Performer: Oscar Shumsky, Robin Sutherland, Carl Wendling, Hermann Hubl, Ludwig Natterer, Alfred Saal, Phillip Dreisbach
Number of Discs: 2
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Biddulph
Catalogue: 85029-2
Release: 2023
Size: 1.1 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
CD 01
Bach: Partita for solo violin No. 3 in E major, BWV1006
01. Preludio
Hoffstetter: String Quartet in F major, Op. 3 No. 5 (formerly attrib. J. Haydn)
02. Andante cantabile (Serenade)
Mozart: String Quartet No. 14 in G major, K387 ‘Spring’
03. I Allegro vivace assai
04. II Menuetto: Allegretto
05. III Andante cantabile
06. IV Molto allegro
Mozart: Clarinet Quintet in A major, K581
07. I Allegro
08. II Larghetto
09. III Menuetto: Allegretto
10. IV Allegretto con Variazioni
Schubert: String Quintet in C major, D956
11. II Adagio
CD 02
Reger: Clarinet Quintet in A major, Op. 146
01. II Vivace
Reger: String Quartet in E flat major, Op. 109
02. II Quasi presto
Haydn: String Quartet, Op. 64 No. 4 in G major
03. II. Menuetto: Allegretto
Haydn: String Quartet, Op. 76 No. 4 in B flat major ‘Sunrise’
04. III Menuetto: Allegro
Dittersdorf: String Quartet in B flat
05. II Andante (transposed to G)
Dittersdorf: String Quartet No. 5 in E flat major
06. II Menuetto: Non troppo presto
Hoffstetter: String Quartet in F major, Op. 3 No. 5 (formerly attrib. J. Haydn) : Andante cantabile (Serenade)
07. II Andante cantabile
Mozart: String Quartet No. 15 in D minor, K421
08. III Menuetto: Allegretto
Mozart: String Quartet No. 17 in B flat major, K458 ‘The Hunt’
09. II Menuetto: Moderato
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 5 in A major, Op. 18 No. 5
10. II Menuetto
11. III Andante cantabile
Schubert: String Quartet No. 14 in D minor, D810 ‘Death and the Maiden’
12. III Scherzo: Allegro molto
Schubert: String Quartet No. 15 in G Major, D887
13. III Scherzo: Allegro vivace
Mozart: String Quartet No. 14 in G major, K387 ‘Spring’
14. IV Molto allegro
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 5 in A major, Op. 18 No. 5
15. II Menuetto
16. III Andante cantabile
Mendelssohn: String Quartet No. 1 in E flat major, Op. 12
17. II Canzonetta: Allegretto
The recordings of the Wendling Quartet provide an invaluable aural link between the 19th-century Joachim Quartet and the early 20th-century ensembles such as the Léner, Busch and Budapest Quartets. Born in Strasbourg in 1875, Carl Wendling studied with Joachim at the Berlin Hochschule, and began his career as leader of the Stuttgart Staatsorchester under such legendary conductors as Hans Richter and Felix Weingertner. He briefly led the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Karl Muck from 1907-09, before returning back to Germany where he established his eponymous string quartet. The Wendling Quartet was renowned throughout the German-speaking world in the 1920s and 1930s, and made many recordings for the Deutsche Grammophon label as well as Electrola, the German affiliate of HMV. The group performed many contemporary works and especially championed the music of Max Reger, two selections by him are included on this 2-CD set. Also included in this set are the only recordings ever made by the Wittenberg Quartet. Alfred Wittenberg was an outstanding virtuoso violinist, but eventually established a string quartet under his own name. The four sides from 1913 made for the Anker label are the only recordings the Wittenberg Quartet ever made. Forced to leave Germany in the Second World War, Alfred Wittenberg settled in Shanghai, where he taught at the Conservatory until his death in 1952.