Bartók: String Quartets

Bartók: The 6 String Quartets

Takács Quartet
London 455 297 (2 CDs)

Contents:

String Quartet No. 1, Op. 7 (1909)

1. Lento
2. Poco a poco accelerando all'allegretto
3. Introduzione Allegro - Allegro vivace

String Quartet No. 3 (1927)

4. Prima parte: Moderato -
5. Seconda parte: Allegro -
6. Ricapitulazione della prima parte: Moderato -
   Coda: Allegro molto

String Quartet No. 5 (1934)

7. Allegro
8. Adagio molto
9. Scherzo: Alla bulgarese - Trio
10. Andante
11. Finale: Allegro vivace - Presto

String Quartet No. 2, Op. 17 (1917)

1. Moderato
2. Allegro molto capriccioso
3. Lento

String Quartet No. 4 (1928)

4. Allegro
5. Prestissimo, con sordino
6. Non troppo lento
7. Allegretto pizzicato
8. Allegro molto

String Quartet No. 6 (1939)

9. Mesto - Più mosso, pesante - Vivace
10. Mesto - Marcia
11. Mesto - Burletta: Moderato
12. Mesto

Performers: Edward Dusinberre (violin I), Károly Schranz (violin II), Roger Tapping (viola), András Fejér (cello)

Playing time: 152'

Recording dates: August & September 1996 (Neumarkt, Germany); release date: 1998

The Bartók quartets occupy a special place in early-to-mid-20th century music, based especially on their combination of fugal counterpoint, extensions to string technique, and ultimately violent imagery. It would be difficult to find fault with the wonderful work done by the Takács Quartet.

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