The Leipzig String Quartet’s strongly classicist approach to these two Op. 18 quartets does not preclude a certain Beethovenian whimsy and daring. Indeed, the players find much drama in the constantly shifting dynamics of No. 6’s bristling first movement, while their unflinching observance of Beethoven’s tempo indications in the La Malinconia finale reveals it as a progenitor of Beethoven’s austere and discursive last works in the genre. No. 3 is a model of poise and balance, however I admit to a preference for the fuller, richer tone of the Prazak, Berg, and Vlach Quartets in the lyrical first movement. Still, the Leipzig’s unerring sense of rhythm and clarity of phrasing make its performance compelling in its own way.
This is so despite MDG’s recording, which, set in a large acoustic with lots of reverberation, renders the ensemble’s sound as tinny and somewhat lacking in body. Collectors of this series probably won’t mind all that much, nor will they be unduly concerned about the sparse 50-minute program length, which seems a bit miserly when you consider there are competing versions that offer three quartets per disc.
