The string quartets of Charles
Gounod are pretty un-famous. I discovered three of them in my
dusty archives, played by the Danel Quartet; I have no idea where the
CD came from. This is attractive, easy-listening music, with no Sturm
und Drang. Some of the movements are extremely charming – the
allegretto of the A major quartet, for example.
Also from my archives, my mind jogged
by a friend's reference to Artur Schnabel, I exhumed my
collection of Schnabel recordings, including an 8-CD box of Bach,
Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, Schnabel's principal composers. I
re-discovered one of my favourite pianists; much like Clara Haskil,
or Maria Pires, Schnabel puts the music first and eschews any showing
off. His Bach playing is sheer delight, with good tempi and excellent
part playing. Some in the past cast doubts on his virtuosity, but
listening to Schnabel, recorded mainly in the 1930s, there are no
signs of weakness. And that wonderful sense of subtle rubato! When all the flashier players have come and gone,
Schnabel goes on for ever. There was more musicality in Schnabel than
in ten Vladimir Horowitzs.
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