Zehetmair Quartett - Brahms: String Quartets, Op. 51 Nos. 1 & 2 (2025) [Hi-Res]

Tracklist

01. String Quartet No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 51 No. 1: I. Allegro
02. String Quartet No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 51 No. 1: II. Romanze. Poco adagio
03. String Quartet No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 51 No. 1: III. Allegretto molto moderato e comodo – un poco più animato
04. String Quartet No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 51 No. 1: IV. Allegro
05. String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 51 No. 2: I. Allegro non troppo
06. String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 51 No. 2: II. Andante moderato
07. String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 51 No. 2: III. Quasi menuetto. Moderato – Allegretto vivace
08. String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 51 No. 2: IV. Finale. Allegro non assai – Più vivace

A central fixture in the world of string quartets for the past thirty years, the Zehetmair Quartett’s ECM recordings of Schumann, Hindemith, Bartók and Hartmann have received luminous praise—Gramophone lauded their Schumann as “Record of the Year”, while The Sunday Times described their Hindemith and Bartók performances as “playing of huge finesse in both pieces,” calling them “a real benchmark”. For this this newest entry to their New Series catalogue, the quartet turns to Johannes Brahms’s first two string quartets, Op. 51 Nos. 1 and 2—works of mature reflection and dramatic urgency that reveal Brahms’s mastery of form. The composer had after all written over 20 quartets prior two these two, as he confided to a close friend. But Brahms torched them all, making these his first two of a total three published quartets. Recorded with the Zehetmair Quartett’s characteristic intensity, from-memory freedom, and richly expressive depth, the performances promise fresh and deeply felt readings of these cornerstone chamber works. Regrettably, it is the last of the quartet’s recordings to feature cellist Christian Elliott (1984-2025). “It was a joy to work with him on the ever-changing character of the voices, to sense the meaning of every phrase and bring it to life. The void he leaves behind is painful – Christian, we miss you.”

Zehetmair Quartett
Thomas Zehetmair violin
Jakub Jakowicz violin
Ruth Killius viola
Christian Elliott violoncello

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