One of the best things to happen to English string quartet recordings in the early years of the twenty first century was the signing of the
Maggini Quartet to Naxos. In short order, the group put out superlative recordings of the quartets of
Arnold Bax, Frank Bridge, and
Benjamin Britten, and followed them with this 2006 recording of the two quartets of John Ireland. Student works, Ireland's quartets have the merits and demerits of their origins; that is, both are ardent, even impetuous works and both are clearly modeled on works by previous composers. While the First Quartet in D minor reveals the influence of
Schumann and
Brahms -- listen to the swipe from
Brahms in the opening of the Andante moderato -- and the Second Quartet in C minor reveals the influence of
Beethoven and
Dvorák -- listen to the swipe from
Beethoven in the climax of the Scherzo -- both works sound masterfully composed in the
Maggini's performance. With a clear but full tone and a cogent but lush ensemble, the
Maggini makes the most of the scores, highlighting all that's good and downplaying all that's less good. Listeners who already know the
Maggini's other recordings will want to check this one out, and listeners who come to this disc first and don't already know the earlier discs may want to check them out, too. Naxos' sound is warm, but a bit wan, close but a shade on the gray side.