DVORAK

 

"Old World – New World"

 

CD 1

 

String Quartet No. 10 in E flat major op. 51 (B. 92)

Es-dur  en mi bémol majeur

1. Allegro ma non troppo

2. Dumka. Andante con moto

3. Romanze. Andante con moto

[4. Finale. Allegro assai

 

String Quartet No. 11 in C major, op. 61 (B. 121)

C-dur  en ut majeur

1. Allegro

2. Poco adagio e molto cantabile

3. Scherzo: Allegro vivo

4. Finale: Vivace

 

CD 2

 

String Quintet in E flat major, op. 97 "American" (B. 180)

Es-dur  en mi bémol majeur

1. Allegro non tanto

2. Allegro vivo - Un poco meno mosso

3. Larghetto

4. Finale. Allegro giusto

 

Cypresses B. 152

1. Moderato

[2. Allegro ma non troppo

3. Andante con moto

4. Poco adagio

5. Andante

6. Andante moderato

7. Andante con moto

8. Lento

9. Moderato

10. Andante maestoso

11. Allegro scherzando

12. Allegro animato

 

CD 3

 

String Quartet No. 13 in G major op. 106 (B. 192)

G-dur  en sol majeur

1. Allegro moderato

2. Adagio ma non troppo

3. Molto vivace

4. Andante sostenuto - Allegro con fuoco

 

String Quartet No. 14 in A flat major op. 105 (B. 193)

As-dur  la bémol majeur

1. Adagio ma non troppo

2. Molto vivace

3. Molto vivace

4. Andante sostenuto - Allegro con fuoco

 

Emerson String Quartet:

Eugene Drucker, violin I (opp. 51 & 97, Cypresses 7–12) & II

Philip Setzer, violin I (opp. 61, 105 & 106, Cypresses 1–6) & II

Lawrence Dutton, viola

David Finckel, cello

Paul Neubauer, viola (op. 97)

 

The instruments:

Stradivarius 1686 - Eugene Drucker,

Samuel Zygmuntowicz 1993 - David Finckel,

1999 (Philip Setzer) & 2003 - Lawrence Dutton

Amati 1620 -Paul Neubauer

 

The Emerson String Quartet’s long cherished dream to record their favourite Dvorák string quartets is realized with their tender-hearted and infatuated readings of the Czech genius’s middle and late quartets.

 

A bonanza of romantic melody, not a note on this 3-CD release has ever before been recorded by the Emersons.

 

Dvorák’s youthful and infrequently performed song cycle on the subject of love, Cypresses, provides a compelling thematic trove for several of these enamouring quartets.

 

Dvorák’s quintet reveals most of all the heart of Dvorák’s musical nature, both its Bohemian roots and the bracingly fresh air of his Iowa summer experience. He later explained, “I should never have written . . . ‘just so’ if I hadn’t seen America.”

 

Deutsche Gramaphone 3cds 4778765