Related Links

Recommended Links

Give the Composers Timeline Poster



Site News

What's New for
Winter 2018/2019?

Site Search

Follow us on
Facebook    Twitter

Affiliates

In association with
Amazon
Amazon UKAmazon GermanyAmazon CanadaAmazon FranceAmazon Japan

ArkivMusic
CD Universe

JPC

ArkivMusic

Sheet Music Plus Featured Sale

CD Review

Anton Rubinstein

String Quartets Op. 17

  • String Quartet in G minor, Op. 17 #1
  • String Quartet in C minor, Op. 17 #2
The Royal String Quartet Copenhagen
Etcetera KTC1131 DDD 57:23
Find it at AmazonFind it at Amazon GermanyFind it at Amazon CanadaFind it at Amazon FranceFind it at Amazon Japan

Without delving into the quartets movement by movement, I can say that I agree with annotator Mogens Andreasen's assessment that Anton Rubinstein (1829-1894) owes a lot to Mendelssohn. In fact, the featured melody in the Molto lento section of the second quartet is practically lifted from the Mendelssohn violin concerto. Aside from that coincidental "derivation," Rubinstein has a tolerable melodic gift, and the ability to develop those themes to the utmost with consistently interesting part writing. He's a talent away from being a master composer, which is a polite way of saying that he's second-rate.

I enjoyed this disc though. The Copenhagen group is captured close-up and with extra resonance, a perspective that becomes a bit uncomfortable when their intonation is anything but perfect (not often). For post-romantic junkies, quartet enthusiasts, and piano historians.

Copyright © 1998, Robert J. Sullivan

Trumpet