Cuarteto Casals - Mozart: Early String Quartets & Divertimenti K.136, 137 & 138 (2005)

Tracklist

CD1
01. String Quartet No. 1 in G Major, K. 80: I. Adagio
02. String Quartet No. 1 in G Major, K. 80: II. Allegro
03. String Quartet No. 1 in G Major, K. 80: III. Minuetto
04. String Quartet No. 1 in G Major, K. 80: IV. Rondeau. Allegro
05. Divertimento in D Major, K. 136/125a: I. Allegro
06. Divertimento in D Major, K. 136/125a: II. Andante
07. Divertimento in D Major, K. 136/125a: III. Presto
08. Divertimento in B-Flat Major, K. 137/125b: I. Andante
09. Divertimento in B-Flat Major, K. 137/125b: II. Allegro di molto
10. Divertimento in B-Flat Major, K. 137/125b: III. Allegro assai
11. Divertimento in F Major, K. 138/125c: I. Allegro
12. Divertimento in F Major, K. 138/125c: II. Andante
13. Divertimento in F Major, K. 138/125c: III. Presto
14. String Quartet No. 2 in D Major, K. 155/134a: I. Allegro
15. String Quartet No. 2 in D Major, K. 155/134a: II. Andante
16. String Quartet No. 2 in D Major, K. 155/134a: III. Molto allegro

CD2
01. String Quartet No. 3 in G Major, K. 156/134b: I. Presto
02. String Quartet No. 3 in G Major, K. 156/134b: II. Adagio
03. String Quartet No. 3 in G Major, K. 156/134b: III. Tempo di menuetto
04. String Quartet No. 4 in C Major, K. 157: I. Allegro
05. String Quartet No. 4 in C Major, K. 157: II. Andante
06. String Quartet No. 4 in C Major, K. 157: III. Presto
07. String Quartet No. 5 in F Major, K. 158: I. Allegro
08. String Quartet No. 5 in F Major, K. 158: II. Andante un poco allegretto
09. String Quartet No. 5 in F Major, K. 158: III. Tempo di minuetto
10. String Quartet No. 5 in F Major, K. 158: String Quartet No. 6 in B-Flat Major, K. 159: I. Andante
11. String Quartet No. 5 in F Major, K. 158: String Quartet No. 6 in B-Flat Major, K. 159: II. Allegro
12. String Quartet No. 5 in F Major, K. 158: String Quartet No. 6 in B-Flat Major, K. 159: III. Rondo. Allegro grazioso
13. String Quartet No. 7 in E-Flat Major, K. 160/159a: I. Allegro
14. String Quartet No. 7 in E-Flat Major, K. 160/159a: II. Un Poco adagio
15. String Quartet No. 7 in E-Flat Major, K. 160/159a: III. Presto
16. String Quartet No. 8 in F Major, K. 168: I. Allegro
17. String Quartet No. 8 in F Major, K. 168: II. Andante
18. String Quartet No. 8 in F Major, K. 168: III. Menuetto
19. String Quartet No. 8 in F Major, K. 168: IV. Allegro

CD3
01. String Quartet No. 9 in A Major, K. 169: I. Molto allegro
02. String Quartet No. 9 in A Major, K. 169: II. Andante
03. String Quartet No. 9 in A Major, K. 169: III. Menuetto
04. String Quartet No. 9 in A Major, K. 169: IV. Rondeaux. Allegro
05. String Quartet No. 10 in C Major, K. 170: I. Thema. Andante
06. String Quartet No. 10 in C Major, K. 170: II. Menuetto
07. String Quartet No. 10 in C Major, K. 170: III. Un poco Adagio
08. String Quartet No. 10 in C Major, K. 170: IV. Rondeaux. Allegro
09. String Quartet No. 11 in E-Flat Major, K. 171: I. Adagio - Allegro Assai - Adagio
10. String Quartet No. 11 in E-Flat Major, K. 171: II. Menuetto
11. String Quartet No. 11 in E-Flat Major, K. 171: III. Andante
12. String Quartet No. 11 in E-Flat Major, K. 171: IV. Allegro assai
13. String Quartet No. 12 in B-Flat Major, K. 172: I. Allegro spiritoso
14. String Quartet No. 12 in B-Flat Major, K. 172: II. Adagio
15. String Quartet No. 12 in B-Flat Major, K. 172: III. Menuetto
16. String Quartet No. 12 in B-Flat Major, K. 172: IV. Allegro assai
17. String Quartet No. 13 in D Minor, K. 173: I. Allegro ma molto moderato
18. String Quartet No. 13 in D Minor, K. 173: II. Andantino grazioso
19. String Quartet No. 13 in D Minor, K. 173: III. Menuetto
20. String Quartet No. 13 in D Minor, K. 173: IV. Allegro

There have been lovely recordings of Mozart's early string quartets before - one thinks immediately of the Quartetto Italiano recordings released on Philips -- but even the loveliest is no lovelier than this one by the Cuarteto Casals. Because while the Italiano's performances are elegantly polished, its elegance is studied and its polish is nearly perfect, but the Casals' performances are passionately dedicated, its passion is wholly unfeigned, and its dedication passes over into absolute love. There is an energy, an enthusiasm, even an excitement to the performances that the Italiano cannot match. Part of it may be the Casals' youth -- this is only its third recording since graduating from Escuela Reina Sofia in Madrid -- part of it may be the Casals' nationality -- that it is a Spanish quartet shows in its fiery attack and blazing ensemble -- but most of it is the Casals' temperament -- they are all first-rate players, but the best thing about them is the obvious affection they have for the music. The Allegros are brightly buoyant, the Adagios are gracefully lyrical, the Minuettos are charmingly coy, the Prestos are amazingly thrilling, and every bow stroke is filled with a love of music making. One gets the sense that, for the Cuarteto Casals, these are not merely early quartets by Mozart, these are great quartets by Mozart. Anyone who only knows and loves Mozart's later quartets will want to know and love his early quartets, too, and there is no more lovable recording than this one. Harmonia Mundi's sound is close, warm, and real.

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