String Quartets op. 59, String Quintet op. 29
Kuijken Quartet
CC 72362 - 0608917236224
Around the time the Rasumovski Quartet's were written, Beethovens favorite violinist, Ignaz von Schuppanzigh had begun the very first professional string quartet, thus providing Beethoven with an ideal laboratory for testing new string quartet ideas. Before this, string quartet playing was more something that happened in living rooms. Amateurs of, grantedly, good musical quality would entertain themselves among friends by playing string quartets. By writing for the Schuppanzigh quartet, which moreover would perform in public concert series, Beethoven became involved with a wholly new setting. ¬Naturally, he turned the prospect entirely to his advantage; from then on he could do as he wished in his string quartets.
“It is really almost unimaginable that the six opus 18 and the Rasumovsky quartets were a mere 5 years apart. You feel that when Beethoven wrote his opus 59 it was really ‘boiling over’ in his head. In relation to opus 18, which still leaned heavily on Haydn’s way of writing, this music is much more abstract. The string quartet must be the most abstractive apparatus in existence. That instrumental setting asks as it were that the composer dive into the essence of tonality and start making abstractions. With four entirely equal voices and the scarcest of means, Beethoven builds nearly exalted constructions. Everything that happens in this music is absolutely essential. Beethoven announces in this opus 59 an entirely new era in music.”
“In Beethoven’s later music it gets less and less necessary to play on early instruments. This music is not merely less connected to specific instruments than Beethoven’s earlier works, it is outright futuristic. The question brings to mind Beethoven’s rather testy retort when Schuppanzigh commented that his music seemed at times unplayable: “Do you actually believe that I am thinking of your miserable violin when I compose?” (Sigiswald, Sara and Veronica Kuijken speaking about Beethoven’s opus 59)
The Kuijken String Quartet has already exists almost twenty years . , make up an ensemble, which can play these recordings in a way that practically no other can.
Die vorliegende Aufnahme aller Rasumovski-Quartette und dem Streichquintett op. 29 entstand mit zwei Generationen aus der Musikerfamilie Kuijken (Veronica, Sigiswald, Sara und Wieland Kuijken) und Sigiswalds Frau Marleen Thiers, die im Quintett die zweite Viola spielt. Sie wurde auf sogenannten ?modernen? Instrumenten aufgenommen, obwohl man mit dem Namen Kuijken meist 'historische Aufführungspraxis' verbindet. Es entstand nicht eine Aufnahme mit bewusst 'historisierender' Tendenz, sondern eine luzide und wegweisende Neuinterpretation, die die Tradition und die Modernität dieser Meisterwerke in perfekten Einlang bringt.
"Eén van Beethoven's favoriete musici - violiste Ignaz von Schuppanzigh - zei zelfs dat het leek of sommige passages uit het werk niet te spelen waren. Dat het wel degelijk te spelen is, en zelfs op meesterlijke wijze uit te voeren is, bewijzen deze vijf zowel in technisch als artistiek opzicht begaafde musici." Jan de Jeu - Music Emotion - 06-2011
"One of Beethoven's favorite musicians - violinist Ignaz von Schuppanzigh - even said that it seemed certain passages from the work they weren't able to play. That it is indeed playing, and even masterly manner, is proven by these five both technically and artistically gifted musicians." Jan de Jeu - Music Emotion - 06-2011
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1String Quartet in F major op. 59 no. 1Allegro09:25
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2String Quartet in F major op. 59 no. 1Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando08:41
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3String Quartet in F major op. 59 no. 1Adagio molto e mesto10:17
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4String Quartet in F major op. 59 no. 1Allegro09:05
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5String Quartet in e minor op. 59 no. 2Allegro10:13
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6String Quartet in e minor op. 59 no. 2Molto Adagio11:39
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7String Quartet in e minor op. 59 no. 2Allegretto06:57
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8String Quartet in e minor op. 59 no. 2Finale: Presto05:35
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1String Quartet in C major op. 59 no. 3 ?Razumovsky?Introduzione: Andante con moto. Allegro vivace11:02
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2String Quartet in C major op. 59 no. 3 ?Razumovsky?Andante con moto quasi Allegretto08:10
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3String Quartet in C major op. 59 no. 3 ?Razumovsky?Menuetto04:54
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4String Quartet in C major op. 59 no. 3 ?Razumovsky?Allegretto molto06:31
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5String Quintet in C major op. 29Allegro moderato10:13
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6String Quintet in C major op. 29Adagio molto espressivo10:37
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7String Quintet in C major op. 29Scherzo. Allegro03:56
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8String Quintet in C major op. 29Finale. Presto09:37