Bedrich Smetana: String Quartets

by Zemlinsky Quartet

Overview

The market for recordings of Smetana's String Quartet No. 1 in E minor ("From My Life"), is a crowded one, and the venerable Zemlinsky Quartet may have decided to go counter to type with this 2025 release that pairs the work with the less common String Quartet No. 2 in D minor. Listeners may be surprised by the relatively even-tempered sound of the E minor quartet's passionate opening gesture, and by the relatively deliberate pace that unfolds for the rest of the movement. The movement comes in at between a minute and two minutes longer than most other readings, including those of the big Czech groups with direct connections to the traditions of Smetana's time. To an extent, this shifts some of the weight to the second movement ("à la polka") and the Largo third movement. Smetana was clear enough about the work's autobiographical intent, and for the String Quartet No. 2,he wrote: "The turbulent mind of a man who has lost his hearing is presented here." Yet, as annotator Petr Holman points out, Czechs themselves do not assign a heavily autobiographical flavor to the first quartet, and there is nothing wrong with an alternative interpretation, given that the idea of a "confessional" did not mean the same thing in the 19th century as it does today. The performance is, as usual with this group, confidently executed, and the edgy performance of the String Quartet No. 2 is effective. Another attraction is the encore-like transcription of a dance from Smetana's opera The Bartered Bride, complete with a vocal interjection. Moreover, the studio sound of the EPR-Classic label is well-suited to what the ensemble is trying to do. A new and worthwhile perspective on one of the most famous pieces of Czech chamber music. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	04/04/2025
Label:	EVIL PENGUIN RECORDS
UPC:	0608917725629

Tracks

1. String Quartet No. 1 E Minor "From My Life"~Allegro vivo appassionato
2. String Quartet No. 1 E Minor "From My Life"~Allegro moderato à la Polka
3. String Quartet No. 1 E Minor "From My Life"~Largo sostenuto
4. String Quartet No. 1 E Minor "From My Life"~Vivace
5. String Quartet No. 2 D Minor~Allegro
6. String Quartet No. 2 D Minor~Allegro moderato. Andante cantabile
7. String Quartet No. 2 D Minor~Allegro non più moderato ma agitato e con fuoco
8. String Quartet No. 2 D Minor~Finale. Presto
9. Bartered Bride~Dance of Comedians

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Zemlinsky Quartet   Primary Artist,String Quartet
Hans Vercauteren   Musical Director

Technical Credits

Lor. E Tom   Instrument Design
Caressa Francais   Instrument Design
Bo Aerts   Photography
Helena Gaudeus   Technical Supervisor
Hans Vercauteren   Editing
Jakub Schikaneder   Paintings
Giulia Molinari   Graphic Design
Ilona Sochorova   Photography
Petr Holman   Transcription,Liner Notes
Lucia Ghielmi   Graphic Design
Christian Palm   Photography
Mario Morese   A&R
Georgi Georgiev   Assistant Engineer
Steven Maes   Mastering,Engineer,Mixing
Bedrich Smetana   Composer