SA-CD.net - Martinu: String Quartets Nos. 2, 4 & 5

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Post by Beagle April 12, 2006 (1 of 3)

Martinu is perhaps in the same category as Bartók: most members here Couldn't Care Less (but those who like him, like him a lot). So I won't waste time with a full review, just a Word to the Wise:

I like Martinu a lot, especially his chamber works such as those here. I've been listening to this disc for a month now, and enjoying all aspects of it, sound, musicality, and just plain musical FUN. Maybe the more 'approachable' Martinu can be a stepping stone to Bartók for those who haven't ventured into these waters before.

Post by Beagle November 15, 2006 (2 of 3)

In his review, George says, "This recording was done in the Domovina Studio in Prague, which is the same venue used by Praga for the Pražák Quartet's Beethoven cycle. While the Beethoven Quartets have "good" sound, the recording under discussion here is astonishing. I cannot say what is different: the microphones? the room within the studio?"

I quite agree. As I noted in the Borodin review, my favourite Praga discs (Borodin, Martinu, Haydn, Czech Degenerates) are by the Kocian Quartet. The same Sound Engineer team, Karel Soukenik & Václav Roubal, created those discs, plus the Prazak/Schubert disc whose sound I love AND the Prazak/Beethoven op.18 whose sound I find too "in your face" aggressive. So it isn't the Engineer.

I have enjoyed the Prazaks on disc and in person, but the Kocians manage to 'get on disc' better, somehow. I can only hope that Praga will discover what they are doing right on the Kocianova discs, and apply it elsewhere.

Post by Domimag May 4, 2009 (3 of 3)

Hello

The Martinu/quartets 1, 3 & 6 will be released in august 2009 by PRAGA.
N° 1 by Zemlinsky quartet and N° 3 & 6 by Prazak Quartet.

Regards