Britten String Quartets Bundle

Composers Britten, Benjamin
Orchestras / Ensembles Emperor String Quartet
Label BIS
Instruments String quartet
24 FLAC Discount

The three string quartets and other works for the same forces Between 2010 and 2014, the British Emperor Quartet released the three discs gathered here, with all of Benjamin Britten’s published music for string quartet – as well as his one work for string quintet, the Phantasy in F minor. Their performances of the three numbered quartets, undisputed masterpieces of 20th-century chamber music, were variously described by the critics as ‘stupendous’ (Classic FM Magazine), ‘a wonderful homage’ (Ensemble), and ‘a complete cosmos of colours and nuances’ (Fono Forum), and the discs received top marks and distinctions in magazines such as Fanfare, Diapason and International Record Review.

Britten wrote his String Quartets Nos 1, 2 and 3 in 1941, 1945 and 1975 respectively, but his natural facility in writing for strings was evident from a very early age. The Emperor’s set includes a number of youthful works, from the String Quartet in F, by a fourteen-year old schoolboy, to Simple Symphony, composed in 1934 and the work which may be regarded as his breakthrough. The box set includes the original booklets, with insightful liner notes by Britten specialist Arnold Whittall.

Emperor Quartet
Martin Burgess and Clare Hayes, violins; Fiona Bonds, viola; William Schofield, cello
 
 
$ 19.64 USD
Buy bundle
 

Extra material for download

Included albums

  • Britten – String Quartets

    Visit album page
    Disc 1
    Composer: Britten, Benjamin
    String Quartet No.2 in C major, Op.36 30:48
    		1 I. Allegro calmo senza rigore 08:32
    		2 II. Vivace 03:30
    		3 III. Chacony 18:46
    Composer: Britten, Benjamin
    Three Divertimenti 10:08
    		4 I. March 03:41
    		5 II. Waltz 03:09
    		6 III. Burlesque 03:18
    Composer: Britten, Benjamin
    Miniature Suite 09:58
    		7 I. Novelette 02:55
    		8 II. Menuetto 03:05
    		9 III. Romanza 01:56
    		10 IV. Gavotte 02:02
    Composer: Britten, Benjamin
    String Quartet in D major 19:08
    		11 I. Allegro maestoso 08:54
    		12 II. Lento ed espressivo 05:26
    		13 III. Allegro giocoso 04:48
  • Britten - String Quartets Nos 1 & 3

    Visit album page
    Disc 1
    Composer: Britten, Benjamin
    String Quartet No.1 in D major, Op.25 (1941) 08:30
    		1 I. Andante sostenuto – Allegro vivo 08:30
    		2 II. Allegretto con slancio 02:56
    		3 III. Andante calmo 10:12
    		4 IV. Molto vivace 03:42
    Composer: Britten, Benjamin
    Alla Marcia (1933) 09:18
    		5 Alla Marcia (1933) 03:08
    Composer: Britten, Benjamin
    String Quartet No.3, Op.94 (1975) 16:50
    		6 I. Duets 05:21
    		7 II. Ostinato 03:03
    		8 III. Solo 05:33
    		9 IV. Burlesque 02:11
    		10 V. Recitative and Passacaglia (La Serenissima) 09:18
  • Britten – String Quartets, Vol.3

    Visit album page
    Disc 1
    Composer: Britten, Benjamin
    Simple Symphony, Op.4 (1933–34) 02:51
    		1 I. Boisterous Bourrée 02:51
    		2 II. Playful Pizzicato 03:10
    		3 III. Sentimental Saraband 06:40
    		4 IV. Frolicsome Finale 02:53
    Composer: Britten, Benjamin
    -- 22:12
    		5 Rhapsody (1929) 07:26
    Composer: Britten, Benjamin
    Quartettino (1930) 12:43
    		6 I. Andante – (attacca) – 06:19
    		7 II. Poco adagio ma con moto 06:34
    		8 III. Allegro molto vivace 03:22
    Composer: Britten, Benjamin
    -- 07:26
    		9 Phantasy in F minor for string quintet (1932) 11:02
    Composer: Britten, Benjamin
    String Quartet in F (1928) 16:15
    		10 I. Allegro vivace e con brio 08:37
    		11 II. Andante 02:53
    		12 III. Allegro vivace 04:24
    		13 IV. Allegro molto 06:18