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The
Strub Quartet (with Emil Seiler)
Recorded Germany, 1940's.
Issued as 5 Electrola 78s, D.B.5541-D.B.5545
(Duration 40'43")
Max
Strub
Hermann
Hubl
Hermann
Hirschfelder
Hans
Münch-Holland
Emil
Seiler (2nd viola)
Play
sample movement:
This
is a fascinating recording for several reasons. From a technical point
of view it once again shows just how good the German recording technology
of the 1940s was - the sound quality from these 78rpm discs is superb.
Secondly
it showcases one of the finest quartets of the time - the Strub Quartet
(joined here by Emil Seiler) recorded extensively during the late 78rpm
era, and a result suffered doubly in the longer term - partly for being
on the 'losing side' after the war ended, and partly because of the advent
of vinyl in the early 1950's. Max Strub continued as a reknowned soloist,
but here we present a rare opportunity to hear one of Germany's finest
chamber ensembles at work.
Finally,
Bruckner's String Quintet, whilst one of his more recorded chamber
works, is still largely unknown - for every recording of this piece you
might find 3 recordings of his 9th Symphony, for example. And yet it's
a very well-written work, and whilst perhaps not quite in the same league
as Brahms' Quintets it covers similar territory in an exemplary fashion.
REVIEW
OF BRUCKNER: Quintet in F Minor
(Strub Quartet, etc.) (194?)
My
review of this recording of the Bruckner Quintet must be taken
with the proverbial grain of salt because I don't hold the
quintet in particularly high esteem in the Bruckner canon.
Knowing that it was written in 1879, after Bruckner had finished
his "final definitive version" of his 4th symphony,
I had expected something that would reflect Bruckner's symphonic
genius the way that Beethoven's Rasumovsky #1 reflected his
or Brahms' F Minor Quintet reflected his. Instead I find a
work that is only fitfully Brucknerian, mostly in the slow
movement and in the scherzo and not the highest quality Bruckner
at that. The world does not agree with me; there are numerous
recordings of the quintet; Neville Marriner has played a string
orchestra version and an insatiable Brucknerian musicologist
has even arranged the quintet as a violin concerto.
With
regard to the Strub group, we must contend with the fact that
they have made a rather odd decision concerning the order
of the second and third movements. In Bruckner's original
version (1879), the Adagio came second and the Scherzo came
third. In the revised and final 1884 version, Bruckner reversed
the order of the movements and the Scherzo came second and
the Adagio third. This seems more artistically satisfying,
yet the Strub play it Adagio second and Scherzo third. To
my knowledge, no other recording has it this way.
All
of the above out of the way, it seems to me that the Strub
give a very good performance: rather nervy and intellectual
with not much blend or sensuousness. There is great clarity,
particularly in the contrapuntal developments of the first
and last movements. The adagio is more andante, not as serene
as I'd like, but concentrated and moving nonetheless. The
scherzo is fast and tight with a daringly relaxed landlerish
trio.
The
reproduction is clear, not very sweet, but entirely appropriate
to the performance.
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