String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, opus 110; String Quartet No. 10 in Ab major, opus 118; String Quartet No. 11, opus 122.
Sofia String Quartet: V. Valchev, N. Gagov, V. Gerov, K. Bespalov.
Gega New (Bulgaria) GD 168. DDD. TT 57:17
Recorded 1994.

Recordings of the Eighth Quartet have proliferated since the advent of laser technology, so much so that the browsing buyer is more likely to focus his or her attention upon the complementing items on offer, a little in the manner of yet another Moonlight Sonata or Trout Quintet. Here the self-referential masterpiece is partnered by the near-neighbourly Tenth and Eleventh Quartets, a trio rarely released together, it seems.

What might there to be inspire here, then, where other discs are left floundering on the shop shelves? Aside from the programme, the first aspect of particular note is the atypically strident rhythmical pulse - evidently the Sofia's natural style, given the consistent nature of these performances. Whilst this can lend an impressively gripping allure to the more vivacious sections of, say, the Eighth, the approach leads to moments of fragility in the more introspective zones of these creations, so much so that the underlying strata that underpin Shostakovich's huge chamber landscapes lack substance.

An unspecial Eighth is followed by a more wholesome entity, the Tenth, whose sharper edges suit the ensemble's brittle conception of the oeuvre. The third movement is especially powerful; very moving and steeped in grief. "Very Eastern European," a friend remarked, spontaneously.

No biographical information is available in the meagre booklet - a pity, as it would be interesting to know a little more about the group, especially in light of the disparate ensemble playing in the Eleventh. Again the tempo is quick, the pulse emphatic, yet sadly the electricity thereby generated seeps away far too incautiously, astride staggered entries and fine-tuning anomalies.

As much to disappoint as to please, so I don't expect many readers to be scouring the shelves for this release. But the Sofia Quartet do display a good deal of potential and empathy for Shostakovich's music, so it's to be hoped that with time, other, more polished releases may be forthcoming.

Bernard Suchaux
Top