The Amadeus Quartet excelled in Schubert and Brahms, but this reissue of its Mozart String Quintets in DG’s “The Originals” series (joined by violist Cecil Aronowitz) indicates that these players weren’t slouches in his music either. The six works were released as LPs between 1968 and 1975, and the stereo recordings are variable. The earliest of the lot, K. 406 and K. 515, are veiled, grainy, and uningratiating on top. The others are well engineered, more transparent, and often quite vivid, although they also slightly exaggerate the group’s propensity to emphasize top lines at the expense of inner detail, lending unflattering exposure of the first violinist’s often glassy tone in forte passages.
No one looks to a Viennese-trained ensemble of the 1950s and ’60s for period-performance rectitude, but it’s surprising how many elements of their stylish playing don’t sound dated at all. Of course, the big, rounded tone, widespread vibrato, and overall warmth of their conception fit the profile of Romantic string chamber music ensembles. But set against this are the relatively swift Allegros and flowing slow movements throughout, incisive accents, and a welcome refusal to round edges in the time-honored Viennese style. The net result is a fine set amply deserving of reissue.
There are too many high points to mention here–the big, dramatic first-movement Allegro and its fiery last-movement counterpart in K. 406; the eloquent yet restrained poetry of K. 515’s Andante; the warmth of the viola in K. 174; and the well-paced K. 516, to mention just a few. But the dominant feeling with which you come away from this set is of warm, humane playing that’s a far cry from some of today’s machine-tooled ensembles. My preferences still lie with the old Budapest/Katims and Budapest/Trampler, the Grumiaux (Philips), and the Talich (Calliope), but this one’s a first-class supplement.
