The legacy of the Cleveland Quartet (1969 to 1995) does not have the mythical aura of the Philips engravings of the Orlando Quartet, for example. His name is especially associated with records in which he collaborated with stars: the Quintet D. 956 of Schubert with Yo-Yo Ma (CBS) or the piano quintets of Schumann, Dvořák or Brahms with Emanuel Ax at RCA. Tuckwell and Brymer are associated with him in the Schubert octet, Zukerman and Greenhouse in the Brahms sextets. At RCA, where he was between 1972 and 1987, Cleveland also recorded (between 1975 and 1979) the complete Beethoven works from the 1970s, which followed that of the Guarneri Quartet (1965-1969). On CD, RCA will instead highlight the recording “DDD” by the Tokyo Quartet. This boxed set therefore allows us to rediscover an eminent quartet, very balanced, of remarkable accuracy and sound beauty, less “ultra-refined” than the Emersons, or the Dovers today, but of respect and logic which make the box a perfect introductory set to the chamber repertoire.
To watch on video