now playing

start of Schubert: String Quartet No. 14 in D Minor, D. 810 "Death and the Maiden"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSym2R0Q06M&list=OLAK5uy_nEWKPmnS1j8TpSF1GiY62la-bm5FQuN6I&index=2

start of Schubert: String Quartet No. 13 in A Minor, Op. 29, D. 804 "Rosamunde"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_annUpEIKQ&list=OLAK5uy_nEWKPmnS1j8TpSF1GiY62la-bm5FQuN6I&index=6

start of Schubert: String Quartet No. 15 in G Major, Op. Posth. 161, D. 887
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esKND9Wm9Mo&list=OLAK5uy_nEWKPmnS1j8TpSF1GiY62la-bm5FQuN6I&index=9

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_nEWKPmnS1j8TpSF1GiY62la-bm5FQuN6I

Been too long since I last heard these masterpieces. This ensemble, the Artemis Quartet, also have an older recording of the string quintet featuring the inimitable cellist Truls Mork and the singular Quartettsatz in C minor, which I'll check out too after this. I quite enjoyed the Artemis Quartet's cycle of Beethoven's string quartets, which is different than the usual heavily romantic, sentimental, and sensitive types of performances I generally prefer, so I expect the same here. If I had to describe their approach in a word, it'd be "intelligent," as in intelligent readings which emphasize the formal traits of the music over the emotional. Basically the standard trend of modern ensembles in my experience.

Anyway, should be good! After this, I'll probably check out some complete cycles, for example by the Diogenes Quartet and Modigliani Quartet, whatever popular ones are out there, and see how they handle the late quartets.