Shostakovich - The String Quartets - Deutsche Grammophon: 4757407 - download

The Emersons have played Shostakovich all over the world, and this long- pondered intégrale sets the seal on a process that has brought the quartets to the very centre of the repertoire – the... — Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010 More…

Release Date: 10th Apr 2006
Catalogue No: 4757407
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Length: 5 hours 58 minutes

Gramophone Awards

2000

Winner - Chamber
Grammy Awards

43rd Awards (2000)

Best Chamber Music Recording
Grammy Awards

43rd Awards (2000)

Classical Album of the Year

Purchase product

Shostakovich: Adagio (Elegy) For String Quartet

Work length7:39

$1.70

$2.30

Emerson String Quartet (string quartet)
Recorded: 1998-07
Recording Venue: Harris Concert Hall, Aspen

Adagio (Elegy) For String Quartet

Track length3:55

$0.85

$1.15

IV. Allegro

Track length3:44

$0.85

$1.15

Shostakovich: Allegretto (Polka)

Work length37:12

$4.25

$5.75

Emerson String Quartet (string quartet)
Recorded: 1998-07-20
Recording Venue: Harris Concert Hall, Aspen

Allegretto (Polka) For String Quartet

Track length3:59

$0.85

$1.15

I. Overture (Moderato con moto)

Track length7:57

$0.85

$1.15

II. Recitative & Romance (Adagio)

Track length9:05

$0.85

$1.15

III. Valse (Allegro)

Track length5:28

$0.85

$1.15

IV. Theme & Variations

Track length10:43

$0.85

$1.15

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 13 in B flat minor, Op. 138

Work length30:29

$5.10

$6.90

Emerson String Quartet (string quartet)
Recorded: 1994-07
Recording Venue: Harris Concert Hall, Aspen

String Quartet No. 13 in B Flat Minor, Op. 138

Track length2:23

$0.85

$1.15

I. Allegretto

Track length6:52

$0.85

$1.15

II. Moderato con moto

Track length4:22

$0.85

$1.15

III. Allegro non troppo

Track length3:50

$0.85

$1.15

IV. Adagio

Track length4:44

$0.85

$1.15

V. Moderato

Track length8:18

$0.85

$1.15

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 4 in D major, Op. 83

Work length24:18

$3.40

$4.60

Recorded: 1999-07
Recording Venue: Harris Concert Hall, Aspen

I. Allegretto

Track length3:50

$0.85

$1.15

II. Andantino

Track length6:23

$0.85

$1.15

III. Allegretto

Track length4:35

$0.85

$1.15

IV. Allegretto

Track length9:30

$0.85

$1.15

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 5 in B flat major, Op. 92

Work length30:09

$2.55

$3.45

Recorded: 1999-07
Recording Venue: Harris Concert Hall, Aspen

I. Allegro non troppo

Track length11:18

$0.85

$1.15

II. Andante

Track length8:29

$0.85

$1.15

III. Moderato

Track length10:22

$0.85

$1.15

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 6 in G major, Op. 101

Work length22:13

$3.40

$4.60

Recorded: 1998-07
Recording Venue: Harris Concert Hall, Aspen

I. Allegretto

Track length6:44

$0.85

$1.15

II. Moderato con moto

Track length4:59

$0.85

$1.15

III. Lento - attacca:

Track length3:57

$0.85

$1.15

IV. Lento - Allegretto - Andante - Lento

Track length6:33

$0.85

$1.15

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 7 in F sharp minor, Op. 108

Work length11:34

$2.55

$3.45

Recorded: 1998-07
Recording Venue: Harris Concert Hall, Aspen

I. Allegretto

Track length3:41

$0.85

$1.15

II. Lento

Track length2:48

$0.85

$1.15

III. Allegro

Track length5:05

$0.85

$1.15

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 110

Work length19:34

$4.25

$5.75

Recorded: 1998-07
Recording Venue: Harris Concert Hall, Aspen

I. Largo

Track length4:33

$0.85

$1.15

II. Allegro molto

Track length2:37

$0.85

$1.15

III. Allegretto

Track length4:05

$0.85

$1.15

IV. Largo

Track length4:45

$0.85

$1.15

V. Largo

Track length3:34

$0.85

$1.15

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 9 in E flat major, Op. 117

Work length24:42

$4.25

$5.75

Recorded: 1998-07
Recording Venue: Harris Concert Hall, Aspen

I. Moderato con moto

Track length4:24

$0.85

$1.15

II. Adagio

Track length3:47

$0.85

$1.15

III. Allegretto

Track length4:02

$0.85

$1.15

IV. Adagio

Track length3:00

$0.85

$1.15

V. Allegro

Track length9:29

$0.85

$1.15

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 10 in A flat major, Op. 118

Work length21:37

$3.40

$4.60

Recorded: 1998-07
Recording Venue: Harris Concert Hall, Aspen

I. Andante con moto

Track length4:12

$0.85

$1.15

II. Allegretto furioso

Track length3:57

$0.85

$1.15

III. Adagio

Track length4:48

$0.85

$1.15

IV. Allegretto - Andante

Track length8:40

$0.85

$1.15

Shostakovich: Adagio (Elegy) For String Quartet

Work length4:34

$0.85

$1.15

Recorded: 1998-07
Recording Venue: Harris Concert Hall, Aspen

Shostakovich: Allegretto (Polka)

Work length2:47

$0.85

$1.15

Recorded: 1998-07-20
Recording Venue: Harris Concert Hall, Aspen

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 11 in F minor, Op. 122

Work length16:05

$5.95

$8.05

Recorded: 1994-07
Recording Venue: Harris Concert Hall, Aspen

I. Introduction: Andantino

Track length2:11

$0.85

$1.15

II. Scherzo: Allegretto

Track length2:41

$0.85

$1.15

III. Recitative: Adagio

Track length1:08

$0.85

$1.15

IV. Etude: Allegro

Track length1:14

$0.85

$1.15

V. Humoresque: Allegro

Track length1:01

$0.85

$1.15

VI. Elegy: Adagio

Track length4:12

$0.85

$1.15

VII. Finale: Moderato

Track length3:38

$0.85

$1.15

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 12 in D flat major, Op. 133

Work length25:52

$1.70

$2.30

Recorded: 1994-07
Recording Venue: Harris Concert Hall, Aspen

I. Moderato - Allegretto

Track length6:29

$0.85

$1.15

II. Allegretto - Adagio - Moderato - Allegretto

Track length19:23

$0.85

$1.15

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 13 in B flat minor, Op. 138

Work length19:08

$0.85

$1.15

Recorded: 1994-07
Recording Venue: Harris Concert Hall, Aspen

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 14 in F sharp major, Op. 142

Work length25:03

$2.55

$3.45

Recorded: 1994-07
Recording Venue: Harris Concert Hall, Aspen

I. Allegretto

Track length8:13

$0.85

$1.15

II. Adagio

Track length8:52

$0.85

$1.15

III. Allegretto

Track length7:58

$0.85

$1.15

Shostakovich: String Quartet No. 15 In E Flat Minor, Op. 144

Work length35:24

$5.10

$6.90

Recorded: 1994-07
Recording Venue: Harris Concert Hall, Aspen

I. Elegy

Track length12:36

$0.85

$1.15

II. Serenade

Track length5:47

$0.85

$1.15

III. Intermezzo

Track length1:38

$0.85

$1.15

IV. Nocturne

Track length4:30

$0.85

$1.15

V. Funeral March

Track length4:35

$0.85

$1.15

VI. Epilogue

Track length6:18

$0.85

$1.15

Reviews
Explore

Reviews

2010

The Emersons have played Shostakovich all over the world, and this long- pondered intégrale sets the seal on a process that has brought the quartets to the very centre of the repertoire – the ensemble's and ours. While some listeners will miss the intangible element of emotional specificity and sheer Russianness that once lurked behind the notes, the playing is undeniably committed in its coolness, exposing nerve endings with cruel clarity.
The hard, diamond-like timbre of the two violins (the leader's role is shared democratically) is far removed from the breadth of tone one might associate with a David Oistrakh, just as cellist David Finckel is no Rostropovich. But these recordings reveal surprising new facets of a body of work that isn't going to stand still. The Fourth Quartet is a case in point, more delicate than most rivals with the finale relatively pressed, less insistently Jewish. The Fifth sometimes seems closer to Ustvolskaya or American minimalism than the mid-century Soviet symphonic utterance we're used to; the Emerson's almost hectoring mode of address and unfluctuating tempo are maintained for as long as (in)humanly possible. The very vehemence of, say, the finale of the Ninth tends to blunt the harmonic sense of the music, leaving something more visceral and rosiny than the argument can stand. To get the unique feel of this set, sample one of the encore pieces, the 'Polka' from TheAge of Gold. Little humanity and wit, but can you resist the explosive brilliance of the technique? DG's recording is exceptionally vivid if somewhat airless, the separation of the instruments being achieved at the expense of tonal blend.
Given that all the quartets were taped live with only remedial patching, the audience is commendably silent: their enthusiastic applause is retained for Nos 1, 2, 9 and 12 only. This is a Shostakovich cycle for the 21st century.

Shostakovich - The String Quartets

Purchase product

Downloads

Contents

Download queue