Beethoven Late Quartets, Vol. 1 (2009)

The late string quartets of Beethoven, against which virtually every subsequent composer has had to compare his/her own works in the genre, are no small undertaking for any ensemble, particularly a younger quartet. Grasping the emotional depth and profundity is a significant challenge in the last five quartets, and a keen interpretive sense and introspection are absolutely necessary for a successful performance. This album, Volume 1 devoted to the late quartets, by the young but engaging Cypress String Quartet features the ... Read More

The late string quartets of Beethoven, against which virtually every subsequent composer has had to compare his/her own works in the genre, are no small undertaking for any ensemble, particularly a younger quartet. Grasping the emotional depth and profundity is a significant challenge in the last five quartets, and a keen interpretive sense and introspection are absolutely necessary for a successful performance. This album, Volume 1 devoted to the late quartets, by the young but engaging Cypress String Quartet features the revolutionary seven-movement Op. 131 String Quartet and the more classically centered Op. 135 Quartet. In both cases, the Cypress Quartet does an admirable job both technically and musically. The wrenching opening of the first movement of Op. 131 is played with a great deal of controlled intensity, fluidity of dialogue between the four independent voices, and an exceptional command of pacing and dynamics that holds listeners' attention from the first note to the last. This fine... Read Less