[SACD-R][OF] Prazak Quartet - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: ‘Haydn’ String Quartets (I) - K 421,K 458,K 465 - 2007 (Classical; Chamber; Strings)

3 of the 6 ‘Haydn’ Quartets in which, like instrumental mini-operas, Mozart achieves perfection in the individualisation of voices & ‘work on lyric continuity’. Here the most vehement emotion coexists with the rigueur an evolving form in the K. 421. With ‘The Hunt’, he pretends to come back to the galant style so as to better ridicule it with a thoroughly ‘Haydnian’ humour & mastery of speech. Only the K. 465 begins with a slow introduction—whose famous ‘dissonances’ put off the subscribers of the era—that contrasts with the luminous style of the rest of the work. A novelty: the symphonic ‘amplification’ of the closing movements that sweep away the traditional rondos & all-too-human miasmas with an irresistible need for triumph with an almost-insolent ‘Donjuanism’.
SA-CD.net review:
Adrian Quanjer’s recent review of Mozart string quartets by the Hagen Qt (a disc I have not heard) reminded me of this release from early 2008 of the Prazak Quartet playing Mozart’s quartets 15, 17 & 19. I further noted that it does not have an official review on this site so here goes.
I am partial to the way that Eastern European string quartets play the central string quartet repertoire. Quartets like the Talich, Parkanyi, Tackacs, Zemlinsky, Kodaly & the present group are fully representative of this style of playing. Generally speaking, that style could be described as lyrical & warm-hearted though without the ensemble precision that some other groups (e.g. The Emerson’s) might possess. This style serves these Mozart quartets well. On this SACD, we get a big helping of Mozart’s mature quartet output totaling 80:24.
The Prazak Quartet started playing together in 1972 & retain 2 of their original members: Vlastimil Holek, 2nd violin & Josef Kluson, viola. Cellist Michal Kanka joined in 1986 & current 1st violinist Jana Vonaskova joined in 2015. There is plenty of energy in the Prazak’s playing, they certainly can’t be accused of dawdling, but their performances do not seem rushed to me. Quartet 17, known as “The Hunt”, benefits most from this urgent approach which is dominated by the excellent 1st violin playing of Vaclav Remes who leads the phrasing of the group. The revolutionary Quartet 19 perhaps lacks a bit of mystery in its opening measures but the performance hangs together well as a whole. Surprisingly, there appears to be only 1 other SACD recording of the 19th quartet – it is from the Zemlinsky Quartet on this same label (String Quartet Masterworks of the 1st Viennese School) & it couples the Mozart with quartets by Haydn & Beethoven. That disc that has not been reviewed here either. Quartet 15 falls into this same mold – joyful, warm-hearted playing that is hard to fault & easy to like. These performances are like a comfortable, old pair of shoes. They may not be the most stylish but they fit perfectly.
The recording (DSD master according to the booklet) is typical of Praga’s chamber music SACD’s. It suffers from the “close up/far away” disease – the sound of the ensemble is immediate & vibrant (even to capturing some breathing from the players) yet the overall sound is bathed in “hall” ambience. I put hall in quotes because this was recorded in the Domovina studio in Prague (as are so many of their chamber music discs) but it sounds like it is in an empty 2000 seat auditorium. There is a disconnect in the playback perspective because on the 1 hand, we hear the ensemble as if we are 10 feet away yet the ambience creates a 60 feet away perspective. I rather doubt that the Domovina studio naturally has such refulgent ambience which makes me suspect that the engineers are supplying artificial reverb to the sound. I’ve complained in the past about this effect on some of the Haydn quartet recordings & while it is not as drastic as the worst I’ve heard from this source it is enough to create some cognitive dissonance while listening. It puts a damper on an otherwise good SACD.
I remember when this came out wondering when the remaining 3 quartets in this set would be released as I would certainly be in the market for it. It’s been 7 years now (& 2 changes of 1st violinist) & I’m beginning to think it may never see the light of day. Such is the state of the modern classical recording industry.
~ 2015 Mark Novak & HRAudio.net