One of life’s pleasures is welcoming a new disc by the Prazák Quartet. This latest in its series of Brahms String Quartets is especially welcome for the performance of Op. 67, coupled with an equally strong Op. 34 Piano Quintet with Ivan Klánsky. I’ve always treasured the ripe old Quartetto Italiano version of the Quartet from the LP era, but the less expansive new Prazák trumps it in my affections. The rustic opening Vivace is more relaxed than the Alban Berg’s urgency on Teldec; there’s a sweetness to the Prazák’s playing that captures the pastoral mood perfectly and they bring a wonderful lilt to its opening section. In their hands the middle movements have an almost autumnal, relaxed flow, and the Finale, a variations movement, returns to the rural bliss of the opening. The playing is nothing less than ideal, the ensemble beautifully blended; inner voices emerge with clarity, and the rhythmic control moves the argument ahead, adding to the excitement of Brahms’ large-scale coda.
The Piano Quintet is a big work and the Prazáks give it a big performance, one whose breadth matches the work’s scale. They capture a sense of mystery in the opening bars, give the first theme the solemnity it must have, and evoke the airiness of the second. Their Andante is perfectly judged, the return of the opening melody heart-breaking. The tricky rhythms of the Scherzo’s opening go with forward movement, poised against the later opposition of driving, almost motoric ferocity and the return to serenity. The march theme that interrupts with square solidity and the triumphant coda also captivate. The long final movement features superb playing and a feeling of “rightness” that pervades both works on this disc. Klánsky is a perfect partner for the group, playing with lyricism and power as needed, blending well, whether doubling the strings or taking the lead.
Czech string quartets seem to have an affinity for Brahms, and the Prazák is in that line; its Piano Quintet reminds me of the old Janácek Quartet version with pianist Eva Bernáthová in its Brahmsian feeling and union of the poetic and the dramatic. The sound is first-rate–detailed, tonally accurate, and well balanced. In short, here’s another urgently recommendable recording by this great ensemble. [3/16/2006]
