As noted previously by my colleague Dan Davis in his review of the “original” Borodin set of the Tchaikovsky quartets (type Q2878 in Search Reviews), Chandos provides no facts about the provenance of these recordings either in the liner notes, jewel case, or even on its own website. Assuming the point of these releases (including the Borodin quartets in the same series) is to offer a glimpse of one of history’s great quartets, it is perplexing that Chandos would choose to omit such pertinent data. However, even a cursory audition of the two pieces on this disc suggests that they were recorded in different locations: the Ravel sounds distant, tubby, and sometimes blurred and distorted in the louder passages, the Debussy more closely miked and drier. In both instances, though, excessive remastering has virtually eliminated high frequency information to the point that a graphic equalizer becomes a necessity to truly enjoy the performances.
And there is much to relish. The Borodins deliver lush, atmospheric, and highly Romantic interpretations of these seminal works. The four players infuse the works with a definite Russian flair, especially in the forte and climactic passages. Rotislav Dubinsky employs a fair amount of portamento in the Debussy, but it never comes across as garish or mannered. The occasional rubato slips in as well (such as the slight ritard four measures after rehearsal number 1 in the Debussy).
If you can manage to pierce the sonic haze, you will hear many examples of masterful quartet playing: for instance, marvel at the fluttering tremolos in the third movement of the Ravel and the melancholia of the Andantino in the Debussy (capped with an exquisite high B-flat in the first violin). In the second movement of the Ravel we hear a rather more deliberate heaviness in the pizzicato opening than you find, say, in the Tokyo Quartet version on Sony. Even if these performances do not quite approach the numerous “modern” recordings in overall interpretation and style (Melos Quartet on DG, Alban Berg Quartet on EMI, or Quartetto Italiano on Philips, and the Tokyo, to name a few), these are worthwhile samples of a terrific quartet that played together for more than 20 years. Now, if only Chandos would pin down when and where these recordings were made, then perhaps it would earn the right to market this series as true “historical” portraits.
