Dvorak: The String Quartets (9 CD box set, APE)

Performer: Prager Streichquartett, Prague String Quartet
Composer: Antonin Dvorak
Audio CD
SPARS Code: ADD
Number of Discs: 9 CD box set
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Size: 2.75 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

Disc 1:
01. String Quartet no.1 in A major op.2 B.8 – 1. Andante – Allegro
02. String Quartet no.1 in A major op.2 B.8 – 2. Adagio affettuoso ed appassionato
03. String Quartet no.1 in A major op.2 B.8 – 3. Allegro scherzando – Trio
04. String Quartet no.1 in A major op.2 B.8 – 4. Finale: Allegro animato
05. Quartettsatz: Andante appassionata in A minor

Disc 2:
01. String Quartet No.2 in B flat major B.17 – 1. Allegro ma non troppo
02. String Quartet No.2 in B flat major B.17 – 2. Largo
03. String Quartet No.2 in B flat major B.17 – 3. Allegro con brio
04. String Quartet No.2 in B flat major B.17 – 4. Finale: Andante
05. Waltzes, op.54 B.105 – Nr. 1 – Moderato B.101
06. Waltzes, op.54 B.105 – Nr. 4 – Allegro vivace B.101
07. String Quartet in F major B.120 (Fragment)

Disc 3:
01. String Quartet No.3 in D major, B.18 – 1. Allegro con brio
02. String Quartet No.3 in D major, B.18 – 2. Andantino
03. String Quartet No.3 in D major, B.18 – 3. Allegro energico – Trio
04. String Quartet No.3 in D major, B.18 – 4. Finale: Allegretto

Disc 4:
01. String Quartet Nr.4 in E minor B.19 – 1. (Assai con moto ed energico)
02. String Quartet Nr.4 in E minor B.19 – 2. Andante religioso – attacca
03. String Quartet Nr.4 in E minor B.19 – 3. Allegro con brio
04. String Quartet No.5 in F minor, op.9 B.37 – 1. Moderato
05. String Quartet No.5 in F minor, op.9 B.37 – 2. Andante con moto quasi allegretto
06. String Quartet No.5 in F minor, op.9 B.37 – 3. Tempo di valse
07. String Quartet No.5 in F minor, op.9 B.37 – 4. Finale: Allegro molto

Disc 5:
01. String Quartet No.6 in A minor, op.12 B.40 – 1. Allegro ma non troppo
02. String Quartet No.6 in A minor, op.12 B.40 – 2. Poco allegro
03. String Quartet No.6 in A minor, op.12 B.40 – 3. Poco adagio
04. String Quartet No.6 in A minor, op.12 B.40 – 4. Finale: Allegro molto
05. String Quartet No.7 in A minor, op 16 B.45 – 1. Allegro ma non troppo
06. String Quartet No.7 in A minor, op 16 B.45 – 2. Andante cantabile
07. String Quartet No.7 in A minor, op 16 B.45 – 3. Allegro scherzando – Trio
08. String Quartet No.7 in A minor, op 16 B.45 – 4. Allegro ma non troppo

Disc 6:
01. String Quartet No.8 in E major, op.80 B.57 – 1. Allegro 8:48 Album Only
02. String Quartet No.8 in E major, op.80 B.57 – 2. Andante con moto
03. String Quartet No.8 in E major, op.80 B.57 – 3. Allegro scherzando
04. String Quartet No.8 in E major, op.80 B.57 – 4. Finale: Allegro con brio
05. String Quartet No.9 in D minor, op.34 B.75 – 1. Allegro
06. String Quartet No.9 in D minor, op.34 B.75 – 2. Alla polka: Allegretto scherzando -Trio: quasi l’istesso tempo
07. String Quartet No.9 in D minor, op.34 B.75 – 3. Adagio
08. String Quartet No.9 in D minor, op.34 B.75 – 4. Finale: poco allegro

Disc 7:
01. String Quartet No.10 in E flat major, Op.51 – B.92 – 1. Allegro ma non troppo
02. String Quartet No.10 in E flat major, Op.51 – B.92 – 2. Dumka. Andante con moto
03. String Quartet No.10 in E flat major, Op.51 – B.92 – 3. Romanze. Andante con moto
04. String Quartet No.10 in E flat major, Op.51 – B.92 – 4. Finale. Allegro assai
05. String Quartet No.11 in C major, Op.61 – B.121 – 1. Allegro
06. String Quartet No.11 in C major, Op.61 – B.121 – 2. Poco adagio e molto cantabile
07. String Quartet No.11 in C major, Op.61 – B.121 – 3. Scherzo: Allegro vivo
08. String Quartet No.11 in C major, Op.61 – B.121 – 4. Finale: Vivace

Disc 8:
01. String Quartet No.12 in F major, Op.96 – “American” B.179 – 1. Allegro ma non troppo
02. String Quartet No.12 in F major, Op.96 – “American” B.179 – 2. Lento
03. String Quartet No.12 in F major, Op.96 – “American” B.179 – 3. Molto vivace
04. String Quartet No.12 in F major, Op.96 – “American” B.179 – 4. Finale (Vivace ma non troppo)
05. String Quartet No.13 in G major, Op.106 – B.192 – 1. Allegro moderato
06. String Quartet No.13 in G major, Op.106 – B.192 – 2. Adagio ma non troppo
07. String Quartet No.13 in G major, Op.106 – B.192 – 3. Molto Vivace
08. String Quartet No.13 in G major, Op.106 – B.192 – 4. Andante sostenuto: Allegro con fuoco

Disc 9:
01. String Quartet No.14 in A flat major, Op.105, B.193 – 1. Adagio ma non troppo
02. String Quartet No.14 in A flat major, Op.105, B.193 – 2. Molto vivace
03. String Quartet No.14 in A flat major, Op.105, B.193 – 3. Lento e molto cantabile
04. String Quartet No.14 in A flat major, Op.105, B.193 – 4. Allegro non tanto
05. Cypresses B.152 – 1. Moderato
06. Cypresses B.152 – 2. Allegro ma non troppo
07. Cypresses B.152 – 3. Andante con moto
08. Cypresses B.152 – 4. Poco Adagio
09. Cypresses B.152 – 5. Andante
10. Cypresses B.152 – 6. Andante moderato
11. Cypresses B.152 – 7. Andante con moto
12. Cypresses B.152 – 8. Lento
13. Cypresses B.152 – 9. Moderato
14. Cypresses B.152 – 10. Andante maestoso
15. Cypresses B.152 – 11. Allegro scherzando
16. Cypresses B.152 – 12. Allegro animato

Gorgeous Dvorak, beautifully played.

I have to say at the outset that, though an avid lover of classical music since childhood, I have never acquired much of a taste for chamber music, not even by such greats as Mozart and Beethoven. For the most part, it leaves me rather cold. Perhaps it is the fact that chamber music tends to be more cerebral and introspective. Perhaps I just prefer the lushness of full orchestration. However….and it is a rather large HOWEVER…. I adore the music of Dvorak. I have always found his compositions to be the most consistently warm and melodious. Furthermore, I have heard several pieces of his chamber music over the years, and felt them to be the exception to my general feelings about this genre of music. Therefore, I decided to take the plunge and purchase this set. While I have yet to listen to every piece, I have listened to many. Every selection thus far has been beautiful, fully justifying my purchase. The music itself is beautiful in the best Dvorakian tradition, and the playing and recording are, to my ears, exemplary. Bravo.