Schubert’s G major String Quartet (D887), his last and greatest, has been likened to a symphony by virtue of its large scale and its orchestral mode of expression (the unorthodox approach to harmony and the expansive structure point to the early works of Bruckner). While some ensembles, most notably the Alban Berg Quartett, have taken a decidedly symphonic approach to the piece, the Verdi Quartet clearly sees it as a work of art transmitted through four human beings. It is the human element–a prevailing warmth and emotional sensitivity–that is most impressive about this performance. Not that this is a laid-back account–the Verdi Quartet generates tremendous power in the tuttis, yet amazingly, the individual voices are clearly delineated. The first movement’s measured tempo allows for great breadth of expression and underlines the Brucknerian pre-echoes–an approach completely opposite to the Berg’s faster, more Beethovenian one. The conflict-ridden music of the Andante is rendered in a less legato fashion and with more arresting accents than either the Berg or the Quartetto Italiano. The scherzo and finale, while lacking the Berg’s machine-like intensity, reveal more of the music’s pathos and irony by stressing beauty and communication rather than just rigid virtuosity.
There exist only two movements to Schubert’s 1813 B-flat Quartet (D68), and it is unclear whether the two inner movements were lost, or whether they were ever composed. What remains is a first movement that is astonishingly experimental (and strangely similar to the first movement of D887), and a finale propelled and dominated by a motto theme in an insistent 2-plus-1 rhythm. The Verdi Quartet brings the same level of insight and commitment to this earlier work. Hänssler Classic’s sound is wide-ranging, full, and transparent. A must for Schubert devotees.
