Quatuor Mosaïques’ large-scaled, warm-hearted approach to Beethoven’s early quartets echoes that of Quartetto Italiano and the Vlach Quartet. The relaxed tempos and fully fleshed-out sonorities impart an old-world feel to Quartet No. 1, while conspicuously cultivating the atmosphere of a drawing room. How elegant and genteel the first movement sounds(!)–an extreme contrast to the Emerson’s more athletic rendition, which has no truck with social graces. The remaining movements follow suit, though the Mosaïques does inject a bit more tension in the finale.
The above qualities would be fatal to the dark and angry Quartet No. 4, and the Mosaïques’ moderate tempos and straight-laced phrasing at first seem in danger of leaving the music inert. But this is only for the first few bars–enough time for us to clear our preconceptions so as to hear how the players’ diligent rhythmic exactitude and sharply pointed accents yield potent results in both the first movement and scherzo. The Quatuor Mosaïques may not match the fury of the Berg Quartet, or the frenzy of the Emerson, but it nonetheless effectively realizes the drama inherent in Beethoven’s score. As with No. 1, the pace picks up considerably in the finale, bringing the work to a stirring conclusion. Naïve’s intimate, wide-dynamic recording places the players believably in the listening space, greatly enhancing the impact of their performances. All told, this a generally pleasing disc–not a trailblazer, but of sufficient merit to earn a respectable place even in today’s crowded catalog.
