# Schubert - String Quartet 14, D.810 'Death & the Maiden' (SQ review)



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Here's a superbly shot video of the Alban Berg Quartet in DATM.






Another quartet where I could be here all day with over 120 recordings in the catalogue of this warhorse. With that in mind I've had to narrow it down to only the cream so even fine accounts by the likes of the Borodin, Portland, Yggdrasil, Hollywood, Hungarian, Fitzwilliam, Guarneri, Talich, Sarastro, Chilingirian, Signum Quartets, etc don't get a look-in but are perfectly recommendable. A huge list as there are so many tremendous accounts of DATM. Here goes:

Strongly Recommended

ABQ
Terpsycordes
Gabrieli
Smetana (1982 live)
Jasper
Emerson
Endellion (both)
Aris
Kopelman
Diogenes
Mosaiqies
Brandis
Auryn
Orlando
Alcan
Oslo
Tokyo
Juilliard (60s & 80s)
Alfama
Petersen

*Even better 

Artemis* - Strong reading with limited vibrato and the right balance of dark and light.
*Wihan* - lots of space around the instruments. I love how the music unfolds. This is a very classy recording.
*Dragon* - joyous and exhilarating with all the dynamic shifts that make the Takac's reading such a delight.
*Amadeus (1982)* - of all the Amadeus' 4 recordings this is by far my favourite as its their most urgent and intense version. They take things a little more leisurely at times to other quartets but their playing is so rich and ripe and they never drag. Their presto is a lesson in how to generate excitement.
*Aviv* - Strong and well-personalised account in tremendous sound. The Aviv never over-egg the performance and play with great invention.
*Belcea* - the Belcea capture not only the inventive, reflective detail of Schubert's writing but also his darker outbursts. Deep, rich cello and glorious phrasing.
*Arod* - Full of nervous, abrasive intensity. Excellent 1st movement and a performance of great dynamic colour. Impressive stuff.
*Leipziger* - the Leipzigers dig in hard and elicitt some gorgeous playing in this energetic and vivacious account. Cracking 3rd and 4th movements.
*Taneyev* - passionate, tensile account which reminded me very much of the Shostakovich quartet. This one surprised me. From an underrated cycle.
*Van Kuijk* - over the years I've cooled a tiny bit on this performance. It's still superb but I feel, as wonderful as they are (and with stunning, immediate sound) they miss a little of the drama of the quartet possibly due to a slight tendency to ignore dynamics. Play back to back with any of the list below and you'll see what I mean.

*Hot as a fox in a forest fire (Essential) 

Lindsays* - striking, urgent, rough-hewn stunner that properly digs hard. Some may find their harder-edged treatment a bit much but I'm not one.
*Chairosscuro* - period performance with a lovely raspy sound and tremendous use of dynamics. This ensemble really captures the darker side of DATM.
*Prazak* - the Prazaks never let up with the restless energy of this account. Superb playing, spot-on recording and great depth.
*Jerusalem* - such a rich, dynamic performance. Brisk and alert with strong dynamics. An obvious contender.
*Ehnes* - buoyant, athletic, lithe with a first violin tone to die for, the Ehnes slay with this account. The Tarantella is one of the finest I've heard.
*Hagen* - deep, dark and muscular, this is a no-nonsense recording with sensational cello playing.
*Italiano* - a 60s classic that still sounds amazing today. Deep, rich, sonorous and lyrical and it may not be the quickest here but its a thorough top class, old-school recording.
*Modigliani* - intelligent perfomance more in the style of the Itallianos than the Jerusalem quartet. Judicious paci g and strong accents.

*My very top picks

Di Cremona* - its all in the phrasing here. The Cremonas really inject some glorious phrasing and dynamics into this propulsive and riveting DATM. This may have slipped under the radar a little but it didn't get past me.

*Takacs* - just the right balance between fire and passion. There's usually two ways of doing DATM (the quick, energetic, rougher-hewn performance vs the stylish, more laid-back approach). The Takacs have enough of the latter to please most (although they do fall into the former bracket much of the time). A great SQ disc, twinned with an equally impressive Rosamunde.

*Pavel Haas *- the urgency with which they play the scherzo tells you all you need to know. Low on vibrato but high on tension, virtuosity, profundity and drama. Try and find a les than stellar review on this one - you won`t! It's that good.


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