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The Royal Quartet is outstanding in every respect.This is an outstanding tribute to a great composer. --IRR,Apr'11
Royal's performance is passionate and sharp-edged,capturing the emotional depth and intensity of the music equally vividly. Performance ***** Recording ***** --BBC Music Magazine,May'11
The string quartets of a Polish master receive potent new performances.The preferred choice. EDITORS CHOICE --Gramophone,June'11
Royal's performance is passionate and sharp-edged,capturing the emotional depth and intensity of the music equally vividly. Performance ***** Recording ***** --BBC Music Magazine,May'11
The string quartets of a Polish master receive potent new performances.The preferred choice. EDITORS CHOICE --Gramophone,June'11
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Gorecki's calling for writing string quartets came late in his life, the three he did (a fourth was left unfinished) came about in a relative short timespan, between 1988 and 1995. So he might have enjoyed the genre, because it shows. All three commissioned, premièred and recorded by the Kronos Quartet, also the dedicates, one has to come of good breed to compete with these guys. There is much to be said for having works performed by compatriots, but these quartets were also released recently by the Silesian Quartet. Because that disc is hard to obtain? Or mastering this material is giving off your calling-card? The Royal String Quartet from Warsaw interprete it excellently. I am only acquainted with the First by Kronos and although I must say they win, it's only by decimal points. This is a Hyperion production, so excellency in all fields is guaranteed.
The First quartet gets its title Already it is dusk, from the opening line of a children's nightprayer. The music is dark indeed. It starts off contemplative and with a few dissonants, but soon it swells and contracts, alternating between raw and tender, the musicians hacking and sawing with their bows, ending the piece in some sort of despair. Very captivating, but as Gorecki's output was rather varied, not for tender souls who expect some repeat of his one-hit-wonder.
The same can be said for Quasi una fantasia, the second quartet and in four parts, clocking double time at 33 minutes. The build-up is much longer here. The intro is subdued, more romantic, the pitch stays low throughout. Then suddenly the players attack their instruments in hypnotic repetitions, the texture changing all the time. Unsettling chords start the the third movement that soon turns from sour into sweet introspectiveness. The finale is fast-moving again, an uplifting allegro played 'con grande passione'. A musical roller-coaster ride, these two works.
The second of this double-CD is completely dedicated to the third quartet. Gorecki kept this one in his drawer for nearly ten years without knowing good reason for this himself and only released it after a revision. Did he have qualms about it being over-long? I do.
It starts with an eleven minute slow rendition of the opening of the Second and then comes an even longer largo. The work ends with too long an introspection as well. But even here a strong contrast: the heart of ...songs are sung, as this quartet is subtitled (after the line 'When people die, they sing songs'), is fireworks again, though rather short. Not that all the five movements have to be harsh or thorny, just that on the whole this last work is too drawn-out. It gets better with subsequent listenings, but stays one that you have to be in a special mood for.
The First quartet gets its title Already it is dusk, from the opening line of a children's nightprayer. The music is dark indeed. It starts off contemplative and with a few dissonants, but soon it swells and contracts, alternating between raw and tender, the musicians hacking and sawing with their bows, ending the piece in some sort of despair. Very captivating, but as Gorecki's output was rather varied, not for tender souls who expect some repeat of his one-hit-wonder.
The same can be said for Quasi una fantasia, the second quartet and in four parts, clocking double time at 33 minutes. The build-up is much longer here. The intro is subdued, more romantic, the pitch stays low throughout. Then suddenly the players attack their instruments in hypnotic repetitions, the texture changing all the time. Unsettling chords start the the third movement that soon turns from sour into sweet introspectiveness. The finale is fast-moving again, an uplifting allegro played 'con grande passione'. A musical roller-coaster ride, these two works.
The second of this double-CD is completely dedicated to the third quartet. Gorecki kept this one in his drawer for nearly ten years without knowing good reason for this himself and only released it after a revision. Did he have qualms about it being over-long? I do.
It starts with an eleven minute slow rendition of the opening of the Second and then comes an even longer largo. The work ends with too long an introspection as well. But even here a strong contrast: the heart of ...songs are sung, as this quartet is subtitled (after the line 'When people die, they sing songs'), is fireworks again, though rather short. Not that all the five movements have to be harsh or thorny, just that on the whole this last work is too drawn-out. It gets better with subsequent listenings, but stays one that you have to be in a special mood for.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
High quality music, delightfully interpreted by the Royal Quartet.
Be warned, though, that if you only know Gorecki's justly most famous composition,
moving and grandiose Symphony 3, this is something less easily accessible.
It shows adequately, though, that he was a composer fully living in today's music.
Be warned, though, that if you only know Gorecki's justly most famous composition,
moving and grandiose Symphony 3, this is something less easily accessible.
It shows adequately, though, that he was a composer fully living in today's music.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This is Gorecki's string quartets played by Royal String Quartet.
It's ultra dark chamber works, specially the third. I listen to them, and I love this dobbel cd's from the Hyperion label.
If you looking for modern chamber music, bye this. I recondmand it with no hestitate. This is a winner.
Hyperion does it again, maybe the best classical music record label for the moment. The Best work here is the number three. (CD 2)
It's ultra dark chamber works, specially the third. I listen to them, and I love this dobbel cd's from the Hyperion label.
If you looking for modern chamber music, bye this. I recondmand it with no hestitate. This is a winner.
Hyperion does it again, maybe the best classical music record label for the moment. The Best work here is the number three. (CD 2)
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