Mozart: Quintets in C Major & G Minor

Chronique

The history of personnel changes in the Allegri Quartet could likely fill a book, but suffice it to say that the ensemble has undergone numerous changes both in personnel and quality in its more than 50-year history. For this recording of the Mozart two-viola quintets, former Allegri Quartet member Prunella Pacey returns to perform the second viola part. But even this tip of the hat to the quartet's history is not sufficient to return it to its glory days with Goren, Barton, Ireland, and Pleeth. With the present incarnation, the Allegri Quartet's interpretation of these two Mozart quintets is astonishingly bland. Even an over-romanticized version may be preferable to this dry and at time emotionless effort. This lackluster musical component may be forgivable if it were not accompanied by technical shortcomings as well. Intonation is particularly problematic; the inner voices of the ensemble have an unusually difficult time playing thirds in tune with one another, while the first and second violin often struggle when playing octaves. Only the cello seems grounded in its pitch, but the remaining members seem unwilling to make their own pitch line up with the bass line. The result is an uninspiring and troubled performance of two pieces that an ensemble of this repute should be able to execute with much more skill and grace.

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