The album title
Schubert's Echo may not immediately conjure members of the Second Viennese School, but the
American String Quartet makes compelling arguments for the inclusion of Berg and Webern alongside Schubert on this NSS Music album celebrating its 35th anniversary. For one, the label chose an unusual Schubert quartet -- the G major Quartet, D. 887 -- a work of comparable length and sophistication as the C major Quintet, whose complexity has put off many ensembles. Schubert's intricate development of both melody and motive, plus his nearly wandering exploration of key areas morphs rather nicely into Berg's Op. 3 String Quartet. While clearly atonal and less than half the length, Berg's quartet shows similar interest in the developmental of melodic ideas. Stripped to its bare bones, the Webern Op. 5 "Five Movements" takes Berg's distillation one step further, offering listeners brief glimpses of musical ideas where Schubert's voice is faint, but still present. Long a champion of modern works, the
American String Quartet's performance of both Berg and Webern is insightful and detailed, helping listeners hear their perceived connections between Schubert and the Second Viennese School. The same focused, bright sound quality that works so well for Berg and Webern is slightly harsh and thin for the Schubert, but the interpretation is appropriately warm and fluid.