# 100 Favorites: # 72



## JACE (Jul 18, 2014)

*Schubert: The Last Four Quartets 
Quartetto Italiano (Philips)*











String Quartet No. 12 in C minor, D.703 "Quartettsatz"
String Quartet No. 13 in A minor, D.804 "Rosamunde"
String Quartet No. 14 in D minor, D.810 "Death and the Maiden"
String Quartet No. 15 in G, D.887
I know that some folks find the Quartetto Italiano's approach to this repertoire to be too soft, lacking in drama. Not me. For years, I've owned the Alan Berg Quartett's version of "Death & the Maiden" and "Rosamunde." I liked the music, but I was never bowled over by it. When I heard the Quartetto Italiano's pliant, euphonious approach, light bulbs flashed and the music suddenly snapped into focus.

Same music, different ensemble, different result. Isn't it fascinating that these sorts of subjective subtleties makes an such a big difference in the way we respond to music? I love that. Music -- and musical meaning -- is always _personal_.


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