Brahms: Chamber Music [Piano Quartets, String Quintets, String Sextets, etc]

"This is easily some of the most passionate, burnished, and burley Brahms to come my way in some time, each piece competing with the others in terms of quality of performance, and Richard Hosford's odd-man-out woodwind takes its place among the finest recordings of the Clarinet Trio-and there are many superb ones available. This collection can easily serve as the only recordings of these works if so desired, they are that fine. I look forward to freeing up some of the space on my shelves."
(AudAud.com Jan 2013)

The Nash Ensemble is one of Britain's finest chamber ensembles. With repertoire spanning the classical, romantic and contemporary and with over 255 new works in their repertoire including 118 commissions the Nash Ensemble has set a very high standard for future generations.

The series of recordings they made for ONYX of Brahms's chamber works were highly praised both in the UK and internationally. Gathered together in one box with new booklet notes, these recordings represent music making at its highest level and superb value for money.

"...the playing, by Richard Hosford (clarinet), Paul Watkins (cello) and Ian Brown (piano), does...ample justice to the work's passionate melancholy...The splendid performance of the piano quartet shows the young Brahms's intellectual power and melodic abundance to magnificent advantage."
(Sunday Times)

"An account of an early performance of the Trio said it was "as though the instruments were in love with one another" - which could equally fit this recording of the Piano Quartet No 2, such is the effortless mastery of the Nash Ensemble."
(The Observer)

Another release on ONYX from "Britain's premier chamber ensemble" (The Times) completing the piano quartet recordings. Nos 1&3 were released to critical acclaim on Onyx 4029

'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'. Review of Onyx 4029
The Sunday Times- 23.11.08 - ****