There has been a certain revival of the music of Charles Villiers Stanford, but it has largely bypassed his chamber music in favor of large orchestral and choral works. That may change after the release of this album by members of the Dante and Endellion Quartets, with pianist Benjamin Frith. The performances are first-rate, with superb ensemble that's impressive given the ad hoc nature of the group. However, the real news is the music, which could be presented by any chamber group, even by students in chamber music ...
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There has been a certain revival of the music of Charles Villiers Stanford, but it has largely bypassed his chamber music in favor of large orchestral and choral works. That may change after the release of this album by members of the Dante and Endellion Quartets, with pianist Benjamin Frith. The performances are first-rate, with superb ensemble that's impressive given the ad hoc nature of the group. However, the real news is the music, which could be presented by any chamber group, even by students in chamber music programs, and be received as a real find. A cursory hearing of the two string quintets, composed during the first years of the 20th century, suggests Brahmsian models, especially in view of the three-movement structure of the String Quintet No. 1 in F minor, Op. 85, matching that of Brahms' first quintet in broad outlines. It's no wonder, considering that the works were connected to a Brahms associate, violinist Joseph Joachim, but at many junctures, Stanford goes his own way. Most...
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