Cleveland Quartet - Mendelssohn: String Quartet No. 2 in A Major & String Octet in E-Flat Major (1987)

The Cleveland Quartet seems to be one of those ensembles that you either truly admire or truly dislike. Is it the most technically proficient quartet on the market? Probably not. Is the intonation flawless? Not exactly. Do the musicians sometimes take a little license with rhythms? Certainly. Do they play with verve and continually take risks? Absolutely. Do they always play with their hearts on their sleeves? Definitely. The appreciation of this particular album will come down to individual preferences in these areas. Mendelssohn gives the Cleveland Quartet an opportunity to truly push the envelope in terms of sheer velocity. The Allegro di molto of the third-movement Intermezzo is pure electricity and keeps the listener glued to see if the pace can be maintained. Likewise, the fiery playing in the fourth movement Presto is stunning and exciting. For the second half of the album, the Cleveland Quartet is joined by one of its protégé ensembles, the Meliora Quartet. On listening, it is abundantly clear that the Meliora refined its craft with the Cleveland. The group shares in the Cleveland Quartet's strengths for enthusiastic, risk-taking, emotive playing, but also in the occasional intonation and ensemble deficiencies. There are some rough moments, especially in the first movement, where the octet sounds under-rehearsed and unisons between the two first violins are disparate. Still, the overall product is quite satisfying and the final two movements are so infused with passion and gusto that the listener cannot help but be rapt.