Dvorák: String Sextet; String Quintet; Intermezzo in B Major

Album review

Yes, this group's tone is sometimes a bit raw and its ensemble is sometimes a little aggressive. And sure, its tone is sometimes a bit sweet and its ensemble is sometimes more than a little sentimental. But its intonation is wholly appropriate and the ensemble is absolutely impeccable, so it is more than fitting that England's Nash Ensemble is performing Bohemia's Dvorák, specifically his Sextet for pairs of violins, violas, and cellos and Quintet for string quartet with double bass. Dvorák's Sextet and Quintet come from 1875 and 1878, the height of the composer's Bohemian phase, full of folksy melodies, funky rhythms, and bone-deep sentimentality, and any performance that misses these qualities might as well be playing Bruch. The Nash Ensemble never misses: the music's strength and soulfulness, its sensuality and spirituality shine through the interpretations, singing and dancing and embracing the wholeness of a life lived close to the heart. ASV Gold's 2004 digital sound is warm and deep, but ever so slightly indistinct in pianissimos.
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