Szymanowski: String Quartets; Stravinsky: Concertino, Three Pieces, Double Canon

Karol Szymanowski (Composer), Igor Stravinsky (Composer), Goldner String Quartet (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Goldner String Quartet
• Composer: Karol Szymanowski, Igor Stravinsky
• Audio CD (September 26, 2000)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Naxos
• ASIN: B00004VXD5
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #325,170 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #56 in Music > Classical > Forms & Genres > Canons

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very fine collection, August 5, 2009

By 

G.D. (Norway) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Szymanowski: String Quartets; Stravinsky: Concertino, Three Pieces, Double Canon (Audio CD)

Szymanowski's string quartets are definitely not performed as often as they deserve to be, but fortunately Naxos presents them in what is, in short, another one of their very good chamber music releases. Both quartets exhibit the kind of exotic, dreamily enchanting, luxuriant textures so characteristic of the composer's mid- to late period, with a smattering of folk music references and some pungently dissonant writing and craggy rhythms. The Goldner Quartet's performances are indeed very good; technically impressive, of course, although the playing might border towards roughness in some of the most impossible passages (not enough to detract too much from the overall impression, but enough to warrant a one star penalty), but also airy and spacious and generally full of vitality. The subtly nuanced textures are wonderfully realized, often achieving an almost otherworldly beauty at times and ferocious tanginess at others, although the Goldners might sound just a little bit rhythmically staid at times. The sound quality is also well-balanced, and the performances of the short Stravinsky very impressive as well. In short, this is an eminently recommendable release.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Hurray for Naxos! and Their Many Bargains ..., December 4, 2010

By 

Giordano Bruno (Wherever I am, I am.) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Szymanowski: String Quartets; Stravinsky: Concertino, Three Pieces, Double Canon (Audio CD)

... which often present little-known ensembles performing very fine but unfamiliar music. This time, however, they went astray. The Goldner Quartet doesn't have the art to play Szymanowski convincingly. At least that's what I hear, a technical struggle with the notes and an unpleasant dependence on heavy vibrato rather than natural phrasing to lend 'drama' to the performance. In no way is this recording comparable to that of the Schoenberg Quartet, which also gives you excellent renditions of the two Janacek quartets with the two Szymanowskis.