Search - Sergey Taneyev, Vladimir Ovcharek, Grigory Lutzky :: Taneyev: String Quartets 3 & 8

Essential Taneyev chamber music

Ryan Layne Whitney | Seattle, WA USA | 09/10/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Taneyev's 9 string quartets (the ones numbered 7, 8, and 9, without opus numbers, were written first, followed by 1 through 6, with opus numbers) are little-known but extremely gratifying works that anyone interested in late 19th-early 20th century chamber music ought to know. (Keep in mind that Taneyev taught, among others, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Medtner, and Glière.) They are full-blooded works, taughtly constructed and inventive; and if they do not have the type of glorious melody that we seem to expect from Russian composers, Taneyev's works are better in that respect than he is generally given credit for. The quartets also display Taneyev's brilliant contrapuntal skill, far more advanced than most composers of his period. These older Taneyev Quartet performances are brilliant and vibrant, giving the composer's work all the energy they deserve. Taneyev's works in general, and the quartets in particular, grow on you with repeated listening, and can become habit forming... This review applies for all 5 volumes of the quartets, which I wouldn't be without!"