Raphael Quartet - Bruckner: String Quintet F-Dur, Intermezzo d-moll, Rondo c-moll (1998)

When listeners think of composer Anton Bruckner, they most likely think first of his considerable symphonic output or perhaps his settings of the Catholic mass. Chamber music probably doesn't spring to mind quite as readily and perhaps with good reason. While many composers turned to chamber music (especially Beethoven and the string quartet) to work out and experiment with techniques prior to symphonic compositions, such is not the case with Bruckner. His String Quintet was not composed until after he had already composed five symphonies. The smaller ensemble sounds thin and clumsy in Bruckner's hands. Even though he has only five voices with which to work, he still resorts to lots of unions and octaves. His counterpoint with the inner voices is sparse. Still, it is interesting to see what composers do with works outside of their standard idiom.
The Raphael Quartet, joined by violist Prunella Pacey, does little to enhance the less-than-stunning composition. The sound is quite anemic and the cello is muffled and unfocused. Intonation is an enormous problem throughout this CD. This is made all the more apparent because of Bruckner's aforementioned use of unisons and octaves. Sadly, this album is simply not worth the investment for the composition itself, nor the poor performance of it.