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Nimbus

Smetana, Dvorak & Janacek: String Quartets / Wihan Quartet

$20.99

Details

Composer
DVORAK JANACEK SMETANA
Artist
WIHAN QUARTET
Format
CD
Label
Nimbus
Released
Jan 04, 2019
Catalog #
NI6376
UPC
710357637629

About

The Wihan Quartet has been described by International Record Review as: “one of the best quartets in the world today.” In 2015 the Quartet celebrated 30 years since its formation, and over the years it has developed an outstanding reputation for the interpretation of its native Czech heritage, and of the many classical, romantic and modern masterpieces of the string quartet repertoire. The Wihan Quartet has won many International Competitions including The Prague Spring Festival and the Osaka ‘Chamber Festa’. In 1991, they won both the First Prize and the Audience Prize in the London International String Quartet Competition. The Quartet are the ‘Richard Carne Quartet in Residence’ at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London. They are also great supporters of the work of the CAVATINA Chamber Music Trust, which gives inspirational concerts and master classes to young people in many parts of the UK. Jirí Zigmund, retired from the Wihan Quartet in 2014. The Quartet was very fortunate to find an excellent viola player in Jakub Cepický, son of Leoš, and his first recording with the Quartet of Suk, Dvorak and Janacek was released on Nimbus Alliance in 2016. In 2017, after 32 years as a member of the Wihan Quartet, cellist Ales Kasprik retired from the Quartet. The Quartet have been very fortunate to find a wonderful cellist to perform with them: the excellent Michal Kanka, cellist with one of the best Czech string quartets, the Prazak Quartet.

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REVIEW:

The most striking attribute of the Wihan's account of the Janacek is its weighty, bass-oriented sonority, which is beneficial in lyrical, romantic passages and adds strength to forceful, explosive ones. The playing is also brilliant and virtuosic, with emphatic stresses, colorful and detailed texture, and clear articulation. Tempos may be faster or more deliberate than average but are consistently well chosen.

With excellent performances of captivating works by the three greatest Czech composers, recorded in vivid, realistic sound, this release deserves a strong recommendation.

– Fanfare

Tracklist 12 tracks

  1. 1 I. Allegro 05:05
    Track
    1
    Title
    I. Allegro
    Duration
    05:05
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Ensemble
    Wihan String Quartet
  2. 2 II. Allegro moderato 05:47
    Track
    2
    Title
    II. Allegro moderato
    Duration
    05:47
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Ensemble
    Wihan String Quartet
  3. 3 III. Allegro non più moderato, ma agitato - E con fuoco 05:04
    Track
    3
    Title
    III. Allegro non più moderato, ma agitato - E con fuoco
    Duration
    05:04
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Ensemble
    Wihan String Quartet
  4. 4 IV. Presto 02:45
    Track
    4
    Title
    IV. Presto
    Duration
    02:45
    Composer
    Bedřich Smetana
    Ensemble
    Wihan String Quartet
  5. 5 I. Allegro ma non troppo 08:37
    Track
    5
    Title
    I. Allegro ma non troppo
    Duration
    08:37
    Composer
    Antonín Dvořák
    Ensemble
    Wihan String Quartet
  6. 6 II. Dumka (Élégie): Andante con moto - Vivace 08:03
    Track
    6
    Title
    II. Dumka (Élégie): Andante con moto - Vivace
    Duration
    08:03
    Composer
    Antonín Dvořák
    Ensemble
    Wihan String Quartet
  7. 7 III. Romanza: Andante con moto 06:41
    Track
    7
    Title
    III. Romanza: Andante con moto
    Duration
    06:41
    Composer
    Antonín Dvořák
    Ensemble
    Wihan String Quartet
  8. 8 IV. Finale: Allegro assai 07:29
    Track
    8
    Title
    IV. Finale: Allegro assai
    Duration
    07:29
    Composer
    Antonín Dvořák
    Ensemble
    Wihan String Quartet
  9. 9 I. Andante - Con moto - Allegro 05:56
    Track
    9
    Title
    I. Andante - Con moto - Allegro
    Duration
    05:56
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Ensemble
    Wihan String Quartet
  10. 10 II. Adagio - Vivace 05:56
    Track
    10
    Title
    II. Adagio - Vivace
    Duration
    05:56
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Ensemble
    Wihan String Quartet
  11. 11 III. Moderato - Adagio - Allegro 06:23
    Track
    11
    Title
    III. Moderato - Adagio - Allegro
    Duration
    06:23
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Ensemble
    Wihan String Quartet
  12. 12 IV. Allegro - Andante - Adagio 07:50
    Track
    12
    Title
    IV. Allegro - Andante - Adagio
    Duration
    07:50
    Composer
    Leoš Janáček
    Ensemble
    Wihan String Quartet