If you love the Ravel Quartet more than the Debussy, and you want to enjoy an excellent performance of the former but still add a useful new work to your collection, then this disc is just the ticket. The Panocha Quartet plays Ravel with its customary beautiful tone and keen sense of rhythm. Tempos tend to be swift, which is all to the good, giving the music a very welcome degree of freshness. Suk’s First Quartet dates from the mid-1890s, except for the alternative finale of 1915 (you get both). Its obvious indebtedness to Dvorák never hampers Suk’s own more wistful voice from emerging confidently, and the performance is totally idiomatic and wholly winning. The second-movement march is particularly memorable, but then the whole work really is full of good music. In short, this is an excellent disc in all respects, including the sonics. If the coupling interests you, go for it.
