Don Satz writes:

>I've been listening extensively to the Niels Gade string chamber pieces
>on BIS which consist of two discs performed by the Kontra Quartet...Gade
>is frequently compared to Mendelssohn. I don't have any problem with this
>except that I find Gade's string chamber music decidedly more enjoyable
>than Mendelssohn's.

I was given by a Scandinavian friend a BIS disc containing four of Gade's
chamber works, notably the Quartet in F major and the Octet in F minor.
The players are the Kontra Quartet (obviously reinforced for the octet).
It's very satisfactory music, performed well.  Fluent, clever music,
I'd call it.  I keep my record collection trimmed to (tight) space
available--but this one I've been keeping!  (I once heard one of Gade's
longer works, I think it was called Spring Fantasy, or Fantasia of Sping:
Didn't click).

Denis Fodor                     Internet:[log in to unmask]