Diapason January 2012: Casal Quartett

Diapason Découverte January 2012 (France)

Casal Quartett – Birth Of The String Quartett Vol. 2 – SM 143

“An overwhelming listening experience: easy to kneel.” Wrote Fono Forum 2010 about Vol. 1 of Birth of the String Quartet. In summer the ECHO Klassik followed for the “Best Recording Chamber Music 17./18. Century”.

Never before had a string quartet made four of the valuable instruments of violin maker Jacobus Stainer available from the 1650s. Never before had a string quartet sounded like this.

With Vol. 2 of the series, the casalQuartett puts the French and German roots of the genus in the center. In addition to works by Guillemain and Telemann, one of Mozart’s early Viennese quartets, Haydn’s first of the masterpieces from op. 76, is thrilling. With these performers and these instruments, the 18th century is thrillingly present. “