The vast Spohr chamber
music series from Marco Polo is up to
volume eleven. It takes in Quartets
Nos. 32 and 34, which brings us up to
his Op.152. The earlier work was written
at the time of the 1848 Revolution,
the latter quartet following five years
later. As one would expect of this consummate
master of the German Romantic tradition
– himself a virtuoso violinist and primus
inter pares of unexcelled brilliance
– these works are written with a complete
understanding of the medium and of tonal
and expressive effect. They seldom reach
the heights but the impression throughout
is of consistent excellence and control.
Yes, that sounds rather
like damning with faint praise. The
first movement of No.32 is certainly
genial and relaxed and its slow movement
is long-lined, leisurely and has a reserved
stateliness as well. This is reinforced
by the Moscow Philharmonic "Concertino"
String Quartet who don’t make a big,
opulent sound. Their resources are rather
silvery and reserved as well which tends
to adduce rather greater placidity to
the music than perhaps it possesses.
There were moments when the first violin’s
intonation wandered and in the third
movement I wonder if the viola is playing
up enough or whether the recording level
is against him. The notes speak of deep
melancholy in the Scherzo but I’m damned
if I can find any; sounds like a rather
jaunty affair to me, if somewhat repetitious.
The finale has a strong first violin
line, as one would expect of Spohr who
could sometimes be held guilty of concertante
writing for the first fiddle in his
chamber works. But there’s still plenty
of elastic and elegant writing, and
a tell tale Mendelssohn Violin Concerto
trill before the plump pomposo ending.
The later work starts
with an adagio section before moving
forward to an insistent allegro – strong
on dance patterns and a greater sense
of agitation. The slow movement is here
rather faceless whilst the Minuet is
brisk and well sprung with a gracious
trio section. Spohr once again reserves
his weight of concertante fireworks
for the first violin in the finale,
which one does feel could have been
more boldly taken.
This is rather more
for the Spohr completist than for the
generalist, even the generalist wanting
to explore Spohr’s chamber music further.
He was an uneven composer, as those
who know his quintets will appreciate,
and I don’t think he’s at his most convincing
here in performances that don’t do quite
enough to assist
Jonathan Woolf
Moscow Philharmonic "Concertino"
String Quartet 
