Kocian Quartet - Paul Hindemith: The Complete String Quartets (2022) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

CD1
01. String Quartet No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 10: I. Sehr lebhaft, straff im Rhythmus
02. String Quartet No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 10: II. Thema mit Variationen. Gemächlich
03. String Quartet No. 1 in F Minor, Op. 10: III. Finale. Sehr lebhaft
04. String Quartet No. 2 in C Major, Op. 16: I. Lebhaft und sehr energisch
05. String Quartet No. 2 in C Major, Op. 16: II. Sehr langsam
06. String Quartet No. 2 in C Major, Op. 16: III. Finale. Äußerst lebhaft
07. String Quartet No. 6 in E-Flat Major: I. Schnell
08. String Quartet No. 6 in E-Flat Major: II. Ruhig. Scherzando
09. String Quartet No. 6 in E-Flat Major: III. Langsam - Schnell - Langsam
10. String Quartet No. 6 in E-Flat Major: IV. Kanon. Mäßig schnell - Heiter

CD2
01. String Quartet No. 3, Op. 22: I. Fugato. Sehr langsame Viertel
02. String Quartet No. 3, Op. 22: II. Sehr energisch. Schnelle Achtel
03. String Quartet No. 3, Op. 22: III. Stets fließend. Ruhige Viertel
04. String Quartet No. 3, Op. 22: IV. Mäßig schnelle Viertel
05. String Quartet No. 3, Op. 22: V. Rondo. Gemächlich und mit Grazie
06. String Quartet No. 4, Op. 32: I. Lebhafte Halbe
07. String Quartet No. 4, Op. 32: II. Sehr langsam, aber immer fließend
08. String Quartet No. 4, Op. 32: III. Kleiner Marsch. Vivace, sempre crescendo
09. String Quartet No. 4, Op. 32: IV. Passacaglia. Fugato (so schnell wie möglich)
10. String Quartet No. 5 in E-Flat Major: I. Sehr ruhig und ausdrucksvoll
11. String Quartet No. 5 in E-Flat Major: II. Lebhaft und sehr energisch
12. String Quartet No. 5 in E-Flat Major: III. Ruhig. Variationen
13. String Quartet No. 5 in E-Flat Major: IV. Finale. Breit und energisch

CD3
01. Overture to The Flying Dutchman: Allegro con brio - Andante - Animando un poco - Tempo I - Molto animato - Im gleichen Zeitmaß weiter - Un poco ritenuto
02. String Quartet No. "0" in C Major, Op. 2: I. Sehr lebhaft
03. String Quartet No. "0" in C Major, Op. 2: II. Adagio
04. String Quartet No. "0" in C Major, Op. 2: III. Sehr lebhaft
05. String Quartet No. "0" in C Major, Op. 2: IV. Ziemlich lebhaft
06. Militärminimax for String Quartet (Repertorium für Militärmusik): I. Armeemarsch 606 "Der Hoenfürstenberger"
07. Militärminimax for String Quartet (Repertorium für Militärmusik): II. Ouverture zu "Wasserdichter und Vogelbauer"
08. Militärminimax for String Quartet (Repertorium für Militärmusik): III. Ein Abend an der Donauquelle, intermezzo für zwei Trompeten
09. Militärminimax for String Quartet (Repertorium für Militärmusik): IV. Löwenzähnchen an Baches Rand, Konzertwalzer
10. Militärminimax for String Quartet (Repertorium für Militärmusik): V. Die beiden lustigen Mistfinken, Characterstück, Solo für zwei Pikkoloflöten
11. Militärminimax for String Quartet (Repertorium für Militärmusik): VI. Alte Karbonaden, Marsch

Could anyone argue that the six string quartets of Paul Hindemith are on the same level as the six quartets of Bartók or the five quartets of Schoenberg or the 15 quartets of Shostakovich? Probably not: there have been very few recordings of Hindemith's quartets and most of them were made by less than first-rate ensembles, so there is little evidence to mount an argument for the work's outstanding qualities.
Does the Kocian Quartet make the case for Hindemith's quartets in its 1995 recording of the complete cycle? Yes, but only up to a point. The Kocian is a more than adequate ensemble with a rich if sometimes ragged tone and a powerful if occasionally erratic sense of rhythm and it is almost but not quite up to the challenge of Hindemith's quartets. One can appreciate the intellectual effort and the incredible energy the composer put into the works, but one can only dimly apprehend the wit, depth, and strength of the works. If there were also recordings of Hindemith's quartets by, say, the Alban Berg Quartet, to make the argument for the work's outstanding qualities, the Kocian's recordings would be decidedly second-rate. But as things stand, the Kocian's merely acceptable recordings are as good as it gets. Praga's sound is a bit hard and a tad harsh.

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