Name: Mozart: The Prussian Quartets by Emerson String Quartet
Brand: Emerson String Quartet
SKU: 886443080744
Price: 9.9 USD
Availability: OnlineOnly
Rating: 5 (84 reviews)

ALBUM

The three string quartets on this album, Mozart's swan songs in the genre, have been recorded many times, but this version ranks near the very top of the collection. Start with the recorded sound, for which Sony chose the unheralded LeFrak Hall at Queens College in New York. It's a superb example of chamber music engineering, with the instruments miked in such a way that the listener hears them coming from slightly different directions, just one would in a live concert at which one was seated 10 or 15 feet away. That in turn highlights the remarkable balance and ensemble of the Emerson Quartet, which is displayed beautifully in these quartets. The "Prussian" designation comes from the original commissioner, King Friedrich Wilhelm II of Berlin, who employed a top cellist at court and wanted quartets that would show off his abilities. Mozart complied with a group of works (only three of the requested six were completed) that use an active cello part to achieve the dense contrapuntal textures characteristic of the music of the last few years of Mozart's life. The Emerson Quartet gives a very fine, sensitive account in which the effects of this feature on the overall texture are quite subtly conveyed. The tempos are quick, and the group generally favors emotional intensity over formal balance (hear for example the grinding cello half-steps in the Trio of the Minuet of the String Quartet in F major, K. 590, and the rather magical resolution of this passage to a conventional Classical cadence). But the musicians maintain perfect control. It's a very exciting performance throughout, with an engineering team fully on board with the musicians' aims, and Mozart doesn't get any better than this.

1. String Quartet No. 21 in D Major, K. 575 "Prussian No. 1": I. Allegretto

by Emerson String Quartet

Primary Artist: Emerson String Quartet; Main Performer
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Composer
Performer: Emerson String Quartet; Performer
Engineer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production
Producer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production

2. String Quartet No. 21 in D Major, K. 575 "Prussian No. 1": II. Andante

by Emerson String Quartet

Primary Artist: Emerson String Quartet; Main Performer
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Composer
Performer: Emerson String Quartet; Performer
Engineer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production
Producer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production

3. String Quartet No. 21 in D Major, K. 575 "Prussian No. 1": III. Menuetto. Allegretto

by Emerson String Quartet

Primary Artist: Emerson String Quartet; Main Performer
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Composer
Performer: Emerson String Quartet; Performer
Engineer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production
Producer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production

4. String Quartet No. 21 in D Major, K. 575 "Prussian No. 1": IV. Allegretto

by Emerson String Quartet

Primary Artist: Emerson String Quartet; Main Performer
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Composer
Performer: Emerson String Quartet; Performer
Engineer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production
Producer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production

5. String Quartet No. 22 in B-Flat Major, K. 589 "Prussian No. 2": I. Allegro

by Emerson String Quartet

Primary Artist: Emerson String Quartet; Main Performer
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Composer
Performer: Emerson String Quartet; Performer
Engineer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production
Producer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production

6. String Quartet No. 22 in B-Flat Major, K. 589 "Prussian No. 2": II. Larghetto

by Emerson String Quartet

Primary Artist: Emerson String Quartet; Main Performer
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Composer
Performer: Emerson String Quartet; Performer
Engineer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production
Producer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production

7. String Quartet No. 22 in B-Flat Major, K. 589 "Prussian No. 2": III. Menuetto. Moderato

by Emerson String Quartet

Primary Artist: Emerson String Quartet; Main Performer
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Composer
Performer: Emerson String Quartet; Performer
Engineer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production
Producer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production

8. String Quartet No. 22 in B-Flat Major, K. 589 "Prussian No. 2": IV. Allegro assai

by Emerson String Quartet

Primary Artist: Emerson String Quartet; Main Performer
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Composer
Performer: Emerson String Quartet; Performer
Engineer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production
Producer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production

9. String Quartet No. 23 in F Major, K. 590 "Prussian No. 3": I. Allegro moderato

by Emerson String Quartet

Primary Artist: Emerson String Quartet; Main Performer
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Composer
Performer: Emerson String Quartet; Performer
Engineer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production
Producer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production

10. String Quartet No. 23 in F Major, K. 590 "Prussian No. 3": II. Andante (Allegretto)

by Emerson String Quartet

Primary Artist: Emerson String Quartet; Main Performer
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Composer
Performer: Emerson String Quartet; Performer
Engineer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production
Producer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production

11. String Quartet No. 23 in F Major, K. 590 "Prussian No. 3": III. Minuetto. Allegretto

by Emerson String Quartet

Primary Artist: Emerson String Quartet; Main Performer
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Composer
Performer: Emerson String Quartet; Performer
Engineer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production
Producer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production

12. String Quartet No. 23 in F Major, K. 590 "Prussian No. 3": IV. Allegro

by Emerson String Quartet

Primary Artist: Emerson String Quartet; Main Performer
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Composer
Performer: Emerson String Quartet; Performer
Engineer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production
Producer: Da-hong Seetoo; Production

Technical Specifications

Volume

1 volume only

Tracks

12 tracks available

Type

ALBUM

Format

Digital Media

Duration

1 hour, 14 minutes and 43 seconds

Explicit

None

Coverart

Available and up to 1513x1513 px

Booklet

Not available

Max Quality

CD Quality (Lossless)

16bit / 44.1 kHz

Stereo

Audio Extension

Lossless: FLAC, M4A, WAV, WV, AIFF

Lossy: AAC, MP3, M4A, MP4, OGA, OGG, OPUS, WMA

Archive Format

Available in these formats: ZIP, TAR, RAR

Lyrics

No lyrics found

Synchronized Lyrics

No synced lyrics found

Genres

Quartets, Chamber Music, Classical, Clássica, Música

Label

Sony Classical

Music Distribution Service

Sony

Country

United States

Language

No linguistic content

Popularity

Release Date

Dec 31, 2010

Track Preview

Available

Delivery Charge

Free

Delivery Method

Digital download link via Email or Personal Dashboard on this site

UPC

886443080744

Shopping cart

Notification

Mozart: The Prussian Quartets

1. String Quartet No. 21 in D Major, K. 575 "Prussian No. 1": I. Allegretto

2. String Quartet No. 21 in D Major, K. 575 "Prussian No. 1": II. Andante

3. String Quartet No. 21 in D Major, K. 575 "Prussian No. 1": III. Menuetto. Allegretto

4. String Quartet No. 21 in D Major, K. 575 "Prussian No. 1": IV. Allegretto

5. String Quartet No. 22 in B-Flat Major, K. 589 "Prussian No. 2": I. Allegro

6. String Quartet No. 22 in B-Flat Major, K. 589 "Prussian No. 2": II. Larghetto

7. String Quartet No. 22 in B-Flat Major, K. 589 "Prussian No. 2": III. Menuetto. Moderato

8. String Quartet No. 22 in B-Flat Major, K. 589 "Prussian No. 2": IV. Allegro assai

9. String Quartet No. 23 in F Major, K. 590 "Prussian No. 3": I. Allegro moderato

10. String Quartet No. 23 in F Major, K. 590 "Prussian No. 3": II. Andante (Allegretto)

11. String Quartet No. 23 in F Major, K. 590 "Prussian No. 3": III. Minuetto. Allegretto

12. String Quartet No. 23 in F Major, K. 590 "Prussian No. 3": IV. Allegro

Technical Specifications

Mozart: The Prussian Quartets

Product information

Release options

1. String Quartet No. 21 in D Major, K. 575 "Prussian No. 1": I. Allegretto

2. String Quartet No. 21 in D Major, K. 575 "Prussian No. 1": II. Andante

3. String Quartet No. 21 in D Major, K. 575 "Prussian No. 1": III. Menuetto. Allegretto

4. String Quartet No. 21 in D Major, K. 575 "Prussian No. 1": IV. Allegretto

5. String Quartet No. 22 in B-Flat Major, K. 589 "Prussian No. 2": I. Allegro

6. String Quartet No. 22 in B-Flat Major, K. 589 "Prussian No. 2": II. Larghetto

7. String Quartet No. 22 in B-Flat Major, K. 589 "Prussian No. 2": III. Menuetto. Moderato

8. String Quartet No. 22 in B-Flat Major, K. 589 "Prussian No. 2": IV. Allegro assai

9. String Quartet No. 23 in F Major, K. 590 "Prussian No. 3": I. Allegro moderato

10. String Quartet No. 23 in F Major, K. 590 "Prussian No. 3": II. Andante (Allegretto)

11. String Quartet No. 23 in F Major, K. 590 "Prussian No. 3": III. Minuetto. Allegretto

12. String Quartet No. 23 in F Major, K. 590 "Prussian No. 3": IV. Allegro

Technical Specifications