Customer Reviews

Ries: String Quartets Vol.1

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Both of the quartets in this CD were not published in Reis' lifetime. Although he composed string quartets throughout his career, 26 in total, only 11 have opus numbers. As an accomplished concert pianist, most publishers assumed that his keyboard composition were more likely to sell. But don't make the mistake that he wasn't adept in using the four voices of the string quartet. He was.

The Quartet in C Major, WoO 37, was written in 1827, the first year of his official retirement to Frankfurt. Using a model of Beethoven's String Quartet in F Major, Op.59, No.1, Ries nevertheless departs from the structure his former teacher laid out to forge ahead with radically different modulations. Another noticeable similarity is the denseness of his use of motives, but once again, his treatment veers off into new, more explorative areas rather than just regurgitating Beethoven.

For more information on Ries' relationship with his famous teacher, see my review of Ries: Flute Quartets Op 145

The opening `Allegro con brio' often presents the cello without any accompaniment, giving it a spotlight that is warm and engaging. The crispness of the 1st movement gives way to the contemplative `Andantino con moto', which again features the lower voices. Ries uses the cello to keep the music moving, giving it an insistent foundation that keeps pushing it forward. The spirited 4th movement has a particularly appealing upward leaping turn that is shared by all the players, and concludes with a rousing finale.

Written in 1804 just after relocating to Vienna, the Quartet in E Flat, WoO 10, it displays more affinity to the classical Haydn model than that of his teacher. The opening movement is given an energetic, almost urgent reading again featuring the cello prominently. IMO, the 3rd movement `Adagio' is not as memorable as the surrounding movements, but the finale more than makes up for it. Beginning with a sweetly lilting Rondeau theme, which contrasts sharply with the virtuosic violin emphasis of the 1st variation and the driving perpetual motion of the 2nd variation, the quartet comes to a gratifying conclusion.

The recording is excellent, clean and clear, and the reading the Shuppanzigh Quartet gives is satisfyingly crisp. Of particular note is the cello work of Antje Geusen.