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| The prized American quartet performs Janácek’s String Quartets No. 1 and 2 (“Intimate Letters”), plus Martinù’s Three Madrigals for Violin and Viola. |
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| 1 String Quartet No. 1 ('Kreutzer Sonata'), JW 7/8: 1. Adagio - Con moto |
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| 2 String Quartet No. 1 ('Kreutzer Sonata'), JW 7/8: 2. Con moto |
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| 3 String Quartet No. 1 ('Kreutzer Sonata'), JW 7/8: 3. Con moto - Vivace - Andante - Tempo 1 |
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| 4 String Quartet No. 1 ('Kreutzer Sonata'), JW 7/8: 4. Con moto - Adagio - Maestoso |
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| 5 Madrigals (3) for violin & viola ('Duo No. 1'), H. 313: 1. Poco allegro |
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| 6 Madrigals (3) for violin & viola ('Duo No. 1'), H. 313: 2. Poco andante |
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| 7 Madrigals (3) for violin & viola ('Duo No. 1'), H. 313: 3. Allegro |
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| 8 String Quartet No. 2 ('Listy duverné,' 'Intimate Letters'), JW 7/13: 1. Andante - Con moto - Allegro |
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| 9 String Quartet No. 2 ('Listy duverné,' 'Intimate Letters'), JW 7/13: 2. Adagio - Vivace - Andante - Presto - Allegro - Vivo - Adagio |
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| 10 String Quartet No. 2 ('Listy duverné,' 'Intimate Letters'), JW 7/13: 3. Moderato - Adagio - Allegro |
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| 11 String Quartet No. 2 ('Listy duverné,' 'Intimate Letters'), JW 7/13: 4. Allegro - Andante - Con moto - Adagio - Tempo 1 |
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Album Review
America's Emerson String Quartet keeps getting better and better in deeper in deeper repertoire. Three years after their 2006 disc of romantic Scandinavian quartets by Sibelius, Nielsen and Grieg, they released a disc of modernist Czech chamber music by Janácek and Martinu, the former's two string quartets and the latter's three Madrigals for violin and viola. As before, the results are superb, and as befits Janácek's extremely passionate music, the performances are tonally voluptuous and expressively intense. The Emerson's first quartet is emotionally volatile and relentlessly driven but their ensemble is together at all times. Their second quartet is mellower in tone much of the time but the Emerson's concentration never lets up and when the closing movement explodes, the effect is shocking. Violinist Philip Setzer and violist Lawrence Dutton make the most of Martinu's Madrigals heighten lyricism and effervescent rhythms and create performances of such ineffable beauty that they may bring these lesser known works to a larger audience. It may even be possible at some point in the not too distant future that the Emerson may tackle Martinu's seven quartets, or so fans of the composer may hope. As always for this group, Deutsche Grammophon's digital sound is cool, clear and immediate.
~ James Leonard, All Music Guide
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• Biography
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Other albums by: Emerson String Quartet |
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