Falik: String Quartets Nos. 3-6

Album review

Not all the composers of the later Soviet Union were putting out Shostakovich rip-offs. Take, for example, Schnittke, of course, but also the lesser-known – in Western Europe at least – Juri Falik (1936-2009), four of whose eight quartets are presented here: his mature works, written in 1974 ( the Third) 1978 (the Fourth and Fifth), and 1984 (the Sixth). They reveal a deeply poignant artist, who can make atonalism a vehicle for the most powerful emotions, who is extremely technically skilled with string quartets (he was himself an excellent cellist), a master of their architecture and textures. The Taneyev Quartet, to whom the composer dedicated the Third, here play these works at the time of their composition; and despite the fact that these recordings date from 1978, 1981, 1985 and 1986, the quality of the musicians and of the sound itself remain breathtaking. A great (re)discovery of an artist, recordings of whose other works we would like to hear – up until now too little of his music has been available, even on the veritable treasure chest that is Qobuz. © SM/Qobuz