MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: Goldmark: String Quartet in B-flat major Op. 8 / String Quintet in A minor Op. 9

"Written respectively in 1860 and 1862, Karl Goldmark's String Quartet and Quintet date from the composer's early maturity. Although their musical language is conservative and conventional for the time, they're clearly fashioned by a seasoned craftsman. The textures are richly penetrating without being cluttered, and the slow movements unfold with burnished, wistful melodies. The finales wander a bit, but your attention will most likely be attuned to the Fourth Dimension String Quartet's lithe transparency and feathery articulation. These qualities emerge most tellingly in both third movement scherzos. What an amazingly responsive, fine-tuned, and utterly flexible ensemble they are. A major addition to the chamber catalog." ClassicsToday 10/10