Brahms: String Quintets Nos. 1 and 2

Lambros, Maria, New Zealand String Quartet

8.573455

Seen as the successor to Beethoven by many of his contemporaries, Johannes Brahms combined traditional form with an originality of musical language that has inspired generations of composers. His two string quintets are, like Mozart’s, scored with two violas for richness of texture and harmonic depth. The positive mood of the First String Quintet reflects the sunny resort of Bad Ischl where Brahms composed during the spring of 1882, while his Second String Quintet combines symphonic breadth with nostalgic melancholy in what was originally intended to be his final chamber work. This new recording is the third in the New Zealand String Quartet’s recording series of Brahms’ chamber music. Their recording of the First and Second String Quartets (8.573433) was given a 10/9 score by ClassicsToday.com, with the comment ‘there is no holding back in these performances: the NZSQ literally attacks and wrestles Brahms’ scores to the ground – a positive, friendly intervention, for the good of all concerned...’ Of the Third String Quartet and Clarinet Quintet (8.573454), Fanfare said: ‘everything I admired in the New Zealand’s previous release is again in evidence here… There’s also an amazing – I’m tempted to say almost superhuman – precision of execution that extends not just to accuracy of intonation and technical virtuosity, but to unanimity of phrasing and tone production.’

CD x 1

Naxos

2/4/19

0747313345571