Robert Schumann: String Quartet No. 1, Piano Quintet (Remastered) Prazak Quartet & Evgeni Koroliov

• Robert Schumann (1810 - 1856): String Quartet in A Minor No. 1, Op. 41:
• 1 Schumann: String Quartet in A Minor No. 1, Op. 41: I. Introduzione. Andante espressivo - Allegro 09:24
• 2 Schumann: String Quartet in A Minor No. 1, Op. 41: II. Scherzo. Presto - Intermezzo 03:50
• 3 Schumann: String Quartet in A Minor No. 1, Op. 41: III. Adagio 04:57
• 4 Schumann: String Quartet in A Minor No. 1, Op. 41: IV. Presto 06:31
• Piano Quintet in E Flat Major, Op. 44:
• 5 Schumann: Piano Quintet in E Flat Major, Op. 44: I. Allegro brillante 09:46
• 6 Schumann: Piano Quintet in E Flat Major, Op. 44: II. In modo d'una marcia (un poco largamente) 08:59
• 7 Schumann: Piano Quintet in E Flat Major, Op. 44: III. Scherzo. Molto vivace 05:00
• 8 Schumann: Piano Quintet in E Flat Major, Op. 44: IV. Allegro, ma non troppo 07:22
• Total Runtime 55:49

Info for Robert Schumann: String Quartet No. 1, Piano Quintet (Remastered)

In commemoration of Robert Schumann’s bicentennial, the PRAŽÁK Quartet is joined by the Russian pianist Yevgeny Koroliov, an artist as discreet as he is a connoisseur of the piano repertoire of the composer of the Kinderszenen and Bach’s great keyboard cycles, to reproduce the concert given the morning of 8 January 1843 at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig by Clara Schumann and Ferdinand David’s quartet. On that date were played, for the first time in public, the Quartet in A minor, Mendelssohn’s favorite, and the Piano Quintet, a charter of musical Romanticism whose aesthetic was going to mark a milestone and inspire Liszt as much as Brahms, Dvořák, Tchaikovsky, Franck…

"The pairing here of Schumann's String Quartet No. 1 and his Piano Quintet may not make much sense at first. Why not all three of the Op. 41 quartets or the Piano Quintet and the Piano Quartet? It happens that the two works were publicly premiered together on January 8, 1843, and it's that program that the Prazák Quartet wanted to replicate. Many musicologists have noted that Schumann's writing in the Op. 41 quartets is pianistic at times, in this case, particularly in the Adagio movement, making for another reason to put these two works together. The Prazák apply its usual energy and tight ensemble work to the quartet. Even the opening movement and the Adagio have the Prazák's characteristic sound of the four musicians playing deeply into the strings, but it doesn't detract from the music's more lyrical aspects, those that represent Schumann's Eusebius persona. It adds an intensity of feeling and highlights the contrast between the flowing introductory theme and other material in the first movement. It is also extremely effective in evoking the spirit of Mendelssohn in the Scherzo and Finale. Evgeni Koroliov joins the Prazák for the Piano Quintet, also a well-balanced and energetic performance. When necessary, they are able to recognize not only the piano as separate from the strings, but also the moments when one of the string instruments gets a chance to shine, no matter how brief. Only a pianist would complain that their performance of the second movement makes the piano a supporting player, but the Prazák's and Koroliov's reading is a sound and valid one. Again, it's the Scherzo and Finale that grab your attention and take you along for the ride. They have succeeded in re-creating a historic moment in chamber music." (Patsy Morita, AMG)

Evgeni Koroliov, piano
Prazak Quartet

Digitally remastered

The Pražák Quartet
one of today’s leading international chamber music ensembles - was established in 1972 while its members were students at the Prague Conservatory, and won major chamber music prizes early on, including first prize at the prestigious Evian String Quartet Competition, along with a special recording prize from Radio France. Since then, the quartet has gained attention for its place in the unique Czech quartet tradition, and for its musical virtuosity.

For more than 30 years, the Prazak Quartet has been at home on music stages worldwide. They are regular guests in the major European musical capitals such as Prague, Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Milan, Madrid, London, Berlin, and Munich, and have been invited to participate at numerous international festivals, where they have collaborated with such artists as Menahem Pressler, Jon Nakamatsu, Cynthia Phelps, Roberto Diaz, Josef Suk, and Sharon Kam.

The quartet has toured widely in North America, having performed in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Washington, Philadelphia, Toronto, Montreal and many others. The quartet returns to the US and Canada every other year.

The Prazak Quartet has recorded extensively for Praga/Harmonia Mundi which, to date, has released 50 award-winning CDs. In addition to numerous radio recordings in France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the Czech Republic, the Prazak Quartet has also made recordings for Supraphon, Panton, Orfeo, Ottavo, Bonton, and Nuova Era.

As of 2020, violinist Marie Fuxová and cellist Jonáš Krejčí joined the quartet. The new members bring their extensive string quartet and chamber music experience, having played with the Pavel Haas, Škampa, Petersen and Schulhoff quartets as well as in many chamber orchestras and ensembles. They bring their experience and energy into the group while remaining faithful to the Czech quartet tradition, character and quality which are the longtime hallmarks of the Pražák Quartet. A new CD with the last string quartets of Josef Haydn will be released on the Aparté/Praga label in August 2021.

Booklet for Robert Schumann: String Quartet No. 1, Piano Quintet (Remastered)