Shostakovich - String Quartets 2&4

Cette perfection de forme n'est pas sans rappeler Haydn en ses Op. 64 et 76 ». Conduit par Candida Thompson, l'Amsterdam Sinfonietta subjugue littéralement par un jeu à la fois subtil et profond. Avec des phrasés amples au legato idéal, la vision est alors bouleversante et laisse l'auditeur entre rêve et envoûtement. Un enregistrement essentiel dans une prise de son en pur DSD remarquable.

Mit ja zwanzig Streichern bringt Dirigentin Candida Thomson diese beiden dunklen Brillanten von 1944 und 1949 führwahr unheimlich zum Funkeln. Shostakowitsch hat mit diesen Werken eine faszinierende Brücke von der Klassik in die Moderne geschlagen.

the disc impressed all ears that heard it and the reference quality surround sound on the hybrid SACD had much to do with it. For Shostakovich fans with SACD-players and surround sound set-up, this is going to be a very attractive release.

de gloed van het orkest is onontkoombaar indringend, de ritmische precisie is van een kamermuzikale exactheid en de contrasten in dynamische inzicht zijn uitnemend. (...) (...) Shostakovitch hoeft zich voor deze bewerking niet in zijn graf om te draaien. Misschien kan hij vanuit zijn kille woonst bij de Allerhoogste pleiten voor een Edison.

the playing here is indeed sterling…The recording is outstanding, with the surround Super Audio providing a very warm and enveloping arena for these strings, and really has no competition on the market. It has, at least for a moment, changed my mind about this process of enlarging the supposedly un-enlargeable. (…)

This is an amazing disc in every respect. The Amsterdam Sinfonietta plays with such incredible unanimity of ensemble, but at the same time with such natural flexibility of pulse, that you miss absolutely none of the intimacy of the quartet originals. Significantly, the transcription of the Fourth quartet does not, as in Barshai's version, add winds and percussion. Both arrangements here were made by bass player Marijn van Prooijen, and perhaps this accounts for his sensitive handling of his own instrument--used only to add depth of sonority in a way that never overburdens the basic texture. The engineering lets you hear every detail with utter naturalness in all formats, multichannel or normal stereo. Indeed, purely on the basis of sonics, this is one of the most perfect recordings of anything that I have ever heard. Even if you don't think you like Shostakovich's quartets, you may find yourself entranced by these flawlessly polished, emotionally gripping interpretations. Miraculous! 10/10 (...)

This disc is an absolute delight from start to finish, and I a triumph on every level. The performances are exceptional and the recording is superb, setting a new reference for this literature. If you are a fan of the music of Shostakovich, this disc is a no-brainer and not to be missed. - 5 Stars*****