String Quartets Op.59,132 [CD]

The product description is helpful in pointing out that this new installment in the Artemis quartet's ongoing Beethoven cycle isn't actually new but predates the change of viola and second violin that took place in 2004. Virgin/EMI clearly saw that the had a winner when the group's last release won several awards in Europe. It will be interesting to see if the Artemis can be promoted to the level of the Emerson or the Alban Berg. they have absorbed aspects of both, combining a sharp, clear technique with a more rounded European sensibility. Of course, there's a bit of identity crisis since the Artemis on records isn't one ensemble but two, separated by the personnel change.

This two-fer begins with the third Razumovsky (Op. 59 no. 3), and it immediately display both sides of the Artemis's personality, with a rather cool, detached first movement followed by a war, flowing second movement. On their earlier CD, I thought the second Razumovsky came off as Emerson lite -- modernist but with less coolness and aggression in the attack. That sounds like a criticism, but actually it's a relief to remove the stainless-steel cladding that covers so many contemporary readings. The two inner movements actually display gentleness, and the ear is pleased by perfect intonation and effortless unanimity. One feels that these musicians actually care about the music, and for once the first violin doesn't grab the spotlight all the time. The more equal the four voices, the greater the sense of communal music-making. The Molto allegro finale races along without exaggerated attacks (a fault in the Takacs Qt.version). Overall, this sounds like a mature quartet that can still manage to sound fresh in a very familiar work.

an even greater test comes in Op. 132, probably the most loved of the late quartets because of the spiritual apotheosis in the slow movement "holy song of praise." The Artemis edge into the first movement quietly, and all semblance to the Emersons is absent; they give us a very Europeanized sense of traditional Beethoven only slightly updated through precise execution. by relaxing more than usual, the Artemis communicate a kind of joyful song that is very appealing. After a while I did miss the intensity achieved by the ABQ or the single-minded thrust of the Takacs and Emerson. Perhaps it wasn't wise to interpret the whole of Op. 132 as being in the same mode as the blissful Adagio, which is also taken in a relaxed manner. And certainly Beethoven's marking in the finale, Allegro appassionato, is being shortchanged too much.

Such lightness of touch would lead one to believe that the next item, Op. 18 no. 2, will come off well. Indeed, it's fleet and mercurial. the Artemis decidedly see tis quartet as a child of Haydn, not a forebear of later Beethoven. The main sign of a turn into romanticism is the lovingly caressed slow movement.In the three fast movement the ensemble is delightfully deft and carefree.

CD 2 end with Op. 131, a work that opens itself up to countless interpretations because of its very free seven-movement structure, strong contrasts, and enigmatic tone. My ideal is a strong philosophical reading, balancing the inward and the intensely felt. I was disappointed to find that the Artemis are far from that ideal. They play the opening Adagio smoothly, almost glibly, emphasizing prettiness of tone over almost everything else. The next movement, which should offer a strong contrast into an exciting Allegro molto vivace, is speedy but homogenized with what came before. Why? In the same vein, the strong punctuations that open the Andante are muted for no reason that I can see. The exhilarating Presto is better, but largely because the Artemis avoid the irritating aggressiveness of their rivals. The Adagio is lyrically played but with diminished intensity; the galloping finale is foursquare.

In all, we have a success in the Razumovsky and Op. 18 no. 2 but real failures in the two late quartets. Anyone who knows the latter day Artemis will be glad that they changed personnel, because it brought the needed intensity and personality that these readings lack. Compared to their searing Op. 95 'Serioso' from 2005, this double album sounds pallid.

This is one of the two new releases by Artemis Quartet, and this two-disc (20 track) collection is as good as one could hope for. This is chamber music at its finest. By performing the challenging works of Beethoven, the four members of this string quartet prove their worth, as well as their extraordinary skill and ability. This is really worth purchasing immediately. As someone who just became a fan recently, I am very glad that I now have these two fantastic CDs.