Death and The Maiden

Description :
The Juilliard String Quartet performs compositional music by Franz Schubert. "The Juilliard Quartet has long been one of our leading chamber music ensembles; but not since its memorable recordings of the six Bartók Quartets ... [Show more]

Description:
The Juilliard String Quartet performs compositional music by Franz Schubert.

"The Juilliard Quartet has long been one of our leading chamber music ensembles; but not since its memorable recordings of the six Bartók Quartets in the early days of LP has it turned in a performance as impressive as that on this Schubert disc. Never have I heard the theme of the Death and the Maiden variations played with such an otherworldly effect. The variations that follow are meaningful and often intensely moving, with every nuance carefully thought out and every balance carefully weighed. By contrast, the other three movements are full of high spirits and sparkling, virtuosic precision". - High Fidelity

"For sheer dramatic intensity there Is hardly another Quartet in the literature to rival "Death and the Maiden". All four movements have moments of almost frightening anguish. The Juilliard players interpret it with biting vigor and searching comprehension. Their performance is exciting. It is broad and moving. The instrumental tone is powerful without coarseness and the ensemble is in sensitive balance throughout. This recording of the composition is the only one that shares a disc with other music. The Quartettsatz is a single movement, all that Schubert wrote for a projected full-length Quartet. It is a mature work, having been composed after the Trout Quintet, and then perhaps forgotten, like the two movements of the Unfinished Symphony. It is given a vivacious performance". - Stereo Review
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