Cherubini: Complete String Quartets

"the robust and earthy Scherzo is a winner, along with a finale full of surprises and unbridled virtuosity. Led alternatively by Monica Huggett and Pavlo Beznosiuk, Hausmusik London finds the right balance between classical temperance and pre-romantic outbursts. The pleasant and precise recording helps this second rehabilitation of Cherubini’s string quartets (the other being that of Quartetto David on BIS) to come to life in ideal conditions." --Review Vol.1, classicstoday.com

Luigi Cherubini’s String Quartet No. 2 (1829) actually was a new version of his 1815 Symphony in D which, after its unsuccessful premiere, remained unplayed throughout the 19th century. Its symphonic origin is evident in the dramatic nature of the music–Mendelssohnian in its rich melodic and harmonic character–and in its optimistic athleticism. The slow movement, the emotional core of the work, is freer in form than the rest, and luxuriates in beautiful themes. The 1835 String Quartet No. 5 is certainly more of a chamber music composition in that it possesses greater technical rigor reflecting a Beethoven-like ingenuity. This is particularly evident in the tremolo shadings of the scherzo’s trio. Hausmusik’s richness of tone belies its use of “period” instruments, and the players spare no effort in realizing these wonderful scores, convincing us that Cherubini’s quartets can hold their own in the exalted company of Haydn’s, Mozart’s, and Beethoven’s. CPO’s recording presents the group in a warm and detailed acoustic. --Review Vol.2, classicstoday.com

This is the third and final disc of Cherubini’s String Quartets from Hausmusik London on CPO. Included are the first quartets Cherubini wrote when at the age of 74 he turned to chamber music after a long career of writing large-scale vocal works. His complete mastery of counterpoint and his keen sense of drama are evident everywhere in these lively, highly polished performances. Monica Huggett is a terrific leader in the Quartet No. 3, and she has plenty of opportunity to shine since the first violin gets the lion’s share of the leading lines. Pavlo Beznosiuk takes the lead role in the Quartet No. 4, and his slightly brighter tone adds another spark to the music. Hausmusik’s ensemble playing is impeccable–every bow stroke is where it should be, every dynamic carefully shaded as if one instrument were playing, and it’s all recorded in a clear, natural-sounding acoustic.

There have been a couple of different attempts at these quartets over the years, but all that seems to be available at the moment are versions by the Quartetto David on BIS. The BIS sound is fuller and a little more detailed than this CPO disc, but Huggett & Co. get more out of the music. In their hands, Cherubini sounds much more like a respectable old master than a curmudgeonly has-been. This is an easy recommendation for anyone who appreciates fine, well-played chamber music. --Review Vol.3, classicstoday.com