home

catalogs of used, out of print, classical, jazz compact discs and lp vinyl records

our own line of classical historical re-issue and contemporary classical compact discs

selling us collections of used, out-of-print, deleted : how & what we buy

wantlist? file requests for used, deleted, out-of-print, classical, jazz, compact discs, lp, vinyl, records

classical music video

about parnassus records

classical, jazz, compact discs, lp, vinyl, record, links

how to get in touch with parnassus records

EMAIL US
EMAIL US

Parnassus Classical Compact Discs and Records

Click HERE to go back to the Colorado Quartet page.

back to our own line of re-issue and contemporary classical cdsColorado String Quartet: SCHUBERT String Quartet No. 14, "Death and the Maiden" ;MENDELSSOHN String Quartet No. 6, op. 80.

PACD 96007 Colorado String Quartet: Barhms, String Quartets, op. 51

Fanfare Review
SCHUBERT String Quartet No. 14, "Death and the Maiden" MENDELSSOHN String Quartet No. 6, op. 80. Colorado Qrt. PARNASSUS PACD 96024 (66:29)

These are bold, expressive performances, superbly recorded. My current Schwann Opus lists 35 recordings of Schubert's "Death and the Maiden" Quartet (not counting multiple releases of the same performance, or the many versions played by string orchestras) and only six of Mendelssohn's Sixth (and last) Quartet. This is the first release to join the two on a single disc. Better late than never, for this is a logical coupling. Mendelssohn's work is from the final months of his life between his collapse on hearing of the sudden death of his beloved sister Fanny Mendelssohn Henselt, and his own death. The agitated minor-key writing suggests a man preoccupied with thoughts of death, as is most certainly the case with the more theatrical D-Minor Quartet of Schubert, with its long set of variations on his popular song, Death and the Maiden. But along with this emotional coincidence is the evidence that in both string quartets, as is so often the case in the history of art, the anguish of the creative genius leads to work of superb craftsmanship as well as self-revelation. If one knew nothing of the personal circumstances of the composers, and, in the case of Schubert, had no idea whatever concerning the title or text of Matthias Claudius's poem, the works would nevertheless claim attention and, indeed, awestruck admiration.

Happily, the Colorado Quartet--Julie Rosenfeld and Deborah Redding, violins; Francesca Martin Silos, viola; and Diane Chaplin, cello--capture both the formal perfection and poetic expression of these works. They are equally at home with Mendelssohn's ingenious counterpoint and Schubert's unprecedented symphonic sonorities. Judith Sherman supervised the recording of these performances in the Recital Hall of the State University of New York at Purchase, the venue for many fine recordings of chamber music. Fanfare's Leslie Gerber is the impresario of Parnassus Records and the author of the musical commentary. With the full disclosure of the fact that it will earn me absolutely nothing, I urge all readers to buy one or more (think of your friends!) copies of this extraordinary disc.

Robert McColley Fanfare July / August 2000

More Reviews:
American Record Guide review
The Previous Release
Colorado Qt. - New Release

Parnassus CDs are distributed exclusively in the USA by Qualiton. In the UK by Regis Records Records , in Italy by Fenice, in Germany by Geberhardt Musikvertrieb and in Japan by Tobu Land Trading. If you cannot find them at your favourite record store, please ask for them and please take a moment to tell us

Home | Catalogs | We Buy! | Our Own CDs | Wantlist? | Videos | About | Links | Contact

This page should be viewable in any browser.   Any Browser Campaign   Created on Hippie 98 by Mark Zip.