The Borodin Quartet
http://borodinquartet.com was founded
in 1945, ten years before it adopted the name Borodin Quartet. Its
longest-serving member, Valentin Berlinsky, was there almost at the beginning,
though he modestly declines the title of having been the original cellist, his
one predecessor was a certain Mstislav Rostropovich.
The first settled formation comprised Rostislav Dubinsky and
Vladimir Rabeij (violins), Rudolf Barshai (viola) and Valentin Berlinsky
(cello), performing under the name Quartet of the Moscow Philharmonic. During
the first decade there were several changes of personnel. Nina Barshai (wife of
Rudolf) replaced Rabeij after two years, then made way for Jaroslav Alexandrov
in 1952. In 1953 Rudolf Barshai left to pursue his career as a soloist and
conductor, and his place was taken by Dmitri Shebalin. The formation of
Dubinsky, Alexandrov, Shebalin and Berlinsky lasted for two decades.
Despite the restrictions placed on Soviet artists in the
Cold War years, the quartet appeared outside the Soviet Union and even toured
the USA. In the mid1970s, at a time when recordings were spreading the
ensemble’s reputation still wider, a new formation was needed when Alexandrov
left and Dubinsky emigrated to the West. Berlinsky, whose soul may be said to
be invested in the Borodin Quartet, recruited two new violinists, Mikhail
Kopelman (1st violin) and Andrei Abramenkov (2nd). The following two decades
saw the quartet accepted internationally as one of the world’s most renowned
ensembles, revered for its authority in Russian music and Shostakovich in
particular. New recordings were
critically acclaimed on all continents, and the already taxing touring schedule
intensified when the Soviet system ended in 1989 and the whole world clamoured
to hear the Borodin Quartet in live performance.
In the 1990s the quartet again underwent membership changes.
Viola-player Dmitri Shebalin retired to be replaced by Igor Naidin, while Ruben
Aharonian became the new 1st violin when Mikhail Kopelman left. In 2007
Valentin Berlinsky handed over the role of cellist to Vladimir Balshin. In 2001
Sergei Lomovsky replaced Abramenkov as 2nd violinist. Thus the
current line-up is Ruben Aharonian and Sergei Lomovsky (violins), Igor Naidin (viola)
and Vladimir Balshin (cello).
Throughout all these changes, the Borodin Quartet has retained
its distinct identity with each newcomer hearing the existing members playing
in a very recognisable style and automatically soaking up the tradition.
The first new release
on their new signing for Decca www.deccaclassics.com
is
the first volume of a cycle of Shostakovich quartets, No’s 1, 8 and 14 coupled
with Two Pieces for String Quartet, Op.36a.
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| CD or download 478 8205 |
The Borodin Quartet bring a gentle wistfulness to the
opening of the first movement Moderato of String Quartet No.1 in C major, Op.49, subtly allowing
Shostakovich’s little rhythmic motif to appear. As the movement develops they
bring a rather more forceful edge to their playing before allowing the music to
return to a more wistful nature. When the rhythmic theme reappears it has a
less hard edge with some fine moments before the wistful little coda.
The second Moderato
opens with a curious viola theme soon underlined by a pizzicato cello. As the music
broadens with its fine, typically Shostakovichian theme, this Quartet point up
the more dramatic moments bringing an emotional intensity as the movement
progresses, all the while keeping an unsettled undertone.
This quartet reveal a terrific lightness of touch as they
hurtle forward in the Allegro molto full
of Shostakovich’s skittish light-heartedness before the Allegro where they bring a brightness of tone, a contrast with the
Allegro molto. The sudden dynamic turns are beautifully done before they rush
headlong into the coda.
The Borodin Quartet brings some subtle ideas to the often
restrained slower movements as well as great passion to the Allegros.
This quartet bring some quite deliberate phrasing to point
up the Largo of String Quartet No.8 in C Minor, Op.110 with beautiful intonation as
well as the most affecting phrasing of Shostakovich’s most personal thoughts.
They often reveal a subtle pulse behind this quiet, withdrawn music giving such
care and thought to every phrase. At times it is as though it is difficult for
them to force out such deep feelings. There are some lovely sonorities before we
are led into the Allegro molto. Here
the Quartet lets out all of the pent up feeling with some terrific playing. Yet
still there is a tug that brings a slight emotional reticence.
The Allegretto brings
some particularly fine phrasing, such subtle rhythmic qualities where one can
hear so much before a lovely transition into the Largo with firm bowing in the staccato phrases, yet always with a
restraint. What a weight they bring to some passages, laden with unbearable
emotion and how beautifully they allow in the glimpse of light towards the coda.
So many details are revealed before we gently lead into the final Largo where the Borodins produce a
degree of vibrato that really tugs on the emotions as the music rises in
passion. There are some fine, hushed sonorities before the coda that brings not
so much a sense of resignation as of a quiet hopelessness.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard such an emotionally weightier
performance as this.
Next the Borodin Quartet give us Shostakovich’s penultimate
quartet, the String Quartet No.14 in F
sharp major Op.142. Here again, in the Allegretto,
the Borodins reveal some fine textural layers before rising to moments of
intense passion, these players bringing a terrific precision. They provide some
beautifully light bowing with some lovely subtleties and details.
This quartet bring an great intensity to the Adagio, a movement that surely looks
back to the slow movements of the eighth quartet. They build this movement in a
masterly fashion rising to a peak of passion before an exquisite coda and
leading into the amazing Allegretto where
these players bring such spectacularly fine playing as the music hurtles around.
In the subsequent quieter passages they bring some very fine sonorities and
much feeling as moments from the Adagio are heard.
This is a very fine performance indeed revealing aspects of
this quartet that I had not appreciated before.
Two Pieces for String
Quartet, Op.36a were taken from his music for the animated film The
Tale of the Priest and of His Workman Balda for chamber orchestra (1933–1934), Op.36. The Elegy is beautifully played with a depth and beauty that reveals
just why Shostakovich thought it worth arranging this music. The Polka is a terrific arrangement with
some fine pizzicato passages. It is immense fun and played here with great
panache, Shostakovich’s tongue in cheek writing caught to perfection.
In some ways these are very individual, one might even say,
idiosyncratic performances. However they dig deep into the composer’s creations
making one hear these works afresh. My download revealed a slightly hollow
sounding acoustic but the detail revealed is remarkable.
I look forward to hearing the next instalment of this cycle.
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