Janacek: String Quartets Nos.1 & 2; Smetana: String Quartet No.1
Douban
résumé
The acclaimed Jerusalem Quartet's latest release focuses works by two giants of Czech music. Though Smetana, the founder of the Czech national school, and Janacek, his spiritual heir, are best known as operatic composers, they also left strongly autobiographical chamber works. Composed when he was already profoundly deaf, Smetana's String Quartet No.1 looks back over the different stages of his life. Also written late in life, Janacek's second quartet, subtitled Intimate Letters, describes his unfulfilled passion for Kamila Stosslova, his junior by 38 years.
tracks
Bedrich Smetana
String Quartet no.1 in E minor 'From My Life'
1. I. Allegro vivo appassionato 6:52
2. II. Allegro moderato a la Polka 5:29
3. III. Largo sostenuto 8:32
4. IV. Vivace 5:25
Leoš Janácek
String Quartet no.1 'Kreutzer Sonata'
5. I. Adagio. Con moto 4:26
6. II. Con moto 4:48
7. III. Con moto. Vivo. Andante 4:30
8. IV. Con moto (Adagio). Più mosso 5:19
String Quartet no.2 'Intimate Pages'
9. I. Andante. Con moto. Allegro 5:58
10. II. Adagio. Vivace 6:08
11. III. Moderato. Andante. Adagio 5:27
12. IV. Allegro. Andante. Adagio 8:13