuff said.
*Emerson* - this has been in and out of the list but I've decided to keep it in as its so brilliantly played.
*Melos* (Harmoniun Mundi) - much better and punchier than their 70s recording this grittier and more agile performance uses dynamics very effectively.
*Chilingirian* - the more blended sound may be out of vogue now but the ensemble playing is so winning and their realisation so heartfelt it's impossible for me to leave it out.
*Fitzwilliam* - recorded as part of a 50 year celebration of the quartet's formation this is a sweet-toned, beautifully played and recorded, honest reading.
*Chiaroscuro* - classical, unmannered account that has great charm with repeated listens.
*Auryn* - little vibrato and beautifully caught. Exemplary playing with plenty of passion.
*Allegri* - Full, rich sound with some idiomatic touches. I liked this a lot.
*Schumann* - gloriously recorded with lots of personality and super finale.
*Taneyev* - outer movements are brisk with inner movements lovingly executed.
*Mandelring* - a real grower. All-rounder with rich sound and feel.
*Takacs* (1993) - their first go and it's a fine reading that impresses from the off.
*Budapest* - warmly romantic and very broad but the Budapests sell it through the beauty of their playing and unity of ensemble.
*Hagen* - highly consistent, musical account that just lacks a tiny bit in the emotion stakes to take it to the very top.
*Doric* - idiomatic and some will find the Dorics' liberties a little off-putting or may feel this sounds mannered in places but they really make this a memorable recording.
*Diogenes* - a later addition from a fine cycle. This one has grown on me this week. A fine all-round performance.

*Extra Special

Artemis* - as impressive as their other late Schubert with great sound, grit and phrasing.
*Tetzlaff, Tetzlaff, Roberts, Weithaas* - exciting, impulsive, brisk, brooding, on-the-fly 2013 live recording with some glorious individual playing.
*Lindsays* - vibrant, highly individual reading with one of my favourite opening movements.
*Borodin* - brisk tempi, powerful and punchy dynamics and a darker more melancholy feel.
*Wihan* - what a recorded sound! Superb live performance that is vital and slightly happier but it works brilliantly.
*Prazak* - Full, vibrant account with a strong personality and powerful attacks.
*Engegard* - this one has had me returning to it the most and it's a remarkably clear and concise reading. The recording is sensational but it's how this unfolds that keeps me returning. Beautiful music-making in a realistic and engaging acoustic. This could eventually even creep to the top.
*Orlando* - if you can find this excellent account then get it. Superbly played and with great presence I loved the balance of this superb recording.
*Modigliani* - listen how elegantly the first movement unfolds or how delightfully the finale skips. Top-notch recording.

*Top picks

Janacek Quartet * - I got a mono vinyl flac rip of this 1962 Supraphon performance from a friend many years ago, thanks to an enthusiastic recommendation, and its a belter (it's never been issued on cd / digitally to the best of my knowledge - please correct me if I'm wrong). It's a brisker reading with bold tones and dynamic shifts but I love this idiosyncratic and vivid, Czech reading. This needs a digital remaster and re-release. By the way, this was recorded in stereo and released in both mono and stereo formats back in the day but either way the closely-miked recording is superb for its age.

*Takacs (2006)* - yeah I know it's an easy choice and a popular one (it was widely loved by the critics) but the Takac's remake is special in every way. For a start Hyperion gave this their very best sound with a fantastic acoustic which captures the wistfulness of the Takac's approach and the marvelous dynamic contrasts of each movement perfectly. The balance of each instrument just feels ideal and the ensemble sound produced here nods to both the classical and romantic eras, intelligently. The opening movement sounds more melancholic than many others but that slight wiryness to the strings really helps (as in the Janacek recording). As a recording of chamber music it has few equals. It's that good.


----------

