Fluid piano quartets by Dvořák
**** The Busch Trio, consisting of Mathieu Van Bellen, Ori Epstein and Omri Epstein, plays together with Miguel Da Silva the first and second piano quartet by Czech Antonín Dvořák: amateurs' music. The romantic warmth is strongly emphasized, although our current harsh times also resonate in the performance.
One of the most striking points you hear between both works is the deployment of the second piano quartet; it is as Slavic as can be, whereas the first movement at times evokes Schubert, in short is more German in character. Beyond that we will not analyze both works or compare them with each other. You can find plenty of information about that on the worldwide web and in specialized literature. We will delve into the performance.
The quartet plays with absolute professionalism and in elaborate lines that color and support the melodies. Whichever instrument comes to the fore with leading phrases, it never dominates the others. The balance cannot be better, let's say it is excellent. Recording-wise a choice has been made for great purity, perhaps too pure even – the reverberation is limited, which makes the string instruments somewhat harder in tone compared to the piano. On the other hand, the phrasings come across better than would be the case in a live recording. You don't need to go to much effort, none at all really, to imagine while listening with your eyes closed the musicians playing in the right places.
Not only is the music played very singingly and warmly, but sometimes also 'too intelligently', which makes certain accentuations harder and presents just a bit too much the excess in everything of our contemporary society. These are choices that some prefer more than others. The main point is and remains that the spirit of Dvořák watches over this performance and provides more than sufficient romantic charge. Clear plus points with a few reservations. The latter should not spoil the listening pleasure, however.
- WHAT: Antonín Dvořák, Piano Quartet no. 1 & 2
- WHO: Busch Trio, Mathieu Van Bellen, Ori Epstein, Omri Epstein, Miguel Da Silva
- RELEASE: Alpha-Classics ALPHA 288, www.alpha-classics.com
Musical emphasis of folk values
*** "Czech music has been part of my life since childhood. Not only the classical, but also the folk music I mean by this. In fact it is the melodic beauty and the harmonic and rhythmic richness of folk music, a style that connected with my soul, that helps me understand the language of our most innovative composers, composers who carry our rich cultural heritage with them," says violinist Jan Talich.
Together with Petr Jiřikovský he plays the cd full of works for violin and piano by Smetana, Dvořák, Suk, Janáček and Martinů. Names of composers who determined Czech music from the middle of the 19th century to well into the middle of the 20th century.
Had I compiled the cd myself, I would not have included the last work – that of Martinů. It is too snappy and cool, the stylistic break is just too great compared to virtually all the other works in this otherwise successful recording. The most heart-capturing work in terms of both soul and musicality in the performance are the four romantic pieces for violin and piano, opus 75, by Antonín Dvořák. You can also sing along, if you wish, with the four pieces for piano and violin, opus 17, by Josef Suk. The four-movement violin sonata by Leoš Janáček requires more knowledge from the listener. Singing along is not immediately feasible and attention is required or too much of the music will be lost. The opening work of the CD is a simple pleasant composition, a two-part sonata for both instruments, by Bedřich Smetana.
Lovers of romantic and post-romantic chamber music will certainly be able to sink into the armchair with this recording, enjoying what the ear is offered.
- WHAT: Czech Music: Smetana, Dvořák, Suk, Janáček, Martinů
- WHO: Jan Talich (violin) & Petr Jiřikovský (piano)
- RELEASE: ČSOB Private Banking
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lMJ6VTjfls[/embed]
