Customer Reviews

String Quartet 3 / Lyrical Interlude / Adagio

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

In his liner notes, Bax scholar-biographer Lewis Foreman tells us that "Bax imbibed all things Irish. He wrote poetry, short stories and Synge-like plays... was married and set up home in Dublin, and there until 1914 he moved in literary and nationalist circles...." Later on, in the 1930's, he stayed in Ireland with fellow composer and friend Ernest Moeran. Both would stay at a hotel in Kenmare, County Kerry, where Moeran lived for part of the year. Although Bax travelled to Russia and was influenced by the music of Scriabin and others, much more of his music reflects the atmosphere of his Irish homeland including the third quartet, written in 1936, which is the centerpiece of this disc. Two of the movements are especially relevant in this regard, and one could not better describe the impressions of County Kerry than to quote Bax's own words: "[I] walked along by the sea last night and it did not seem earthly at all...It might have been the western fairyland of which the old Irish legends tell. It seems almost unnecessary for them to have invented such a place - Ireland being what it is." This, to me, sums up the marvelous third string quartet.

The pieces that fill out this disc include a movement from a string quintet that was written in 1908, then reworked and published in 1923 (it was dedicated to Ralph Vaughan Williams); and the adagio from another early work, a string quartet from 1902/03. Both are atmospheric and make for pleasant listening even if they're not quite on the same level as the third quartet.

Five stars for the third quartet, four stars for the other works. Warmly recommended.

The Magginis are something of what one might call Naxos stars, having given us a series of outstanding performances of British chamber music. Indeed, it almost sounds as if Naxos, aware of what they have, gives them more preparation time and puts more effort into sound engineering than they do for some of their other artists (I have no evidence to back this up, but it certainly sounds like it's the case). At least they prove to be encouraging advocates of the Bax quartets, and even though the music is in no way on the level of his best orchestral works, there is much to savor here given performances like these. Sound quality is, as indicated, superb as well.

Flowery scents and sights replace the chilliness of the second quartet in the third - apart from the feverishly energetic Scherzo and trio. It is no masterpiece, but possibly the best of Bax's quartets. The Lyrical Interlude is a Dvorakian lighter work and the Cathaleen-movement sounds more convincing in its orchestral version - although Maggini's utterly fabulous playing almost makes up for what it lacks in atmosphere. This might not be a disc that will appeal to the general public, but I am quite certain committed Baxians will be eminently satisfied.

Ce type de quatuors ne plaîra peut-être pas à tous.
Néanmoins, l'exécution du Maggini quartet, comme d'habitude,
est franche, presque «taillée au couteau» et vous invite
à découvrir quelque chose de différent à un prix sans risque.