Johannes Brahms: Piano Quartets Nos. 1 & 3 – The Nash Ensemble

Fourth release on ONYX from “Britain’s premier chamber ensemble” (The Times) and second in their ongoing Brahms series, a generous 74 minute coupling containing the G Minor and C Minor Piano Quartets.

This new recording is produced by the legendary Andrew Keener who will also produce the next title in the series, the String Quintets for ONYX in December and the remaining Piano Quartet coupled with the Clarinet Trio in 2009.

Reviews

BBC Music Magazine February 2009

“It’s difficult to imagine anyone who would not warm now to this deeply Romantic work and its equally ardent predecessor, especially in performances as affectionate and musicianly as these. …these players, long familiar with the works, project complete understanding and warmth of feeling. – 4 out of 5 stars

Gramophone Magazine February 2009

“The Nash take a… traditional approach, emphasising the dark hues of the opening of the First Quartet, pianist Ian Brown making much of the bell-like sonorities of the bass. They are particularly effective in the richly coloured slow movements and bring out the earthiness of Brahms’s textures to good effect.

Sunday Times 23.11.08

“These are terrific, clear-sighted yet impassioned performances of two compelling chamber works, given by a first-rate team of players. In the opening two movements of the G minor piano quartet, composed in 1861, there’s a beautiful control of pace and stress, the flavour slightly restrained, though there is certainly plenty of fire in the unrelenting, brilliant gypsy music of the exuberant finale. The C minor quartet, completed in 1874, speaks of darker matter, and was first thought of when Brahms was guiltily preoccupied with thoughts of Clara Schumann. This is an appositely fiery reading. – 4 out of 5 stars