(++++) A STRONG SENSE OF FLOW

Beethoven: The Middle String Quartets—Op. 59, Nos. 1-3; Op. 74; Op. 95. Calidore String Quartet (Jeffrey Myers and Ryan Meehan, violins; Jeremy Barry, viola; Estelle Choi, cello). Signum Classics. $37.99 (3 CDs).

     The release-in-reverse Signum Classics cycle of the Beethoven string quartets by the Calidore String Quartet, which started with the late quartets rather than the early ones, approaches the middle quartets – which are the middle release no matter what order a complete set appears in – with the same mixture of meticulous ensemble playing and convincing (if sometimes unusual) tempo choices that pervaded the players’ handling of the late quartets. Theirs are performances with tremendous attention to nuance and detail, not only in the music itself but also in their technique – for instance, the quartet members not only play with carefully matched vibrato but also avoid vibrato altogether from time to time, also as a group, thus changing the character of the music without altering the notes or tempo in any way.

     Beethoven’s tempo markings for his quartets (and other music) continue to provoke discussion and dissension, the consensus being that they are often simply too fast to allow the music the breadth that seems inherent in it. The Calidore players make an effective argument, purely on a musical basis, that this is not necessarily so. The opening Allegro of Op. 59, No. 1, and the concluding Allegro molto of Op. 59, No. 3, to cite two examples, are played at or close to Beethoven’s metronome indications, and the movements not only work but also show just how revolutionary the “Razumovsky” quartets were in their time. In fact, at this pace and with this precision, the quartets have an impact that makes them, despite their familiarity nowadays, sound new again.

     Nor do the Calidore players always proceed at near-breakneck speed; this is scarcely a monochromatic set of interpretations. The third-movement Allegretto of Op. 59, No. 2, for example, is paced quickly but not overly so, and here the performers emphasize the attractive syncopations to very fine effect. And the Andante con moto quasi allegretto second movement of Op. 59, No. 3, although it moves a bit too quickly for a sense of dreaminess, is effective through its finely honed dynamic contrasts and excellently accented ensemble.

     The slower movements are attentively handled throughout, if perhaps not always quite as convincingly as the speedier ones. The Adagio molto e mesto of Op. 59, No. 1, and Molto adagio of Op. 59, No. 2, are suitably tender but not always emotionally deep, although the emotive first-violin climax in No. 1 glows with intensity that is not always evident earlier in the movement. Interestingly, the Adagio ma non troppo second movement of Op. 74 (“Harp”) seems a bit too slow to sustain well, but it does, thanks to highly lyrical playing that does not overstep into too-Romantic excess. In the notoriously difficult-to-fathom Op. 95 (“Serioso”), the outer movements are outstanding, packed with intense drive while still possessing occasional flickers of soon-extinguished cantabile material – this performance fully highlights the emotional as well as technical complexity of the work. The middle movements are not quite as convincing: the peculiarly marked third movement, Allegro assai vivace, ma serioso, is actually a bit on the slow side, rendering its mixture of forms (a kind of march/dance) less apparent. But it is important to note here, as in the Calidore’s recording of the late quartets, that every single nitpick of these versions is a nitpick: there is precious little here that does not work on its own terms, and in fact the players’ sit-up-and-take-notice approach again and again sheds new light on the music and justifies their handling of it even when what they do is a bit outside the performance mainstream. As in their recording of the late quartets, the sheer technical prowess of the Calidore String Quartet is everywhere on display here, their interpretative abilities shine through again and again, and the commitment and excellence of ensemble that pervade this release place it among the very best recordings of this repertoire available today.