GREAT RUSSIAN STRING QUARTETS - PROKOFIEV, SHOSTAKOVICH, GLAZUNOV, BORODIN (6 CDS)

Great Russian String Quartets

Borodin Quartet
(Borodin, Tchaikovsky)
Shostakovich Quartet
(Glazunov, Shostakovich)
American String Quartet
(Prokofiev)

(Borodin) “movement-by-movement comparison makes it clear that …the Borodins win hands down … their internal balance at every point is irreproachable. (Gramophone)

(Glazunov): “reconciliation between the traditions of Borodin and Tchaikovsky … Shostakovich Quartet have great feeling for this music and play with real conviction” (Penguin Guide);

(Tchaikovsky): “their earlier recordings (as here) are unassailable recommendations. Look no further” (Penguin Guide);

(Prokofiev): “an excellent performance, which at times even matches the abandon and attack of the Hollywoods. The Second a work of real quality which has the astringent flavouring and poetic flair that characterize Prokofiev at his best” (Gramophone)

(Shostakovich): “(They)…bring a special intensity to this repertoire as well as effortless technical address, and a tonal blend which gives their readings a strong claim on the collector’s allegiance.” (©Penguin Guide 3 stars)

Alexander Borodin (1833-87) 
STRING QUARTETS No.l (1877-9) and No.2 (1881)

String Quartet No.1 in A major
[1] Moderato – Allegro 13:40
[2] Andante con moto 8:20
[3] Scherzo: Prestissimo 5:25
[4] Andante – Allegro risoluto 10:34

String Quartet No.2 in D major
[5] Allegro moderato 7:53
[6] Scherzo: Allegro 4:47
[7] Nocturne: Andante 8:12
[8] Finale: Andante – Vivace 6:51

BORODIN QUARTET

Disc B

ALEXANDER GLAZUNOV (1865-1936)
String Quartets No. 3 in G major op.26 “Slavonic”;
No.5 in D minor Op.70; Music From “The Fridays”
String Quartet No.3 in G major, Op.26 (28:04)
[1] I. Moderato 5:37
[2] II. Interlude. Moderato 5:14
[3] III. In Mazurka Style. Allegretto 6:00
[4] IV. Finale. Une fete slave. Allegro moderato 11:12

String Quartet No.5 in D minor, Op.70 (28:53)
[5] I. Andante – Allegro 9:19
[6] II. Scherzo. Allegretto 4:22
[7] III. Adagio 8:04
[8] IV. Finale. Allegro 7:06

“The Fridays” cycle for String Quartet:
[09] Prelude & Fugue (Book 1, No.1) 10:22
[10] Kuranta (Book II, No.6) 2:04

SHOSTAKOVICH QUARTET

Disc C

SERGEI PROKOFIEV (1891-1953)
String Quartets Nos.1 & 2
String Quartet No.l in B minor, Op.50 (26:21)
1. Allegro 8 :07
2. Andante molto. Vivace 7:00
3. Andante 11:09

String Quartet No.2 in F major, Op.92 (23:40)
4. Allegro sostenuto 6:33
5. Adagio 8:26
6. Allegro 8:37

AMERICAN STRING QUARTET

Disc D

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-93)
String Quartets No.1, No.2

String Quartet No.1 in D major, Op.11
[1] Moderato e semplice 10:26
[2] Andante cantabile 6:35
[3] Scherzo: Allegro non tanto 3:43
[4] Finale: Allegro giusto 6:42

String Quartet No.2 in F major, Op.22
[5] Adagio – Moderato assai 11:36
[6] Scherzo: Allegro giusto 5:23
[7] Andante ma non tanto 12:23
[8] Finale: Allegro con moto 5:42

BORODIN STRING QUARTET

Disc E

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-75)
GREAT STRING QUARTETS Nos. 4, 8, 10

String Quartet No.4 in D Major, Op.83 (1949) 24:36
1. I. Allegretto 3:55
2. II. Andantino 7:18
3. III. Allegretto – IV. Allegretto 13:22

String Quartet No.8 in C Minor, Op.110 (1960) 20:53
4. I. Largo 4:39
5. II. Allegro molto 2:45
6. III. Allegretto 4:33
7. IV. Largo 5:28
8. V. Largo 3:26

String Quartet No.10 in Ab Major, Op.118 (1964) 23:57
9. I. Andante 4:10
10. II. Allegretto furioso 4:10
11. III. Adagio 6:34
12. IV. Allegretto – Andante 9:01

SHOSTAKOVICH QUARTET

Disc F

Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-75)
GREAT STRING QUARTETS Nos. 7, 9, 11, 13
String Quartet No.7 in F# Minor, Op.108 (1960)* 12:06
[1] I. Allegretto 3:17 [2] II. Lento 3:18
[3] III. Allegro – Allegretto 5:30

String Quartet No.9 in Eb Major, Op.117 (1964)* 28:22
[4] I. Moderato con moto 4:15 [5] II. Adagio 4:42
[6]. III. Allegretto 3:53 [7] IV. Adagio 4:42 [8] V. Allegro 10:47

String Quartet No.11 in F Minor, Op.122 (1966)** 16:38
[9] I. Introduction: Andantino 2:11 [10] II. Scherzo: Allegretto 2:40
[11] III. Recitative: Adagio 1:27 [12] IV. Etude: Allegro 1:15
[13] V. Humoresque: Adagio 1:08 [14] VI. Elegy: Adagio 4:31
[15] VII. Finale: Moderato 3:22

String Quartet No.13 in Bb Minor, Op.138 (1970)**
[16] Adagio – Doppio movimento – Tempo primo 18:12

SHOSTAKOVICH QUARTET