Solid performances and sonic excellence place the Vermeer Quartet’s Bartók Quartets near the top among budget-priced recommendations. At times, you might take issue with first violinist Shmuel Ashkenasi’s tremulous vibrato, although Richard Young’s ample viola sonority pays attractive tonal dividends (the gorgeous opening unaccompanied solo that opens the Sixth Quartet, for example). The ensemble particularly shines in the latter, along with a tightly-knit performance of the Third. The Fifth also stands out for the lilting rhythmic interplay in the first movement and a relaxed basic tempo for the Scherzo that allows the music’s “Alla Bulgarese” flavor to truly swing.
By contrast, the Fourth Quartet’s famous pizzicato movement and muted Prestissimo sound a bit square when placed alongside the conversational lightness that the more idiomatic Takacs (Decca), Vegh (Valois), and Hungarian (DG) Quartets bring to these sections. Moreover, those three ensembles imbue the first two quartets with a wider spectrum of dynamics and tone color (the duets that open the First Quartet’s second movement, or the Second Quartet finale’s fragile Lento first part). Still, these drawbacks do not detract from the Vermeer’s strong overall impression, and budget minded Bartókians will gain satisfaction from this superbly engineered and annotated release. [5/25/2005]
