BaL 26.01.19 - Schumann: String Quartet No 3 in A, Op 41

[gradus]

I don't really know rival recordings but the Zehetmair set was an indispensable companion in the car not long since.

[MickyD]

Sadly, for those who have not already got it, the Eroica's CD is only available at a premium price, these days, and the downloadable offerings are all restricted to CD quality at best, as far as I can see. Perhaps jlw knows better. Fortunately, having been bowled over by the Eroica's Mendelssohn, I got their Schumann CD at the time of its release.

[The free version of Grammarly tried to get me to remove visinick's comma after "moment". One good reason not to stump up for their paid version.]

There's one copy going on Amazon Germany at the moment for about 20 euros.

[gurnemanz]

O

That BIS/Zehetmair album of 1 & 3 was the all-around Gramophone Record of the Year 2003.
IIRC I never fell in love with it, but now's the time for another go....

I have Hagen and Zehetmair and prefer Zehetmair in very pleasing, realistic sound + a good sleeve note essay. ECM not BIS.

[visualnickmos]

Very sorry to hear that, visnick - very best wishes.

Thank you.

[jayne lee wilson]

I have Hagen and Zehetmair and prefer Zehetmair in very pleasing, realistic sound + a good sleeve note essay. ECM not BIS.

Thanks for the correction....I heard the Zehetmair in 41/3 (i) earlier....very hmmm...
Better reserve judgement until closer listening....

[jayne lee wilson]

Jayne,
Many thanks for your thoughts on this. I feel I am very much drawn in the direction of the Eroicas. I'm listening to a fair amountof chamber at the moment, and will be something else to 'look forward' to in providing even a little solace in music, at a very, very difficult and sad time for me.

Chamber music does seem to offer the musical Consolation of Philosophy doesn't it? I had a terrible 2018 for (I suspect) similar reasons to your own, and the New Year has been a huge struggle so far... it took me two weeks just to face up to it all again and try to get going...
Do try the Schumann Violin Sonatas (ECM again, Widmann/Várjon spacious and spare..), and Piano Trios if you haven't already, they're just as rewarding as the Quartets...

This is a wonderful series....

https://www.qobuz.com/gb-en/search?q=schumann+casado+harmobnia+mundi&i=boutique

[Mal]

Chamber music does seem to offer the musical Consolation of Philosophy doesn't it?...]

It does, I've found this especially so with Haydn's String Quartets recently, listening mostly to the Kodaly quartet on Naxos. As I find most philosophy little consolation, I'm really thankful to Haydn, Schumann, and the other wonderful composers of chamber music!

[MickyD]

Agreed about the solace of chamber music. I've just got hold of a second hand copy of Mozart string quintets by Hausmusik - balm for the troubled soul indeed!

[HighlandDougie]

Jayne,
Many thanks for your thoughts on this. I feel I am very much drawn in the direction of the Eroicas. I'm listening to a fair amountof chamber at the moment, and will be something else to 'look forward' to in providing even a little solace in music, at a very, very difficult and sad time for me.

Listening to music - and much taken with your suggestion of the Schubert trio - is a good antidote to the world’s ills. Hope that it all gets better for you.

[Mal]

Agreed about the solace of chamber music. I've just got hold of a second hand copy of Mozart string quintets by Hausmusik - balm for the troubled soul indeed!

I'm listening through Mozart's (mature) chamber music at the moment, recently listened to the Chilingirian set of the quartets, and it's a wonderfully warm and comforting collection. Now I'm listening to his great violin sonatas (Szeryng and Haebler) - again in the balm for the troubled soul category. I totally agree with you abut the quintets, I look forward to a re-listen to the Grumiaux trio (and friends...) soon. With Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven writing such great chamber music, in quantity, you can see why Brahm and Schumann had such a struggle, what acts to try and follow!

[jayne lee wilson]

Schumann String Quartet Op.41/3. Zehetmair Qt. ECM CD.
To these ears it just isn't right ( over-inflected, over-expressed, just overdone really) and probably never will be....

I can see why it got the attention, and the awards.... Schumann as the ultra-impassioned, haunted Romantic, yes....
Playing of infinitesimally attentive, bar-by-bar moulded phrase and detail....
But I feel the performers come between me and the music here...

(Will try their 41/1 later...)

[zola]

Schumann String Quartet Op.41/3. Zehetmair Qt. ECM CD.
Playing of infinitesimally attentive, bar-by-bar moulded phrase and detail....
But I feel the performers come between me and the music here... [/I]

I wonder if that has something to do with them playing from memory as they do ( did ? ) rather than from the printed score ?

[Barbirollians]

I wonder if that has something to do with them playing from memory as they do ( did ? ) rather than from the printed score ?

It is my only version and I know what JLW means - I always feel exhausted after listening to it .

[verismissimo]

My word, she's covering the ground!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Missed this and the website doesn’t yet list the recommended versions. I hate to be the one who asks “who won”, but...