Product description HMF 901953; HARMONIA MUNDI - Francia; Classica da camera Quartetto archi Amazon.com The Jerusalem Quartet was formed in 1993 and soon established itself on the international scene, winning numerous prestigious prizes, undertaking world-wide tours, and releasing several CDs. This is its second recording of the Shostakovich Quartets. Featuring the comparatively cheerful, tender No. 6, the darkly elegiac No. 11, and the famously dramatic, heart-breaking No. 8, it is most excellent. These young musicians are masters of their instruments as well as of the art of quartet-playing. Their tone is very homogeneous - the two violins are completely indistinguishable - lovely, pure, and variable in color and intensity. Their intonation is impeccable, their phrasing unanimous; they can make their lines conversational or weave them into a seamless, clear, colorful tapestry, and their balance is exemplary. And they have a real affinity for the music. They plunge into the wild, explosive parts with unrestrained abandon, give a sharp pungency to the black, sardonic humor, and respond to the pleading lamentations with deep inner expressiveness, never resorting to exaggeration or external effects; even their slides are few and discreet. There is a spoken quality in the rise and fall of their phrasing and inflection, which gives their playing a singular intimacy and inwardness. The players' genuinely felt, uniquely personal approach makes this record a welcome contribution to the Shostakovich discography. --Edith Eisler