1 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Technically secure, but a raw, edgy sound., January 6, 2011
This review is from: Schubert: String Quartets #8 Rosamunde & #13; Belcea Quartet (Audio CD)
I know this group is highly touted by the British musical press -- after all, it is the resident Wigmore Hall Chamber Group and a homegrown quartet of musicians -- and has won numerous awards (mostly British), but I'm afraid their sound is just too raw and edgy for Schubert. Frankly, I was surprised by the rave reviews their Debussy and Ravel coupling received because they completely lack the nuances necessary to really bring off French chamber music. In Schubert, the "Rosamunde" D.804 lacks the serene mystery that marks the opening of the work. Just compare them to The Lindsays, Quartetto Italiano or the Chilingirians and you can immediately hear the edginess of the Belcea's sound. This is not appropriate for Schubert but might work well in Webern. With regrets to fans of this new group, I can go no higher than a 3.0 rating -- and that's mainly because they are technically so secure; but, unfortunately, no finesse.
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