Search - Antonin Dvorak, Fritz Kreisler, Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra :: Dvorak: Piano Quartet No. 2 in E flat, Op. 87; Sonatina in G, Op. 11; Romantic Pieces, Op. 75

Another Chamber Classic

Michael B. Richman | Portland, Maine USA | 10/17/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is a mid-price reissue from Sony's new Masterworks Expanded Edition series. I wrote the following review of its full-price counterpart (strangely, still currently available) in October of 2000:Is there a better Chamber Quartet out there than Emanuel Ax, Isaac Stern, Jamie Laredo and Yo-Yo Ma? I think not. The men behind a string of brilliant Piano Quartet recordings by Brahms, Faure and Mozart, ring in the 21st Century with this terrific recording of Dvorak's Second Piano Quartet, Op. 87. Originally I considered purchasing, based on Amazon's recommendation, the Emerson String Quartet disc that couples this piece with Dvorak's Piano Quintet. But a knowledgeable friend had reservations about that title, and instead suggested Juilliard's Sony Essential Classic CD which features the Piano Quintet (with Rudolf Firkusny) and the "American" String Quartet. I am delighted to own that amazing disc, but it still left me needing to find an acceptable Piano Quartet recording. Well, this CD not only filled the void in my collection, but also the void in my life. Just kidding, but it is a first rate rendition of the Quartet. The disc's remaining material has pianist Robert McDonald joining Stern on Romantic Pieces for Violin and Piano and the Sonatina in G Major for Violin and Piano, and while the latter piece was written for Dvorak's kids, there is nothing amateurish about it. This is a thoroughly enjoyable, rewarding collection of Dvorak's music played lovingly and enthusiastically by some of today's master musicians."

A chamber music classic, plus some nice fillers

Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 08/23/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A hard sell faces chamber music unless it's recorded by superstar performers, as on this excellent CD. Even experienced listeners are not likely to have come across a live performance of Dvorak's Op. 87 Piano Quartet. Most ensembles automatically head for the more famous Piano Quintet. In any event, this is a beautiful mature work bursting with Dvorak's trademakr melodies and earthy energy. The passionate slow movement proves a major highlight. Dvorak's powers of development weren't the strongest, so one can't rank this work with the great piano quartets by Brahms and Mozart. It certainly comes close, however.



Needless to say, the star solists in the quartet are superb. However, Sony gives them rather rough, tight recorded sound. The recording was made in 1996 at Tanglewood in the new Seiji Ozawa Hall. The fillers, simple but charming parlor pieces for violin and piano, were recorded at George Lucas's Sykwalker Ranch in California (was Isaac Stern a Star Wars fan?) For the 'expanded edition' Sony has tossed in two Slavonic Dances arranged for solo violin and orchestra, but Stern's readings aren't very appealing--they sound thin and wiry.



In all, this is a must-listen for chamber music lovers."

Good ensemble repertoire; solo playing

Santa Fe Listener | 03/04/2004

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Dvorak's chamber music is really good and underrepresented in the catalgoue. So, another recording is a good thing overall. Especially if the selections aren't the same as the last 5 versions.My continuing reservation (and the reason for the 3 stars) is with the lineup who plays them. I am not sold on the notion that the soloist groupings make these recordings any better than ensembles who have worked together for long periods Of course, Stern, et al. are technically great (they're stars, right?) But there is never a moment when I am not keenly aware that 4 "stars" are playing in a quartet. You may disagree, but you just make chamber music differently when you're trained as a soloist...it shows. Dvorak was trained as a string player, mainly in ensembles and local orchestras. He was not a Joseph Joachim. His chamber music is a reflection of the intended audiences and players.....lots of give and take and very fluid melodic lines whose 'song' comes out best when players work together. The "star" lineups do better in other chamber pieces where one or another instrumental lines are intended to dominate. Less so here."