A week after the Dover Quartet, how can we not talk about the new CD of its direct competitor at the top: the Takács Quartet? This novelty brings together the only quartet of Fanny Mendelssohn (1805-1847) and the Quartets op. 13 and op. 80 of his famous brother Felix. The idea is not new and the coupling, exactly (with these same two quartets chosen among the six of Felix) that of the Ebony Quartet in 2013. As usual, the style “goes inside” of the tired Ebony and gives the primacy in this coupling to more distinguished Takács. But, great surprise, the Takács are, on this occasion (Opus 80, 2e shutter), clearly below the Artemis (Opp. 13, 44 and 80 by Felix). The gesture of uniting Felix and his sister is sympathetic and commendable, but Fanny’s quartet is not worth theOpus 44 by Felix which can be found on the Erato des Artemis CD. To explain the quality, this time in nothing superlative in the bite and the colors, we will note that two members (2e violin and viola) have changed since 2018. It remains to be seen whether the new Takács are worth the old ones.
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