Grieg: String Quartets Nos 1 & 2 - Raphael String Quartet

Raphael String Quartet
Ronald Hoogeveen & Ramy Koch, violins
Zoltán Benyacz, viola • Henk Lambooij, cello
Track 6 - Jet Röling, piano

Alto returns to international availability, the Raphael Quartet’s acclaimed 1993 recordings of Edvard Grieg’s String Quartets 1 & 2, the Allegro con fuoco from the Fugue in F minor for string quartet, and the Andante con moto in C minor for piano trio with pianist Jet Röling.

The Raphael String Quartet was known far beyond their native Holland. Founded in the early 1980s, they came to prominence winning four distinctions at the European Broadcasting Union String Quartet Festival in 1983. The recipients of a number of important commissions, they have recorded extensively including works by Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Bruckner, Grieg, Janáček and Shostakovich. 

These sumptuous chamber music recordings have been newly remastered and restored by engineer Paul Arden-Taylor. 

“The Raphael Quartet give us … plenty of spirit, and the recorded sound is excellent.” —Penguin Guide, 3 Stars 

String Quartet No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 27
1 Un poco andante - Allegro molto ed agitato 12:24
2 Romanze: Andantino - Allegro agitato 6:57
3 Intermezzo: Allegro molto marcato - Più vivo e scherzando 6:51
4 Finale: Lento - Presto al Saltarello 9:20

5 Fugue in F Minor for string quartet 3:20

6 Andante con moto in C Minor for piano trio 9:53

String Quartet No. 2 in F Major (completed by Julius Röntgen)
7 Sostenuto - Allegro vivace e grazioso 9:25
8 Allegro scherzando - Più vivo 6:39
9 Adagio (world premiere recording) 7:34
A Allegro giocoso (world premiere recording) 6:18