Arditti String Quartet, Elliott Carter - Elliott Carter: String Quartets Nos.1-4 / Elegy
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Music Reviews of Elliott Carter: String Quartets Nos.1-4 / Elegy
Music Review: Carter's quartets, the finest of the late 20th century!
Rating: 5 Stars
The Arditti Quartet was the first to record Elliott Carter's first four string quartets -- this is the reissue of those recordings, originally on two separate discs, released in 1989. No remastering has been done, only the packaging is improved, with an elegant slimline disc, new cover art, and some new photos. The original liner notes on the quartets by David Harvey are retained, but there is a brief update on the Arditti Quartet. With the Sony disc of the Juilliard Quartet's 1991 recordings out of print, this reissue comes just in time. If you want to hear the finest cycle of string quartets of the late 20th century, don't miss it.
The Arditti Quartet's Carter is more fiery and energetic than the Juilliard Quartet's (see my review). By comparison, the Ardittis sound a bit crazed and frenetic. Comparing in the other direction, the Juilliards sound a bit stolid and pompous. To put it in more positive terms, the JQ version is weightier, more serious. The Sony disc has better sound quality, and much more extensive liner notes. But this recording is a must both for devotees of Elliott Carter, and for devotees of the Arditti Quartet.
Look too for the Arditti Quartet's recording of Carter's Quartet No. 5 on Montaigne (see my review) -- it's the only one.
Music Review: 1+3:excellent 2+4:cerebral
Rating: 4 Stars
Quartets 1 and 3 are the more immediately exciting.The latter might be fiendishly difficult to negotiate with the quartet divided into a pair of contrasting duos (never playing the same material) but the results are not in the least bit dry.I love the pizzicato writing which gets going after the rampaging opening.Intonation is frequently askew but the perfrormance has plenty of attack.
No.1 nearly breaks out into Shostakovich territory 3minutes into the last movement.This is the most visionary of the quartets.