Music Classical

摘要

Four international artists combine to give superb performances of music familiar and unfamiliar. The Mozart comprises the Oboe Quartet (where Leleux excels), three transcribed Magic Flute arias and the unfinished Adagio for cor anglais and strings where the composer repeats his Ave verum corpus theme. Britten's Phantasy Quartet was completed at 19 but astonishes with its foretastes of the mature works. Dohnanyi's Serenade for string trio is in five varied movements with a 'gypsy' theme in the opening March returning at the end of the final Rondo. Messiaen's 1941 masterpiece, the quartet for piano, clarinet, violin and cello was premiered in the German prison camp where the composer was briefly detained. Already, it presents his two preoccupations: birdsong and the ecstatic in contemplation of Christian faith. These aspects are wonderfully related by the clarinettist in 'Abime des oiseaux' - often starting from virtual inaudibility - and the strings in the two 'Louanges'. An early Theme et variations completes an outstanding release.