Escher String Quartet – Mendelssohn: String Quartets Nos. 1 & 4 (2015) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

Founded in 2005, the Escher String Quartet is still a young ensemble as string quartets go. It has nevertheless become established as one of the most exciting quartets around, both in its home country, the U.S.A., and elsewhere, recently being shortlisted for a BBC Music Magazine Award. With their début disc on BIS, the Eschers launch a three-disc cycle of Mendelssohn’s string quartets…

The Escher Quartet replaced their cellist last month, and it will be interesting to hear whether the new lineup will affect their sound in the rest of their Mendelssohn cycle – this is the first disc in a planned series of three. If it doesn’t, all to the good: as recorded here, the Eschers sound warm, relaxed and responsive to all of Mendelssohn’s expressive nuances. Based in New York, the quartet are former BBC New Generation Artists, and proteges of the Emersons. They lavish full, red-blooded tone on the slow movement of the genial Quartet No 1, and in the restless Quartet No 4 they keep the momentum striving forward, with first violinist Adam Barnett-Hart spinning long, seamless phrases. In the middle comes the unnumbered E flat major quartet, written when Mendelssohn was 14, and if it finds the composer aping his elders, it’s a proficient and at times inspired imitation that they would definitely have found flattering.

Tracklist:
01. Escher String Quartet – Quartet No.1 in E flat major, Op.12, MWV R25 (1829) – I. Adagio non troppo – Allegro non tardante (07:36)
02. Escher String Quartet – Quartet No.1 in E flat major, Op.12, MWV R25 (1829) – II. Canzonetta. Allegretto (03:49)
03. Escher String Quartet – Quartet No.1 in E flat major, Op.12, MWV R25 (1829) – III. Andante espressivo (04:59)
04. Escher String Quartet – Quartet No.1 in E flat major, Op.12, MWV R25 (1829) – IV. Molto allegro e vivace (08:33)
05. Escher String Quartet – Quartet in E flat major, MWV R18 (1823) – I. Allegro moderato (09:37)
06. Escher String Quartet – Quartet in E flat major, MWV R18 (1823) – II. Adagio non troppo (06:09)
07. Escher String Quartet – Quartet in E flat major, MWV R18 (1823) – III. Minuetto. Trio (07:08)
08. Escher String Quartet – Quartet in E flat major, MWV R18 (1823) – IV. Fuga (04:36)
09. Escher String Quartet – Quartet No.4 in E minor, Op.44 No.2, MWV R26 (1837) – I. Allegro assai appassionato (10:08)
10. Escher String Quartet – Quartet No.4 in E minor, Op.44 No.2, MWV R26 (1837) – II. Scherzo. Allegro di molto (03:57)
11. Escher String Quartet – Quartet No.4 in E minor, Op.44 No.2, MWV R26 (1837) – III. Andante (06:15)
12. Escher String Quartet – Quartet No.4 in E minor, Op.44 No.2, MWV R26 (1837) – IV. Presto agitato (07:17)

Personnel:
Adam Barnett-Hart – violin
Aaron Boyd – violin
Pierre Lapointe – viola
Dane Johansen – cello

Download:

https://hexload.com/jihe8xkvmyzh/EscherStringQuartetMendelss0hn.StringQuartetsN0s.142015eClassical2496.part1.rar
https://hexload.com/fj0l2g3endkn/EscherStringQuartetMendelss0hn.StringQuartetsN0s.142015eClassical2496.part2.rar

https://xubster.com/n4n4xkokzj4k/EscherStringQuartetMendelss0hn.StringQuartetsN0s.142015eClassical2496.part1.rar.html
https://xubster.com/rtesq2c2o995/EscherStringQuartetMendelss0hn.StringQuartetsN0s.142015eClassical2496.part2.rar.html