Search - Franz Schubert, Mstislav Rostropovich, Melos Quartet :: String Quintet

Elegant and spontaneous playing, but too low-key

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 10/05/2007

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Despite the addition of Mstislav Rostropovich to the lineup of the Melos Qt., this much admired recording of Schubert's Quintet in C strikes me as distinclty low key. The Melos Qt. favored a light tone, more elegant than intense. They phrase naturally and have modest only ambitions so far as impact goes: this performance is like mellow but weak wine. Some rapt, hypnotic moments redeem stretches of languorous playng; the Trio of the Scherzo, taken very slow and hushed, is quite captivating.



Over the years, however, their medium-good technique has been greatly surpassed by, among others, the Emerson and Alban Berg Qt., and there are many versions of this great work that display more expressive power and rhythmic discipline. I know there are those who love this recording, but in case you are new to it and assume that the presence of Rostropovich guarantees a deep, searching interpretation, I don't think it's here. DG's sound is thin and brittle, badly in need of remastering."