Starter Packs

Complete your collection with these curated titles, grouped at a special discount.

Shop Now
Naxos

Enescu: String Quartets 1 & 2 / Quatour Ad Libitum

$19.99 Only 1 left

Details

Composer
ENESCU
Artist
Ad Libitum Quartet
Format
CD
Label
Naxos
Released
Feb 01, 2001
Catalog #
8554721
UPC
636943472125

About

This is one of those recordings that amply demonstrates the wisdom of Naxos' mission: greatly interesting though underheard repertoire; well-informed, talented performers who do justice to the music; unbeatable price. These quartets by Georges Enescu, who is much better known as one of the most influential violinists of the first half of the 20th century than as a composer, are lovely. The two works share a generally husky and dark-voiced tonality, sublimely Romanian textures, melodies that never slack into kitschiness, and a tendency to squeeze in many more thematic ideas than is perhaps advisable (see the 46-minute Quartet No. 1 for an example of such, though the much later second quartet is much more successful in squelching that impulse). The Romanian Ad Libitum Quartet (founded, coincidentally, at the Georges Enescu Academy of Arts in Iasi) is a perfect advocate for this music, with playing that is passionate yet never vulgar. The miking results in a wonderfully crisp sound, but the recording levels were clearly set a little too low. Be prepared to jack up the volume a few settings higher than you might regularly use. --Anastasia Tsioulcas, ClassicsToday.com

Tracklist 8 tracks

  1. 1 Allegro moderato 13:05
    Track
    1
    Title
    Allegro moderato
    Duration
    13:05
    Composer
    George Enescu
    Ensemble
    Ad Libitum Quartet
  2. 2 Andante pensieroso 10:27
    Track
    2
    Title
    Andante pensieroso
    Duration
    10:27
    Composer
    George Enescu
    Ensemble
    Ad Libitum Quartet
  3. 3 Allegretto scherzando, non troppo vivace 06:37
    Track
    3
    Title
    Allegretto scherzando, non troppo vivace
    Duration
    06:37
    Composer
    George Enescu
    Ensemble
    Ad Libitum Quartet
  4. 4 Allegretto moderato 15:58
    Track
    4
    Title
    Allegretto moderato
    Duration
    15:58
    Composer
    George Enescu
    Ensemble
    Ad Libitum Quartet
  5. 5 Molto moderato 05:57
    Track
    5
    Title
    Molto moderato
    Duration
    05:57
    Composer
    George Enescu
    Ensemble
    Ad Libitum Quartet
  6. 6 Andante molto sostenuto ed espressivo 09:20
    Track
    6
    Title
    Andante molto sostenuto ed espressivo
    Duration
    09:20
    Composer
    George Enescu
    Ensemble
    Ad Libitum Quartet
  7. 7 Allegretto non troppo mosso 04:02
    Track
    7
    Title
    Allegretto non troppo mosso
    Duration
    04:02
    Composer
    George Enescu
    Ensemble
    Ad Libitum Quartet
  8. 8 Con moto - Molto moderato, Energico 08:11
    Track
    8
    Title
    Con moto - Molto moderato, Energico
    Duration
    08:11
    Composer
    George Enescu
    Ensemble
    Ad Libitum Quartet