# CD LP Help - Schubert D.956



## misterjones

In the 1970s I owned an LP recording of Schubert's string quintet, and all I can remember about the LP is that the jacket had a large "5" on the cover. I can't for the life of me remember the record label or the quintet (or quartet + 1) that recorded it. Anyone ever see such an LP (or similar CD)?


----------



## ChamberNut

misterjones said:


> In the 1970s I owned an LP recording of Schubert's string quintet, and all I can remember about the LP is that the jacket had a large "5" on the cover. I can't for the life of me remember the record label or the quintet (or quartet + 1) that recorded it. Anyone ever see such an LP (or similar CD)?


Perhaps it is Rostropovich and Melos Quartet, Deutsche Gramophone label. That was a 1977 recording. Perhaps an older copy of LP had a large "5" on it, but it does not seem to now, unless it's another recording.


----------



## misterjones

Thanks, but I don't think that's it. If anyone knows of a website or other directory that would include a comprehensive list of such Schubert recordings, I might be able to recognize it. (I've done quite a bit of Google/Amazon.com searching already. When I came across "Alban Berg" it sort of rang a bell, but their recording with Andras Schiff was in 1982, so that eliminated that possibility -- unless they did an earlier recording with someone else.)


----------



## misterjones

As it turns out, ChamberNut's educated guess was rather close. I found the LP on eBay (unfortunately it does not seem to be in print in CD form). Rostropovich was correct, but it was his 1963 recording with the Taneyev Quartet. Rostropovich and/or Schubert fans might be interested in the specs, which are:
MSTISLAV ROSTROPOVICH with the Taneyev Quartet
Recorded in Leningrad (USSR) by Melodiya in 1963
Label - Westminster Gold WGS-8299
And, as I said, the album cover has a big "5" on it.


----------



## opus67

misterjones said:


> Rostropovich was correct, but it was his 1963 recording with the Taneyev Quartet. Rostropovich and/or Schubert fans might be interested in the specs, which are:
> MSTISLAV ROSTROPOVICH with the Taneyev Quartet
> Recorded in Leningrad (USSR) by Melodiya in 1963
> Label - Westminster Gold WGS-8299


I wonder if Rostropovich is the soloist/cellist to have recorded this work with the most number of quartets. Teneyev, Melos, Emerson...any other?


----------



## Larkenfield

If you don’t mind a suggestion: do a Google image search for Schubert’s String Quartet No. 5 and see if you recognize the cover. In a search like this, sometimes a picture is worth a 1000 words. Sometimes it helps to vary the search keywords. Good luck! I’m betting that you find it. I would also add “lp” or “1970s” to the search, if you haven’t already.


----------



## Rogerx

I hope misterjones remember asking this question back in 2007.


----------



## wkasimer

If anyone cares, here's the cover in question:









This is a magnificent recording; not only the best of Rostropovich's three recordings, but perhaps my favorite D956. It's on Spotify for anyone interested.


----------



## Josquin13

I agree with Bill. The 1974 Westminster Gold LP was the best of Rostropovich's several recordings of Schubert's String Quintet in C. I owned it on LP in the 1980s, and it was my favorite recording for many years. DG now owns the rights to all of the Westminster Gold catalogue, and they were scheduled to release the Taneyev/Rostropovich recording around 2010--and even advertised a CD cover (see link below), but for some reason the CD never materialized, or if it was issued, it was in such small quantity that it quickly went out of print. I don't think DG ever released it (& I don't know what the problem was), as I've never actually seen the CD for sale, but there is a listing for it on Amazon (with one review)--which doesn't pan out, so don't try to buy it: unless you're looking to purchase the old Westminster Gold LP, which is on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Schubert-String-Quintet-major-D-956/dp/B001PU6SQE
https://www.amazon.com/Franz-Schubert-Quintet-Mistislav-Rostropovich/dp/B00UG2Y0N0

The good news is that the Taneyev/Rostropovich performance has been posted on You Tube:






The only other recording of Schubert's String Quintet that I've liked as much (if not more) is a BBC magazine monthly CD (from 1998) featuring the Vellinger Quartet with cellist Bernard Greenhouse, and that CD is still available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Schubert-Str...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B008HIP7GE. It's a moving performance, and IMO, better than Greenhouse's earlier recording with the Beaux Arts Trio. Fortunately, it's been posted on You Tube:


----------



## wkasimer

Josquin13 said:


> I agree with Bill. The 1974 Westminster Gold LP was the best of Rostropovich's several recordings of Schubert's String Quintet in C. I owned it on LP in the 1980s, and it was my favorite recording for many years. DG now owns the rights to all of the Westminster Gold catalogue, and they were scheduled to release the Taneyev/Rostropovich recording around 2010--and even advertised a CD cover (see link below), but for some reason the CD never materialized, or if it was issued, it was in such small quantity that it quickly went out of print.


It was issued on CD, but only in DG's complete Rostropovich recordings box.


----------



## 13hm13

wkasimer said:


> It was issued on CD, but only in DG's complete Rostropovich recordings box.


Yes, CD-22 here:
https://www.deutschegrammophon.com/en/cat/4796789


> Recorded in Leningrad (USSR) by Melodiya in 1963


Listening now ... very good sound quality for 1963.


----------

