The Golden Age of String Quartets

wsq_cover-575

Catalogue no.: PIP 0112

‘Period performances that blend life, spirit and soul with a perfectly-judged sensitivity for contemporary style and practice.’   The WholeNote, May 2012

The debut release by Toronto’s Windermere String Quartet, this intimate CD features music by three of the genre’s best-loved classical luminaries, performed with wit and attentive affection on period instruments.

  • W.A. Mozart: ‘Dissonance’ Quartet in C, K465
  • J. Haydn: Quartet in E-flat, op. 33 no. 2, ‘The Joke’
  • L. v. Beethoven: Quartet in C minor, op. 18 no. 4

The Windermere String Quartet: Rona Goldensher, violin I; Elizabeth Loewen Andrews, violin II; Anthony Rapoport, viola; Laura Jones, cello.

Finale from Haydn’s Quartet in E-flat, op. 33 no. 2

Price: $14 plus shipping and handling = within Canada: $17.80; to USA: $18.75; everywhere else: $21.00. HST added at checkout. Discounts available if you want more than one!

Available for digital download from Amazon and other e-vendors! Here’s an Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Age-String-Quartets/dp/B007KB2C26/ref=sr_1_1?s=dmusic&ie=UTF8&qid=1403752314&sr=1-1&keywords=windermere+string+quartet

Reviews:

‘The generous album features three core pieces from the Classical canon: Mozart’s “Dissonance” Quartet, K 465, Joseph Haydn’s “Joke” Quartet, Hob. III:38, and Beethoven’s Op. 18 No. 4 Quartet in C minor. These are sparkling, straightforward interpretations that nicely show off the more delicate, rhythmically lively sound one can get from period instruments. The disc would make a fine addition to any chamber music-loving listener’s library.’   Musical Toronto, April 2012

‘The characterization of Classical string quartets as belonging to a ‘Golden Age’ may be partisan, but as music intended for middle-class amateurs, these works do represent the pinnacle of the genre. Toronto-based Windermere Quartet presents works from the Viennese masters in a balanced concert program. The continuity between Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven connects the quartets, but the selections are chosen with a narrative arc that distinguishes all three works…The Windermere String Quartet acquit themselves well on period instruments, reflecting a time when the genre was intended for the salon. I look forward to future programs and releases.’ Early Music America, Winter 2012

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *