Composer: Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel
Performer: Párkányí Quartet
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Praga Digitals
Release: 2003
Size: 1.04 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Debussy: String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 10, L. 85
01. I. Animé et très décidé
02. II. Scherzo. Assez vif et bien rythmé
03. III. Andantino, doucement expressif
04. IV. Très modéré – Très mouvementé – Très animé
Ravel: String Quartet in F Major, M. 35
05. I. Allegro moderato – Très doux
06. II. Assez vif. Très rythmé
07. III. Très lent
08. IV. Vif et agité
Formerly known as the Orlando Quartet but re-formed by three of the founding members with cellist Michael Müller as the Párkányí Quartet, this terrific ensemble embarks on its second recording career with the standard brace of Impressionist masterpieces: Ravel’s String Quartet in F major and Debussy’s String Quartet in G minor, Op. 10. While the program is all too common and unlikely to stand out from dozens of other CDs like it, the Párkányí Quartet’s at least has the advantage of fantastic DSD sound to make audiophiles take notice; and jaded listeners can appreciate these quartets with new ears, thanks to the scrupulous care of the performers and the depth of their interpretations. It may have been a risk for these musicians to expose themselves to the close scrutiny that the best technology makes possible, but it was a risk worth taking. The Párkányí Quartet sounds extraordinarily rich in timbres, full in ensemble, and remarkably clear in its textures, and the group’s presence is almost palpable. The highly expressive voicings are always distinct, even when Ravel’s and Debussy’s writing tends toward harmonic homogeneity; and the counterpoint is much easier to appreciate than in many older, flatter recordings. This exciting album is highly recommended.