# Barber - String Quartet op.11 (SQ review)



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

A live performance by the Auner Quartet, is below






Recommended

Serafin
Cypress
Eberle
Cleveland
Endellion
Stradivari (1948)
Aeolus
Diotima
Duke

*More recommended

Ehnes* - a touch dry in the recording but an otherwise fine account with a lovely adagio and sensual tone.
*Beaux Arts* - this 1965 recording is possibly the quickest around but it's not a jolly one. Quite dark and broody with good sound for its age.
*Bolshoi* - this 2006 one-off disc, which featured first violinist Dmitry Khakhamov from the Moscow Chamber Orchestra and Alexander Balashov on viola (Shostakovich Quartet), was hiding in the recesses of my hard drive. Reverberant and warmly romantic but not tardy. More vibrato than some others but it's done tastefully.
*Tokyo* - more urgent sounding and busy in the first movement than others then the Tokyo's tone is gorgeous in the adagio.
*Emerson* - the one I've had longest and still a firm favourite. The right mix of power, romanticism and wistfulness. Listen, from 4 mins onwards, how they build that adagio. Simply superb. Its only minus is the sub-par DG engineering. Another thumb in the eye to those who foolishly stereotype the Emersons' recordings as "cold" and 'detached' (le yawn).
*Brodsky* - one of the slowest here but they sound sumptuous in terrific Chandos sound. Romantic and they lay it on with a trowel in the adagio but it's so very classy (and punchy too when needed). One of the few who make the final movement count. A real grower.

*Top picks

Bingham* - just the right balance of sound. Highly sympathetic and measured ensemble playing and there's a heart-wrenching intensity to their adagio. An easy top pick for me this week.

*Ying* - a terrific newer recording. Additionally, you get the original 3rd movement which is revelatory and gives the quartet a totally different feel, even if it doesn't really fit. Great sound and not over-sentimental.


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