Max Bruch: String Quintets & Octet

The collapse of the monarchy and the loss of the First World War were a shock for the eighty-year-old Max Bruch, which he sought to compensate for by composing non-revolutionary music. The two string quintets and the Octet are among the last completed works of the composer, whose health deteriorated rapidly shortly after the completion of the latter. Despite the circumstances of their composition, the works always resound with hope rather than resignation. The WDR Sinfonieorchester Chamber Players dedicate themselves here to the swan song of the master, who remained true throughout his life to his Romantic tonal language, which was marked by Brahmsian opulence and warmth.