A monument of chamber music. The string quartet was of central importance to Bartók throughout his career. His six quartets were written (between 1907 and 1939) at crucial turning points in the composer’s creative development. From the elegiac tone of Quartet no.1 (reflecting an unhappy love affair) to the sadness and wry parody of no.6, composed on the eve of World War II, by way of the mirror forms and atmospheric ‘night music’ of nos.4 and 5, they represent perhaps the biggest interpretative challenge in the genre alongside the Beethoven quartets. A challenge triumphantly met here by the Heath Quartet.
BÉLA BARTÓK [1881-1945]
String Quartet No. 1, Sz.40
· I. Lento (9'06)
· II. Allegretto. Introduzione (10'07)
· III. Allegro vivace (10'20)
String Quartet No. 3, Sz.85
· I. Prima parte: Moderato (4'45)
· II. Seconda parte: Allegro (5'34)
· III. Recapitulazione della prima parte: Moderato (2'55)
· IV. Coda: Allegro molto (2'20)
String Quartet No. 5, Sz.102
· I. Allegro (7'58)
· II. Adagio molto (5'52)
· III. Scherzo: Alla bulgarese (5'29)
· IV. Andante (4'44)
· V. Finale: Allegro vivace (7'33)
String Quartet No. 2, Sz.67
· I. Moderato (9'51)
· II. Allegro molto capriccioso (8'03)
· III. Lento (9'08)
String Quartet No. 4, Sz.91
· I. Allegro (6'15)
· II. Prestissimo, con sordino (3'12)
· III. Non troppo lento (5'53)
· IV. Allegretto pizzicato (3'01)
· V. Allegro molto (5'51)
String Quartet No. 6, Sz.114
· I. Mesto. Più mosso, pesante - Vivace (7'40)
· II. Mesto. Marcia (7'40)
· III. Mesto. Burletta: Moderato (7'16)
· IV. Mesto (6'48)
