Shostakovich : String Quartets, Vol. 1

Album review

The Mandelring Quartet, made up of three siblings plus violist Roland Glassl, offers a strong, unified performance in its first volume of the complete cycle of Shostakovich string quartets. Save for a few moments of questionable intonation in the first violin part, this recording has a great deal to offer. The balance is quite good, which is something not always achieved by other ensembles recording this cycle. The cello in particular excels at rising above the rest of the ensemble when it carries the melodic line. In music that is all about contrast and disparity, it is refreshing to hear this quartet shift easily between stark, glass-like playing and aggressive, forceful sections without ever jarring the listener. The overall sound quality of the recording is generally quite nice, but at times the quartet sounds far away and not as "in your face" as some listeners may prefer for these works. A clear distinction is made between the gentler, neo-Classical first quartet and the more brusque, energized second quartet that marks the beginning of Shostakovich's music as a political tool. The liner notes provide an adequate, basic overview of the chronology of the quartets' place in Russian history and the repercussions Shostakovich faced for his brazen opposition to his government, all of which is intrinsically necessary for the appreciation of these intimate masterpieces.
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