Heath Quartet – Bartok: Complete String Quartets (2017)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 02:37:31 minutes | 2,82 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Digital Booklet, Front Cover | © harmonia mundi
A monument of chamber music: The string quartet was of central importance to Bartók throughout his career. His six quartets were written (between 1907 and 1939) at crucial turning points in the composer’s creative development. From the elegiac tone of Quartet no.1 (reflecting an unhappy love affair) to the sadness and wry parody of no.6, composed on the eve of World War II, by way of the mirror forms and atmospheric ‘night music’ of nos.4 and 5, they represent perhaps the biggest interpretative challenge in the genre alongside the Beethoven quartets. A challenge triumphantly met here by the Heath Quartet. Future plans include complete cycles of Jörg Widmann’s string quartets at Kilkenny Festival, Berlin’s Boulez Saal and Wigmore Hall, as well as numerous appearances at summer festivals in the United Kingdom and beyond. Their debut recording of Tippett’s string quartets (Wigmore Hall Live) received widespread acclaim and won the Gramophone Chamber Disk of the Year in 2016. A subsequent release on Harmonia Mundi of Tchaikovsky Quartets 1 & 3 was selected as Disk of the Week by both The Sunday Times and BBC Radio 3.
“an unqualified triumph … as a former Tippett scholar I rejoiced at the gleaming new insights provided at every twist and turn of sustained arguments … an essential set for any true music lover.” (The Strad)
“Russian interpreters have tended to dominate this repertoire in the catalogue, so it’s good to hear these outstanding young British musicians in still relatively neglected works…the Heath players pour out Tchaikovsky’s grief for his friend with a depth of tone and virtuosity – in the allegros – that matches the finest Russians on disc. A notable debut.” (Sunday Times)
Tracklist:
1-01. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 1, Sz. 40: I. Lento (09:06)
1-02. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 1, Sz. 40: II. Allegretto. Introduzione (10:07)
1-03. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 1, Sz. 40: III. Allegro vivace (10:20)
1-04. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 3, Sz. 85: I. Prima parte. Moderato (04:45)
1-05. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 3, Sz. 85: II. Seconda parte. Allegro (05:34)
1-06. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 3, Sz. 85: III. Recapitulazione della prima parte. Moderato (02:55)
1-07. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 3, Sz. 85: IV. Coda. Allegro molto (02:20)
1-08. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 5, Sz. 102: I. Allegro (07:58)
1-09. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 5, Sz. 102: II. Adagio molto (05:52)
1-10. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 5, Sz. 102: III. Scherzo. Alla bulgarese (05:29)
1-11. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 5, Sz. 102: IV. Andante (04:44)
1-12. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 5, Sz. 102: V. Finale. Allegro vivace (07:33)
2-01. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 2, Sz. 67: I. Moderato (09:51)
2-02. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 2, Sz. 67: II. Allegro molto capriccioso (08:03)
2-03. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 2, Sz. 67: III. Lento (09:08)
2-04. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 4, Sz. 91: I. Allegro (06:15)
2-05. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 4, Sz. 91: II. Prestissimo, con sordino (03:12)
2-06. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 4, Sz. 91: III. Non troppo lento (05:53)
2-07. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 4, Sz. 91: IV. Allegretto pizzicato (03:01)
2-08. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 4, Sz. 91: V. Allegro molto (05:51)
2-09. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 6, Sz. 114: I. Mesto. Più mosso, pesante-Vivace (07:40)
2-10. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 6, Sz. 114: II. Mesto. Marcia (07:40)
2-11. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 6, Sz. 114: III. Mesto-Burletta. Moderato (07:16)
2-12. Heath Quartet – String Quartet No. 6, Sz. 114: IV. Mesto (06:48)
