The Mandelring Quartet initially raises high hopes in the first movement of Schubert’s String Quartet No. 15. After performances that attempt to “Brucknerize” the music with leaden tempos (Quartetto Italiano, Juilliard Quartet), it’s refreshing to encounter an interpretation that, like the Alban Berg and Kodály Quartets, employs classical energy and athleticism. This, plus the Mandelring’s incisive playing points up the music’s Beethovenian antecedents even as it looks forward to Bruckner.
However, the musicians loosen their grip in the second movement as they play this moody music with too much classical poise and restraint, rendering somewhat inert Schubert’s dramatic outbursts. The good news is that the Mandelrings bring back the tension in the last two movements, with sharp accents and powerful rhythms in both the scherzo and finale.
Coupling the late G minor quartet with the early G major makes for an intriguing contrast; unfortunately the Mandelrings approach Schubert’s youthful work from the same perspective as they do his last thoughts in the genre, belaboring it with unnecessary weight and solemnity. The stereo SACD features admirable clarity, though the recording places the ensemble to the rear in a large acoustic that tends to restrain the dynamic impact of the performance.
