Martinu’s seven string quartets track his entire career, from the Debussy/Ravel-influenced First, to the neoclassical Nos. 2-4, to the anguished Fifth (reminiscent of the Double Concerto for Two String Orchestras, Piano, and Timpani), to his American works of the 1940s (most notably the six symphonies). They are, one and all, pieces of very high quality, and together comprise an extremely distinguished contribution to the quartet medium. They also have been very well-served on disc, most recently by the Naxos complete cycle with the Martinu Quartet.
This last remark applies equally to this set, one of the finest efforts ever undertaken by the Panocha Quartet, and that’s saying a lot. Their playing is gorgeous, with a smoothness and warmth of tone that keeps the busy textures of the neoclassical pieces from sounding merely dry and scratchy, and with an enlivening rhythmic bounce that floats Martinu’s singing lines with effortless naturalness. Add to that a wealth of captivating tone colors (try the brief Third Quartet for a generous sample) and excellent engineering, and the result is a classic set that no serious chamber music collector can afford to miss. It’s that simple. [11/26/2007]
