Arianna String Quartet - Beethoven: The Middle Quartets (2017)

This release sees the respected US-based chamber ensemble the Arianna String Quartet present Beethoven's five "middle period" quartets. Opening with the invigorating and lyrical String Quartet No. 7 in F Major, the Quartet tackle all three of the “Rasumovsky” quartets, written at the behest of the Russian patron of Beethoven and members of the string quartet that premiered these works. These varied and stylistically boundary-pushing pieces are then followed by the String Quartets Nos. 10 and 11, nicknamed the “Harp” and “Serioso” respectively, all of which are performed with fire and the utmost nuance by the world-class Arianna musicians.

TRACKLIST

CD1

01. String Quartet No. 7 in F Major, Op. 59 No. 1: I. Allegro
02. String Quartet No. 7 in F Major, Op. 59 No. 1: II. Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando
03. String Quartet No. 7 in F Major, Op. 59 No. 1: III. Adagio molto e mesto
04. String Quartet No. 7 in F Major, Op. 59 No. 1: IV. Thème russe. Allegro

CD2

01. String Quartet No. 8 in E Minor, Op. 59 No. 2: I. Allegro
02. String Quartet No. 8 in E Minor, Op. 59 No. 2: II. Molto adagio
03. String Quartet No. 8 in E Minor, Op. 59 No. 2: III. Allegretto
04. String Quartet No. 8 in E Minor, Op. 59 No. 2: IV. Finale. Presto
05. String Quartet No. 9 in C Major, Op. 59 No. 3 "Razumovsky": I. Introduzione. Andante con moto-Allegro vivace
06. String Quartet No. 9 in C Major, Op. 59 No. 3 "Razumovsky": II. Andante con moto quasi allegretto
07. String Quartet No. 9 in C Major, Op. 59 No. 3 "Razumovsky": III. Menuetto. Grazioso
08. String Quartet No. 9 in C Major, Op. 59 No. 3 "Razumovsky": IV. Allegro molto

CD3

01. String Quartet No. 10 in E-Flat Major, Op. 74 "Harp": I. Poco adagio-Allegro
02. String Quartet No. 10 in E-Flat Major, Op. 74 "Harp": II. Adagio ma non troppo
03. String Quartet No. 10 in E-Flat Major, Op. 74 "Harp": III. Presto
04. String Quartet No. 10 in E-Flat Major, Op. 74 "Harp": IV. Allegretto con variazioni
05. String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 95 "Quartetto serioso": I. Allegro con brio
06. String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 95 "Quartetto serioso": II. Allegretto ma non troppo
07. String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 95 "Quartetto serioso": III. Allegro assai vivace, ma serioso
08. String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 95 "Quartetto serioso": IV. Larghetto espressivo-Allegretto agitato-Allegro