Ireland: String Quartets; The Holy Boy (2006)

One of the best things to happen to English string quartet recordings in the early years of the twenty first century was the signing of the Maggini Quartet to Naxos. In short order, the group put out superlative recordings of the quartets of Arnold Bax, Frank Bridge, and Benjamin Britten, and followed them with this 2006 recording of the two quartets of John Ireland. Student works, Ireland's quartets have the merits and demerits of their origins; that is, both are ardent, even impetuous works and both are clearly modeled on ... Read More

One of the best things to happen to English string quartet recordings in the early years of the twenty first century was the signing of the Maggini Quartet to Naxos. In short order, the group put out superlative recordings of the quartets of Arnold Bax, Frank Bridge, and Benjamin Britten, and followed them with this 2006 recording of the two quartets of John Ireland. Student works, Ireland's quartets have the merits and demerits of their origins; that is, both are ardent, even impetuous works and both are clearly modeled on works by previous composers. While the First Quartet in D minor reveals the influence of Schumann and Brahms -- listen to the swipe from Brahms in the opening of the Andante moderato -- and the Second Quartet in C minor reveals the influence of Beethoven and Dvorák -- listen to the swipe from Beethoven in the climax of the Scherzo -- both works sound masterfully composed in the Maggini's performance. With a clear but full tone and a cogent but lush ensemble, the Maggini makes the... Read Less