Search - ., Franz [Vienna] Schubert, Amati Chamber Ensemble :: Schubert: Forellenquintet

Best of the best - and inspiring too.

Judy Spotheim | Belgium, Europe | 09/15/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of a rare breed where the recording is exceptional and where the "reading" of this oeuvre goes straight to the heart.

The balance between the string players and the piano (sitting behind them) is impeccable. Every note of the piano and the decay time is audible and believable. The string tone of chamber music is rarely successfully captured on CD - not this time; the way this recording gets it borders on the heavenly: Sweet tone, clear, no "gray-screechy" strings, it is as if everything is sculptured to perfection. The interaction between the string soloists is a marvel in the sense that they hear one another and does not attempt to "play the soloists on one another". it is an ensemble-work that does not strive to attract attention to the participants - but strive to pull the work together and ahead.

The very beginning established right away sort of nostalgia, of certain pondering, and has a hue of sadness. Very appropriate.

The tempi are relaxed when need be and aiming ahead when the tempi is calling for. these tempi chosen and practiced encompass the whole phrase by phrase and advance ahead with no urgency (or an exaggerated urgency found with more famous soloists "put together" to perform this piece).

It is obvious that the Amati has worked with each other for quite sometime to achieve this sort of "togetherness".

To my mind this is a most wonderful playing and recording.

Very highly recommended.

"