As part of a comparative listening experiment, I pulled out all the Schubert I had except for lieder (which is most of it). My specific assignment was to compare recordings of the qt. in D min. (Death & the Maiden).
For that piece specifically, I had only two variations: the Juillard Qt on RCA Victor and the Vienna Konzerthaus Qt on Westminster. Didn't make a not of the dates, sorry.
I preferred the the Juilliard Qt performance, to my surprise, as I generally prefer more spare, reserved recordings. For this piece, however, I wanted a bit more emotion than the VKQ was putting into it. The JQ seemed to engage more passionately with the music.
I think that this kind of sensitivity and emotional responsiveness, rather than regimented austerity, is the prime quality I look for in this style of music, and plese don't get up my ass for calling it classical.
Thank you. |
