Franz Schubert: String Quartet No. 15, String Trios D. 471 & D. 581 (Remastered) Prazak Quartet & Beethoven String Trio

• Franz Schubert (1797 - 1828): String Quartet No. 15 in G Major, D. 887, Op. 161:
• 1 Schubert: String Quartet No. 15 in G Major, D. 887, Op. 161: I. Allegro molto moderato 19:46
• 2 Schubert: String Quartet No. 15 in G Major, D. 887, Op. 161: II. Andante un poco moto 11:50
• 3 Schubert: String Quartet No. 15 in G Major, D. 887, Op. 161: III. Scherzo. Allegro vivace - Trio. Allegretto 06:46
• 4 Schubert: String Quartet No. 15 in G Major, D. 887, Op. 161: IV. Allegro assai 11:05
• String Trio in B-Flat Major, D. 581:
• 5 Schubert: String Trio in B-Flat Major, D. 581: I. Allegro moderato 05:01
• 6 Schubert: String Trio in B-Flat Major, D. 581: II. Andante (Fragment) 04:45
• 7 Schubert: String Trio in B-Flat Major, D. 581: III. Menuetto. Allegretto 03:40
• 8 Schubert: String Trio in B-Flat Major, D. 581: IV. Rondo. Allegretto 05:19
• String Trio in B-Flat Major, D. 471 (Allegro):
• 9 Schubert: String Trio in B-Flat Major, D. 471 (Allegro) 07:47
• Total Runtime 01:15:59

Info for Franz Schubert: String Quartet No. 15, String Trios D. 471 & D. 581 (Remastered)

A novel juxtaposition of Schubert's last quartet, his most enigmatic and most original, with his two string trios, endeavours without successors but prefiguring the harmonic modernism of the late masterpieces. The Pražák Quartet, as in the two sister-works, 'Rosamunde' and 'Death in the Maiden' (PRD 250 091), renders the dramatic character of this trilogy that announces, without any spiritual break, both the dramatic unity and the Expressionism of the major scores of the Second Vienna School, that of Zemlinsky, Berg and Schönberg.

"The fillers are Schubert’s String Trios, both in B-flat major. The first, D. 471, is an attractive early Allegro movement from 1816; the second, D. 581, is a beguiling 18-minute, four-movement work that features a Lied-like Andante sung by the violin. The Trios are played to perfection by the Beethoven String Trio, two of whose members, violist Josef Kluson and cellist Michal Kanka, are Prazàk mainstays. Praga’s engineering captures both groups in fresh, vibrant sonics." (Dan Davis, Classics Today)

Prazak Quartet
Beethoven String Trio

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 Franz Schubert: String Quartet No. 15, String Trios D. 471 & D. 581 (Remastered)