# Korngold - String Quartet 3 op.34 (SQ review)



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Korngold’s third and final string quartet was written in 1945, just before he retired from his film score-writing career. With its traditional four-movement structure, Korngold, true to form, here repurposed music from from some of his previous film scores. The trio of the second movement scherzo is from Between Two Worlds. The lovely slow 3rd movement is a repurposed love scene from The Sea Wolf and the finale is adapted from a theme from the film Devotion. It's certainly less anachronistic than the previous quartets, in feel, and the first two movements are more chromatic and mildly dissonant. The last two movements contain more of that late neo-Romantic style of Korngold’s previous quartet. However, this mix works for me and you can't help but be impressed by Korngold's rhythms, colours and textures which he successfully honed during his Hollywood career. Not many recordings but many very fine ones make up for this. 

Incidentally I can't recommend the Figelski et al, live 1959 Korngold Memorial Concert recording. Apart from the rather shrill sound there's some very distracting intonation issues and rhythms are erratic on occasion. Ugh!

Recommended

_Alma_ - in this 'direct to disc' recording there's certainly a very live feel to the music-making but the recording is a little tippy and brittle for me. Still a very fine effort. 
_Maris_ - decent account in good sound. Very solid all-rounder.
_Clarion_ - recorded for their 'Breaking the Silence' CD this is a slightly more abrasive performance but the Pittsburgh SO front seats play impressively and convince with their more intense take. A better, warmer acoustic might have propelled them even higher. 

*Better

Aron* - almost as good as the Dorics but without their particularly fine colours and textures this is a fine, warm recording, played highly effectively. 
*Flesch* - I love this ensemble's infectious enthusiasm for this quartet. They handle the scherzo and finale particularly skilfully and their phrasing is vigorous and lively. 
*Chilingirian* - the 3rd movement here is a triumph. The Chilingirian excel in movements such as this and their ensemble playing only gets stronger as they progress. The finale is beautifully paced and rhythms are wonderfully sprung.

*My Top Picks

Doric* - the Doric are in their element here particular in the achingly lovely sostenuto. Dynamics are used particularly effectively, intonation is perfect and they are generally just more colourful than the opposition across the whole quartet. The sound Chandos gives them is also terrific.

*Janacek* - I know very little about this live recording from Czech Radio (on Spotify) but it's really well recorded, highly engaging and has an intimacy that is beautiful. Have a listen to that 3rd movement, its silky charms and how the Janacek's skilfully handle textures and articulation in it. A special recording.


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