SCHUBERT: Quartets No. 13 & 14 “Death and the Maiden” – Takács Quartet Hyperion

String Quartet No 14 in D minor ‘Death and the Maiden’ D810[35’58]1
Allegro[10’51]2
Andante con moto[12’23]3
Scherzo: Allegro molto[3’40]4
Presto[9’04]String Quartet No 13 in A minor ‘Rosamunde’ D804[33’09]5
Allegro ma non troppo[12’43]6
Andante[6’42]7
Menuetto: Allegretto[6’56]8
Allegro moderato[6’48]

Hyperion’s Record of the Month for October marks the debut on the label by the Takács Quartet. After seventeen years recording for Decca, including multi-awarding-winning cycles of quartets by Beethoven and Bartók, this thrilling ensemble is now embarking on a new relationship with Hyperion; future projects will include works by Brahms, Janácek and Schumann.

Schubert’s famous String Quartet, D810, subtitled ‘Death and the Maiden’, is one of the pillars of the repertoire. This new performance is electrifying, and was recorded following a global concert series, enthusiastically welcomed in the press: ‘The Takács’ reading of the second movement was characterized by unremitting pain and mystery. While three of the musicians intoned the insistent theme of Death in pursuit of the Maiden, Edward Dusinberre’s violin expressed poignantly the Maiden’s tender fragility and rising panic. The final movement, in the form of a somewhat crazed tarantella, was taken at breakneck speed, as if the four musicians were driving wild horses—though they never lost control of the reins. Risk-taking, a Takács trademark, certainly didn’t fail here.’

We have every confidence that this recording, and the Hyperion/Takács collaboration in general, will prove to be one of the brightest jewels in the Hyperion catalogue.