The third and last of the Schubert surveys from Berliner Philharmoniker members, seemingly recorded on the same day as Part 2 (hence sic], maybe Part 1 as well (I missed that recital). Two of Schubert’s most substantial chamber works were included, his final String Quartet and the sole two-cello String Quintet, a desert-island favourite over many years.
Both performances compelled attention. D887, led by Noah Bendix-Balgley (BP concertmaster), was atmospheric and tensioned, exploiting a range of tempo and dynamic contrasts, the development section particularly passionate (exposition repeat omitted), frenetic even, riposted by sad memories. The slow movement may start in tender elegance yet veers to volatility in disturbing terms, without consolation, unrelieved by the spectral stalking of the Scherzo and introspection of the Trio, followed by the gawky rhythms of the intense Finale fully maintained by these perceptive interpreters.
The Quintet received a flowing reading, rough-hewn and blissful, entering seamlessly into the development by sensibly bypassing the chord that otherwise would signal a return to the first page; from there it was a spontaneous journey of unanimous tread, confidences shared in the Adagio before rage comes to the surface, aggressively detailed by this sovereign ensemble, not least the cellists’ gutsy attack, and the fade to nothingness at the movement’s end is proving haunting, so too the spacious and refined Trio, so private, suggesting a prayer to a deity, the Scherzo surrounds incisive, as were the dance rhythms of the Finale, without overlooking light and shade, and having somewhere to go when accelerating into the coda. There was no diminuendo on the ultimate chord, which I believe is now considered spurious, but there it was on my first recording of D956 (Amadeus Quartet with William Pleeth, DG), leaving an impression, and now firmly held by the BP musicians.
- String Quartet No.15 in G, D887. Noah Bendix-Balgley violin Luis Esnaola violin Martin von der Nahmer viola Stephan Koncz cello
- String Quintet in C, D956. Cornelia Gartemann violin Christoph von der Nahmer violin Julia Gartemann viola Bruno Delepelaire cello Knut Weber cello
The Berlin press office has confirmed that all three Schubert recitals were recorded on the same day, April 14.