The Gewandhaus-Quartett has the distinction of being able to say it is the oldest continuously performing string quartet in the world. Its official founding took place in 1808 and, as has been its tradition, was made up of the leaders of the Gewandhaus Orchestra, but the principal string players of the orchestra united to premier new string quartets far before the quartet became its own entity. In this respect, it is extremely appropriate that this CD should include both Mendelssohn's Op. 44/1 String Quartet in D major and Schumann's Op. 41/1, String Quartet in A minor, which were both given their premiere in the Gewandhaus. Listeners familiar with the tradition of precision technique and insightful musical interpretations of the Gewandhaus Orchestra will at once recognize these traits in the quartet. The one drawback to this particular recording is the NCA's sound quality, which is somewhat distant and extremely bright. This is less problematic in the Schumann quartet, as the cello's role is focused much more on the lower range of the instrument, making up for the brighter sound of the remaining instruments. Mendelssohn, however, brings the cello onto its A and D strings much more frequently and the resulting overall sound of the ensemble is disturbingly bright and treble heavy. Still, this passionate, energetic, and rhythmically vital interpretation of the Schumann quartet alone makes this album worth checking out.
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