Ron Chaplin writes:

>For the past week or so, I've been listening to Mozart's "Haydn" Quartets
>performed by the Juilliard (CBS Odyssey/MB3K 45826) and to Schubert's
>Quartets Nos.  12-15, also by the Juilliard (CBS Odyssey/ MB2K 45617).
>I remember listening to it and being immediately turned off by Quartet No.
>14 in d, Op. Posth., "Death and the Maiden".  Too dissonant for my
>inexperienced ears, two clashing, disjointed.  Listening to it now, I am
>blown away.  Whatta piece!  And what a difference in the performances!

Yes I must say I cannot agree more.  I really think that to really
appreciate Schubert you have to listen to his chamber music first and
foremost.  I would (rather controversially) even go far as to say that I
don't really care that much for orchestral music (yes I know about the
7th/8th, or 8th/9th depending on the edition symphonies, thank you!).

>Not having heard other performances, I am not sure if the differences in
>the performances are due to the demands of the music or the performances.
>Anyone have any opinions on the quartets? Also, can anyone recommend any
>other recordings that I can compare with the ones I have?

Yes, make absolutely sure you hear the recording by the Busch Quartet of
Nr 14.  You might find the string playing rather old-world (extensive use
of portamento and the like), but once you can listen past that they remain
unsurpassed.  The recorded sound is old but more than tolerable.

>It seems to me that Schubert put much more into his quartet than Mozart,
>which seem facile, almost knock-offs compared to the Schubert.

It is interesting that Mozartians (of which I am not one) tend to cite the
string quintets as being the finest examples of his chamber works.  I tend
to find his orchestral music and operas much more palatable, and generally
avoid his chamber music like the plague - the quintetts and all.  But
perhaps it would be better if I left this subject to others.

>Soooooo, I was wondering if it would be a useful exercise to discuss which
>genre (orchestral, instrumental, chamber, vocal, opera, etc.) a composer
>excelled in.  Which form should I listen to begin to really experience the
>essence of the composers work?

This is too wide a topic to chew on in one big bite, but the only comment
on this I would like to make is with respect to Brahms.  I think once
again that this composer's large scale works tend to get grossly excessive
exposure compared to his chamber works.  I know that this flies in the face
of convention, but in fact I would gladly NEVER hear another symphony again
from him as long I could continue to listen to his chamber music.  His
string sextets, quintets, piano trios, quartets, quintets, as well as his
Lieder are just extraordinary.  In fact as a Lieder writer I often like him
better than Schubert - but that really is being controversial.  In the
string quartets though Schubert wins hands down.

Satoshi Akima
Sydney, Australia
[log in to unmask]