# Arriaga - String Quartet 3 (SQ review)



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

The 'Spanish Mozart's 3rd quartet is my favourite of his quartets and an absolute cracker (I rate it in my top ten SQs). The opening movement, Allegro is restless with a fine dialogue between the violins and cello. The 2nd movement, Pastorale Andantino, is a lovely lullaby with an interesting and clever, turbulent middle section, with the cello and first violin almost in competition before the lovely pastorale melody comes in. There's a charming and melodic, Haydnesque Menuetto as the 3rd movement before a wonderful finale, Presto agitato, which sounds vaguely Spanish. This terrific finale rounds off Arriaga's superb 3rd quartet in great style... If only he'd have loved longer! So onto recordings and there's surprisingly quite a few. Although many are now out of print, luckily I've been collecting them for some time so have many of the rarest sets stored away.
I'm not recommending La Ritirata as their Arriaga recordings sound so puny and undernourished and lacking any bass. I know its period instruments, and I usually like that, but this is painful. Similarly the Maerkl quartet didn't make the cut as they are just not quite up to the job (rough playing/recording). The biggest surprise was the Quatuor Mosaiques, whose early set of these is uncharacteristically badly recorded and incredibly thin-sounding.

Here's a student recording of the quartet 






Recommended

Chilingirian - as lovely as they play there's just not enough going on with dynamics and phrasing for me to put this higher. OK but I want much more.
De Barcelona - nicely paced and well sprung, mellower account. Check out the Turina 'Oracion del Torero' on this disc though. Its a killer.
Aeolian (1954) - the BBC broadcast recording is ropey and hissy but the actual performance is very good (and quite brisk). Shame we don't have better sound.
Voces - decent classical account but the Voces' dynamic range is a little inhibited and they aren't as focused as in the previous quartet.
Prima Vista - the Poles are very spirited and show a great love for the music but they're not always clear in articulation.
Arriaga - no doubting the skill of these players but it doesn't always hang together and this could be a more cohesive performance.

*Highly recommended 

Melos* - spirited and technically polished account and whilst I'd prefer a tad less vibrato this is still fine music-making. Great rhythms in the final movement.
*New Vlach* - like the Chilingirians perhaps this is a little too relaxed and broad a reading but it has many pleasures, is eloquently played and is still a fine, dignified account.
*Guilet (1952) *- biting, snappy, very brisk and incisive. Invigorating but the degraded, crackly, mono sound does let this fine performance down.
*Guarneri* - when they played as well as this the Guarneri were a joy. Highly pleasurable, more romantic account with nice individual touches.

*Better still

Sine Nomine *- the Swiss-based quartet have a firm but lyrical style that has a lovely flow to it. The finale is passionate and has great finesse. Lovely account.
*Casals* - classy playing and their articulation in this, their debut recording, is very impressive. They capture the playfulness well. There's an even more enjoyable live 2006 radio broadcast recording on YouTube too.
*Rasoumovsky* - producing such a delightful tone, this is full of fine touches especially from the first violin of Simon Standage.

*Top pick

Modigliani* - honestly a level above the opposition in this quartet (and considering the high quality of competition) that's some achievement. From the superb 'Intuition' album, the phrasing and precision of this account is scintillating. Sincerely, just buy the album as the companion pieces are just as wonderful.


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