BaL 12.03.22 - Schubert: String Quintet in C major (D. 956)

[mikealdren]

There seems to be a growing number of comments on the forum that HIPP performances are excessively fast, but little discussion as to why this might be.

My comment was not intended to suggest that, merely to suggest that HIPP performance techniques mitigate against very slow playing such as we sometimes hear in the Schubert quintet.

[RichardB]

My comment was not intended to suggest that, merely to suggest that HIPP performance techniques mitigate against very slow playing such as we sometimes hear in the Schubert quintet.

I realise that - but it's a subject that comes up quite often!

[Barbirollians]

Yes other favourites of mine include Stern/Casals, the Hollywood Quartet ( coupled on Testament with their brilliant Verklarte Nacht) and the Pavel Haas Quartet.

[Maclintick]

Yes other favourites of mine include Stern/Casals, the Hollywood Quartet ( coupled on Testament with their brilliant Verklarte Nacht) and the Pavel Haas Quartet.

The Hollywood version is rightly deemed a classic, as is the Schoenberg Verklärte Nacht, the composer a near-neighbour in LA. Apart from their purity of sound, tempo-wise they hit the mark unerringly. The adagio is within a few seconds of the Festetics' version, which caused me to wonder at comments in the BBC Music Mag reproduced on the Presto website "This 1951 mono recording set the benchmark for many years, and so it probably did much to establish the current, questionable norms of tempo " (my bold)

[Barbirollians]

One version I really did not like was the stereo Amadeus/Pleeth - found it rather aggressive and over the top.

[Retune]

The Hungarian Quartet with László Varga introduced me to this work, and it's the recording I always return to. I think both the 2CD reissue and the excellent 50 CD Schubert Collector's Edition box from EMI it features on are both out of print.

[HighlandDougie]

As ever with Professor Loges, an enjoyable - and conversationally balanced - BaL - she knows her stuff without wearing her learning too heavily. She didn't "em" or "er" - and I don't remember an, "absolutely". Anyway, interesting choice of versions illustrated (from the very first recording) to a recent one with Christian Tetzlaff and friends. Maybe I'm biased as my go-to performance when I want to listen to the work was her overall choice! And there was a nod to a HiPP version and one which was more historic.

[Bryn]

For anyone looking for the l'archibudelli et al 5-disc set for rather lower outlay than via amazon.co.uk, it is available for streaming or import from QOBUZ. Presumably, they also have it as a download but I have not been able to find it there, so far. The Quintet is also to be found in Vol. 1 of the Sony Vivarte Collection 60-CD boxed sets, The other items in the 5-CD set are also to be found distributed between the 2 Volumes of 60 CDs each. Glad I got them at the time of their release (around £40 for each set).

[Maclintick]

As ever with Professor Loges, an enjoyable - and conversationally balanced - BaL - she knows her stuff without wearing her learning too heavily.

Yes -- articulate and lively. Having commented that the adagio was difficult to describe, she managed to convey its musical essence, the tension between harmonic shifts and textural stasis with the underpinning tick-tock of the 2nd cello, in a way which avoided the usual "sublime/profound" clichés. As to her choice -- the Ébène can do no wrong, IMHO.

[Bryn]

For anyone looking for the l'archibudelli et al 5-disc set for rather lower outlay than via amazon.co.uk, it is available for streaming or import from QOBUZ. Presumably, they also have it as a download but I have not been able to find it there, so far. The Quintet is also to be found in Vol. 1 of the Sony Vivarte Collection 60-CD boxed sets, The other items in the 5-CD set are also to be found distributed between the 2 Volumes of 60 CDs each. Glad I got them at the time of their release (around £40 for each set).

Aha! One reason this recording of the Quintet may be difficult to track down is that the ensemble is not named as "l'archibudelli' on the packaging, which simply lists the performers by name and cites the instruments used as being "Stradivarious Instruments from the Smithsonian Institutions".

[Lordgeous]

I'm afraid, as a longtime listener to Building a Library I'm beginning to think 'Why bother'. Take this morning for example. With a mountain of available versions of the Schubert available, the reviewer can only pick a small handful and attempt to discus/compare those in some detail whilst not even being able to mention any of the other recordings. A thankless and nigh impossible task of course. One does receive occassional interesting analytical and historical information along the way, which I welcome. I know this has been said many times before, and I guess in the days of 'interpretations on record' it was a much simpler task with fewer interpretations available. As in virtually ALL episodes of BAL I would welcome the reviewer ALONE to present (sorry Andrew!) - does anyone know if Mr McGregor reads this forum? So, I come back to 'Why bother'. I always think, and have mentioned before, that the feature would at least benefit from being longer - a full hour at least - and even being its own programme rather than just a segment of RR. Ah well, roll on next week's similar battle with Beethoven Pno Conc. 4! (Solomon & Gilels for me, but of course in those days.....).

[Barbirollians]

I'm afraid, as a longtime listener to Building a Library I'm beginning to think 'Why bother'. Take this morning for example. With a mountain of available versions of the Schubert available, the reviewer can only pick a small handful and attempt to discus/compare those in some detail whilst not even being able to mentioln any of the other recordings. A thankless and nigh impossible task of course. One does receive occassional interesting analytical and historical information along the way, which I welcome. I know this has been said many times before, and I guess in the days of 'interpretations on record' it was a much simpler task with fewer interpretations available. As in virtually ALL episodes of BAL I would welcome the reviewer ALONE to present (sorry Andrew!) - does anyone know if Mr McGregor reads this forum? So, I come back to 'Why bother'. I always think, and have mentioned before, that the feature would at least benefit from being longer - a full hour at least - and even being its own programme rather than just a segment of RR. Ah well, roll on next week's similar battle with Beethoven Pno Conc. 4! (Solomon & Gilels for me, but of course in those days.....).

I am not sure I am in tune with the Ebene - I found the end of the finale rather aggressive for my taste- and I felt the same about their recent raved about Mendelssohn disc. I found this BAL dull , too much Mr McGregor and I tend to find Natasha Loges contributions forgettable.

[Parry1912]

For anyone looking for the l'archibudelli et al

It’s also in Anner Bylsma Chamber Music Volume 2 (12CDs) which is currently on Amazon at £12.10

[Bryn]

It’s also in Anner Bylsma Chamber Music Volume 2 (12CDs) which is currently on Amazon at £12.10

I didn't think to look in there. I think that's tucked away in the spare room. Does that cite l'archibudelli?

[ardcarp]

As ever with Professor Loges, an enjoyable - and conversationally balanced - BaL - she knows her stuff without wearing her learning too heavily.

What do you make of her comment, near the start, that 'Schubert clearly wrote this for performing not for listening'. (a) I have no idea what she meant and (b) what is the point of any music if not for listening?

Excepting a certain piece by John Cage perhaps, in which neither case is true!