Mendelssohn: The Complete String Quartets / Pacifica Quartet

The Pacifica Quartet (TPQ) does a good job of performing Mendelssohn’s seven string quartets and four other quartet arrangements. The first track on disc one displays TPQ’s perfected performance and their attention to musical detail. TPQ has also released a recording of the complete string quartets of Shostakovich, which I own, and the music is performed expertly and well. The sound engineers do an expert job of capturing the resonant sound of TPQ’s instruments; the sound is so well defined that you can pick any one of the instruments that is being played and follow the musical line of that instrument, moving from one musical phrase to the next. All said, I highly recommend this album to those seeking a more than pleasing presentation of Mendelssohn’s string quartets.

Within my collection, I have other items from this excellent quartet. Thus, hindsight notwithstanding, this too is a very high qualitycollection. Mendelssohn is each year becoming more revered. These quartets are beautiful, and along with Schubert andBeethoven, indispensable.

It is hard to imagine a more dynamic or tasteful interpretation of these quartets than these. The pieces are terrific, and the quartet is superb. The personnel have changed since this recording was made, so we will no longer have the chance to hear these four excellent musicians perform these pieces live. But the recording will stick around as one for the ages.

Bought the CD after hearing the Quartet in a live performance. Enjoying the recording very much.

In this great CD, the Pacifica quartet -- one of the most talented and expressive current string quartets -- gives ALL of Mendelssohn's quartets not only accuracy, but supurb expression as well.

FRESH, DYNAMIC APPROACH WHICH MAKES THIS CD A REAL GEM, WHICH GIVES ME ALL WHAT MUSIC CAN OFFER , FILLED ME WITH GRATITUDE, OPTIMISM AND JOY

I first heard one of the Op. 44 tracks from this CD on my local classical radio station, Classical New England, and indeed it was the first time I had heard any of the Op. 44 pieces, period. I enjoyed it so much, I borrowed the Pacifica CDs from my local library. I compared the Op. 80 performance with one I own by the Merel Quartet on the Genuin label ( String Quartets Felix Fanny Mendelssohn  and judged the Merel's performance and recording acoustics superior. This led to me to explore other artists who had recorded the complete set of Mendelssohn's string quartets.There's been a lot of buzz about the Pacifica, and they continue to get quite a bit of exposure on Classical New England, but I ultimately settled on buying the Henschel Quartet on the Arte Nova label ( Comp Str Qts F Mendelssohn  I find Henschel's performances terrifically nuanced - they're not just plowing through the material; they're inhabiting it and fully bringing it to life. Also, the acoustics of the Henschel's performances are just about right - the recording venue for chamber music is critical and needs to provide a certain amount of resonance (technically, this may not be the right term, but I'm referring to the sound quality that represents the difference between a large performance hall vs. a recording studio with sound-absorbing, baffled wall coverings). While I found the Pacifica to be technically competent, the recordings are dry - they lack sufficient acoustic resonance for my ear to find pleasing. On the other hand, the Aurora Quartet on the Naxos label (e.g.,  Mendelssohn String Quartets Vol 2 Felix  which is also highly rated, sounds like it was recorded in a performance hall that was a tad oversized - too much acoustic resonance.I have sampled every other ensemble that ever recorded the Mendelssohn string quartets (quite a time investment!). The Melos Quartett on the DG label ( Mendelssohn Streichquartette Complete String Quartets  was a close second for me, but I found them to be shrill at times. For me, the Henschel Quartet represents the high water mark for the Mendelssohn string quartets, where this amazing music meets its match in terms of sheer performance talent and engineering quality.

One of the other reviewers here has written a strange comment, which inspires an equally odd insight in me: "Tell me - does any one of us leap from our beds (of iniquity) in morning with the imperative: if nothing else today, I must listen to Mendelssohn's string quartets? Nothing is more important!" Well, yes sir, some of us do. Some of us even have a lot of rare recordings of these quartets. Their approach here is very similar, to my ears, to a very unique version of some of the quartets. Namely, that of the famous East German quartet called the Ulbrich Quartet. I have never since heard a similar take on these works, and it is a very different read on these masterpieces than most have given in recent decades. The New Ulbrich Quartet!

Brilliant musicians on a technically superb recording.

Questa esecuzione Cedille possiede un fraseggio asciutto ma caldo e partecipe, che fa risaltare con netta evidenza ciascuna parte. Le solide caratteristiche tecniche in possesso dei Pacifica permettono alla formazione di superare tutte le più grandi difficoltà con un suono pieno e vigoroso e con grande senso della misura.

Les quatuors, surtout le dernier offrent une expérience musicale extraordinaire. La musique est magnifiquement exécutée par des interprètes inspirés.

メンデルスゾーンの弦楽四重奏曲の全集ではメロスカルテットが有名だが、録音が古くてメロスの流麗さがまだ出ていない。それに比べると、録音の新しいパシフィック・カルテットは、よく歌い、メロディーラインがつかめやすく、しかも若々しい豊かさがあり、メンデルスゾーンの美しさを余す所なく聞かせてくれる素晴らしい演奏である。