This judicious coupling
of the Quintets can be recommended as
elegant examples of the Vlach Quartet’s
playing, joined as they are by one of
the Czech lands’ most able pianists
– and one who has shown his ensemble
credentials repeatedly as a member of
the esteemed Guarneri Trio, Prague.
It’s the later work that will demand
most investigation and here they can
be contrasted with a recent Arco Diva
recording of it made by the Wihan Quartet,
which I’ve
also reviewed. The Vlach, the older
quartet, take a more measured, rather
more Brahmsian view of Op. 81 and in
this respect, certainly in terms of
tensile drive and quicksilver emotive
states, the Vlach follow more in the
musical footsteps of the august Smetana
Quartet than do the Wihan. The Wihan’s
impetuous drive reminds one much more
(at least in the demanding opening movement
and the Dumka second) of the pride of
Brno, the Janáček
Quartet.
It’s also noticeable
that the transitional passages are more
peaceable in the Vlach and Klánský’s
hands – particularly in the first two
movements. Though they adhere to a Smetana
Quartet tempo the rhythms are pointed
sharply enough and the musical argument
is kept moving forward enough for it
not to seem at all slow – though they
are in fact a good minute and a half
slower than the Wihan in this movement
alone. The individual voices are always
of interest in a Czech quartet – whose
standards of quartet playing have been
deservedly renowned since before even
the days of the Bohemian Quartet. Michael
Ericsson has a rather nasal cello tone
but Petr Verna’s viola blends well with
him and their solos are engaging. The
Dumka certainly isn’t as youthful or
invigorating as the Wihan and Kasík;
instead the older group finds a less
frenetic easefulness that is part of
their own view of the work. Their finale
is fractionally more relaxed in intensity
once more than the Wihan though their
tempo is actually slightly faster. This
also tells one about their rhythmic
control and accenting which is full
of chiming piano (excellent Klánský)
and rustic pizzicati.
The much earlier work,
revised and dusted down in the same
year as Op. 81, has more solid virtues
as a creation. It’s in only three movements
and adheres to the portentous –lyrical
school of central European composition.
But the Vlach-Klánský
team keep rhythms tight and generate
good natural momentum. The highlight
of their performance is the Andante
sostenuto which emerges as an unsettled,
constantly mobile movement – attractively
but not over-indulgently expressive.
The occasionally somewhat prolix finale
goes well though even these fine musicians
can’t quite convince one as to its thematic
distinction.
One or two bumpy edits,
especially in Op. 81, might disturb
those listening closely but others will
admire the confident control of the
Vlach and their probing musicianship
which enshrines as authentic a view
of the work as the more mercurial and
driving Wihan/Kasík pairing.
Jonathan Woolf
Ivan Klánský (piano) 
