Search - Arnold Schoenberg, Franz [Vienna] Schubert, Hollywood String Quartet :: Schoenberg: Verklärte Nacht; Schubert: Quintet

One of the two best recordings of Schubert's greatest opus

Marmez1@aol.com | Los Angeles, CA USA | 03/08/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"George Steiner is said to have called the Schubert quintet proof of the existence of God. While I'm not sure I would go that far, it is certainly one of the greatest pieces of chamber music ever written. In judging recordings, I strongly favor interpretation over sound. Thus the two performances of this great piece which I favor most strongly are this magnificent one by the Hollywood String Quartet and another outstanding one by Casals et al on Sony, originally recorded at Prades in 1952. These two recordings represent the fruits of a golden age of chamber music whose depth and sweetness is hard to find today. For any listener who prefers performance and interpretation and is willing to accept a mono recording from the 50's, I assure you there will be rewards in either of these CD's. By the way, the Schoenberg is also excellent."

Vigorous Schubert

Marmez1@aol.com | 10/25/1998

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is an enthusiastic and vigorously played version. The Hollywood players obviously lived with this piece for some time before recording it--they capture all the nuances of Schubert's writing. The Schubert is complemented with a superb Verklaerte Nacht for which Schoenberg himself was moved to write the liner notes after hearing the Hollywood's performance. The recorded sound is no better than good--a little thin, but it captures the quartet's enthusiasm."

A Revelation

Bruce K. Ackley | San Francisco | 10/22/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"After 40 years of listening to numerous versions of both the string orchestra and string sextet versions of this extraordinary piece, I'm hearing it for the first time. This is gorgeous playing which makes all the difference in making the music come alive. I love reading the notes too! Wonderful sounds!"