Orpheus Quartet - Bargiel: String Quartets Nos. 1-4 & String Octet (2018)

Woldemar Bargiel was Clara Schumann's half-brother and Robert Schumann's brother-in-law. In the nineteenth century hardly any references failed to note these relational circumstances, surely more to Bargiel's disadvantage since it for many years led to his relegation to the 'second ranks'. It is only recently that the study of his private papers, which somehow miraculously managed to survive two world wars, has inspired increasing interest in his oeuvre. His papers include manuscripts as well as more than 1,500 letters demonstrating that he was a sought-after personality in the European music world. Moreover, in 2010 Dean Cáceres published a study based on analytic methods laying the foundation for what is an impressive demonstration of Bargiel's personal style – which the Orpheus Quartet now thoroughly confirms on its complete recording of the composer's string chamber music.