Simply put, the Pražák Quartet is one of the the world’s finest ensembles, and this disc serves to reinforce that reputation. At its centerpiece is a performance of Schoenberg’s String Quartet No. “0”, a pre-opus where we see the 23-year-old composer under the spell of Brahms, reasoning out his predecessor’s musical notions and taking them to what he felt was the next logical step. Here he takes Brahms’ turn-on-a-dime rhythmic notions and combines them with Wagner’s sense of drama (on a small scale) to make a piece that seethes with life, endless invention, quirky crags, and sudden twists. A few years later he would bring this technique (and tonality) to the breaking point with Verklärte Nacht: consider this early effort a beautiful and evocative study. As with Brahms, a tempo marking doesn’t mean a single-focused mood for Schoenberg, but rather a framework within which all manner of variation can take place. The Andante, for example, has adagio moments that are offset beautifully by the frantic, driven portions, effortlessly negotiated by the Pražák players. Especially enjoyable is the ebullient “dance” of the final Allegro.
From this we move to Schoenberg’s 12-tone String Trio, which, according to music lore, is a depiction of the horrifying experiences Schoenberg had at the doctor’s office after suffering a heart attack. And this quartet is on top of every detail, eschewing the blunt metallic “new music” sound so often favored by many groups specializing in this repertoire (the Arditti Quartet being the most egregious offender) for a rounded, almost playful interpretation. Not to say they don’t take it seriously–in fact, they take it seriously enough to have a little fun with it! This music does not have to be played as if it were ugly and needed forgiving. The duo of pianist Sachiko Kayahara and Vlastimil Holek approach the Schoenberg Phantasy with the same reverence and musical goals, creating a performance that is gorgeous, touching, and brutal only when needed.
The young Gustav Mahler, not known as a composer of chamber music, wrote a Piano Quartet while still a student at the Vienna Conservatory. This movement is all that remains of his jejune effort, with the exception of a small bit of a scherzo (something composer Alfred Schnittke opted to complete). This recording is of the first movement alone, and it is an interesting chance for Mahler completists to get a sense of his young composer’s developing symphonic mind. Like Schoenberg, he too was under the direct spell of Brahms, as is evident from this thick-hued offering. Joined by pianist Kayahara, the Quartet plays this music with all the appropriate rough-and-tumble depth and fury, and the taut single movement serves as a wonderful opener for this beautiful and intelligently planned disc. [7/13/2002]
