Timothy Ridout - String Quintets - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Towards the end of his life, short of money and heavily in debt, Mozart had the opportunity to visit King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia - a famous patron of the arts and a keen and above-average musician. Mozart performed for the King and left with some cash and a commission for a set of six string quartets, of which these are the only three he completed. They are ground-breaking in the way in which Mozart utilised the voicing of the instruments. King Friedrich was a viola da gamba player turned cellist, and these works feature extensive melodies for the cello, usually in a high register, thus emancipating the cello from the bass line and introducing a more evenly blended texture. Firmly established as one of the leading quartets of their generation, the Doric String Quartet enjoys a worldwide reputation and has performed at festivals and concert halls around the globe. Exclusive Chandos artists, the Quartet has drawn widespread critical acclaim for it's recordings and won a number of prestigious awards.

Following an exceptional critical reception for their first volume of Mendelssohn Quartets, the Doric String quartet now complete the project with volume two. As with the previous volume, they juxtapose one of the early quartets (no.2) with two of the later compositions (nos. 3 and 4), composed a decade or so later. Composed in 1827, the Second Quartet pays homage to Beethoven's outstanding contribution to the genre (he died in March of that year), but this is no simple pastiche. Mendelssohn's individual voice is already clearly present in this confident work. The later quartets are perhaps less overtly revolutionary - Mendelssohn was now an established figure and now a recipient of Royal commissions - but nevertheless remain clear milestones in the development of the genre.

On this new , the Doric String Quartet turns to the music of Franz Schubert. It is the Quartet's fifth solid for Chandos. MusicWeb International said of the recent Korngold , 'The Doric Quartet seem to have a Midas touch, and any repertoire they commit to disc comes out sparkling'. Their Schumann was 'Recording of the Month' in Gramophone and BBC Music Magazine.