JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833–1897)

String Quintets

The Raphael Ensemble

The Raphael Ensemble Anthony Marwood, Elizabeth Wexler violin, Timothy Boulton, James Boyd viola, Andrea Hess cello

String Quintet No 1 in F major Op 88

1 Allegro non troppo ma con brio [11'45]

2 Grave ed appassionato – Allegretto vivace – Tempo I – Presto – Tempo I [11'39]

3 Allegro energico – Presto [4'58]

String Quintet No 2 in G major Op 111

4 Allegro non troppo ma con brio [12'42]

5 Adagio [6'16]

6 Un poco allegretto [5'33] 7 Vivace ma non troppo presto – Animato [5'06]

Brahms composed his two published String Quintets amid the rural tranquillity of Bad Ischl in Upper Austria and the works can almost be seen as an expression of escape from the ‘urban stress’ of nineteenth-century Vienna. The Quintets show Brahms standing at the pinnacle of the composition of chamber music, their gentle pastoral character being subtly shaded by a profoundly melancholy introspection.

‘Their playing is unerringly distinguished, and Hyperion’s sonics defy criticism—a glorious offering’ (BBC Music Magazine) ‘These richly scored string quintets must rank among the finest works of Brahms’s maturity … in the traditions of the best chamber music playing The Raphael Ensemble project a tremendous sense of enjoyment of the music—it certainly feels as if they are rediscovering masterworks afresh’ (Classic CD) ‘L’interprétation des Raphael est essentiellement vitale. Sa plus belle qualité : l’intensité. Ils imposent une vision symphonique des deux partitions’ (Diapason, France)

CLASSIC CD 100 GREATEST DISCS OF THE DECADE

Helios CDH55369