Lennox Berkeley - String Quartets Nos. 1-3 - Naxos: 8570415 - CD or download

The partnership between Naxos and the Magginis has opened up the British quartet reportoire, and also seen the Quartet itself growing in confidence and maturity. This CD is one of their first... — BBC Music Magazine, February 2008, 5 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 26th Nov 2007
Catalogue No: 8570415
Label: Naxos
Length: 62 minutes

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Berkeley, L: String Quartet No. 1, Op. 6

Work length26:27

$6.00

$7.20

Maggini Quartet
Recorded: 7-9 December 2006
Recording Venue: Potton Hall, Westleton, Suffolk, England

I. Allegro - Moderato

Track length7:51

$2.00

$2.40

II. Andante non troppo - Lento

Track length5:51

$1.00

$1.20

III. Scherzo: Vivace

Track length3:57

$1.00

$1.20

IV. Theme and 6 variations: Moderato

Track length8:48

$2.00

$2.40

Berkeley, L: String Quartet No. 2, Op. 15

Work length18:27

$4.00

$4.80

Maggini Quartet
Recorded: 7-9 December 2006
Recording Venue: Potton Hall, Westleton, Suffolk, England

I. Allegro moderato

Track length7:10

$2.00

$2.40

II. Lento

Track length5:30

$1.00

$1.20

III. Allegro

Track length5:47

$1.00

$1.20

Berkeley, L: String Quartet No. 3, Op. 76

Work length18:01

$4.00

$4.80

Maggini Quartet
Recorded: 7-9 December 2006
Recording Venue: Potton Hall, Westleton, Suffolk, England

I. Allegro moderato

Track length4:32

$1.00

$1.20

II. Allegro vivace

Track length2:21

$1.00

$1.20

III. Lento

Track length6:05

$1.00

$1.20

IV. Molto vivace

Track length5:03

$1.00

$1.20

Reviews
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Reviews

February 2008

The partnership between Naxos and the Magginis has opened up the British quartet reportoire, and also seen the Quartet itself growing in confidence and maturity. This CD is one of their first with Lorraine McAslan as leader, and, remembering her fine Bridge and Britten recordings, I had high hopes: I haven't been disappointed.

2010

The Maggini turn their attention to Sir Lennox Berkeley, giving us all three of these landmarks in 20th-century British chamber music with the first recordings of Nos 1 and 3.
The First, the longest of the three, is a revelation.
Virtually unknown, it has usually been regarded as just an early work from 1935. Nothing could be more wrong since it's teeming with ideas and ingenious string quartet textures.
There are plenty of Berkeley fingerprints, such as the regular pulse of the second movement supporting diatonic melodies in counterpoint; the high spirits of the Scherzo; and the final theme and variations, which anticipates examples later in the Two-Piano Concerto and the Violin and Piano Sonatina.
The Second (1942) has an eloquent slow movement in what the composer called free form is a fine example of Berkeley's completely individual melodic and harmonic style. By the time of No 3 (1970) Berkeley was in his slightly tougher, final phase. But it is recognisably the same composer and his spiritual roots emerge in the connections between a simple setting of Hail, Holy Queen and the slow movement.
These performances are simply magnificent.
Clean and immediate sound, perhaps slightly shrill. But the main thing is that at last these outstanding chamber works are available. A legacy comparable to Britten's? See what you think – at a bargain price.

February 2008

These performances are simply magnificent. Clean and immediate sound, perhaps slightly shrill. But the main thing is that at last these outstanding chamber works are available.

Lennox Berkeley - String Quartets Nos. 1-3

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