George Onslow - String Quartets Vol. 3 (Mandelring Quartet)

Information

Composer: George Onslow

• (01) String Quartet No. 4 in C minor, Op. 8 No. 1
• (05) String Quartet No. 25 in B flat major, Op. 50
• (09) String Quartet No. 20 in F major, Op. 46 No. 2

Mandelring Quartet
Sebastian Schmidt, violin
Nanette Schmidt, violin
Roland Glassl, viola
Bernhard Schmidt, cello

Date: 2002
Label: cpo
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/Georges-Onslow-1784-1852-Streichquartette-op-81op-462op-50/hnum/3425848

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Review

Despite the ‘s’ (Georges) on the booklet cover, there are numerous inconsistencies within its pages to emphasise the point that this composer was the son of an English father (the aristocrat Edward Onslow MP, disgraced by sexual scandal and forced into exile) and a French mother. Overshadowed by Beethoven perhaps, but Onslow was a skilled composer as the music here vividly illustrates. He wrote 36 string quartets and almost as many quintets, Schumann was an admirer, and the Royal Philharmonic Society elected him its second honorary member (Mendelssohn had been the first). Although his catalogue of compositions covers most forms, it is his chamber music which produced his best, most inspired work. On this disc it is the striking slow movement of Op.20 which illustrates the point, beautifully crafted with its plangent melodies and sublime Schubertian combination of legato and pizzicato. Vivacious finales characterise all the works (Op.20 once again to the fore), while minuets are brisk and busy scherzi (the French honoured him as ‘our French Beethoven’). Two other volumes have already been issued by CPO, and this one is very fine. The Mandelring Quartet (exponents of the other two volumes) play it all beautifully, with exemplary ensemble, technical fluency, thrilling speeds, and always giving of their best for this revelatory music. George Onslow is not a name known to many apart from aficionados of early 19th century music - if you admire Spohr, then this will appeal - but on the strength of this disc, and apologies for restating the strengths of Op.20 once again but it really is a fine work, we will hopefully get to hear all seventy odd quartets and quintets in due course. CPO are on to a winner.

-- Christopher Fifield, MusicWeb International

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George Onslow (27 July 1784 – 3 October 1853) was a French composer of English descent. His wealth, position and personal tastes allowed him to pursue a path unfamiliar to most of his French contemporaries, and more similar to that of his contemporary German romantic composers. Onslow was a prolific composer of chamber music (including 36 string quartets, 34 string quintets and 10 piano trios). He also wrote four symphonies, four operas and other works for piano and strings. Esteemed by many of the critics of his time, his reputation declined swiftly after his death and has only been revived in recent years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Onslow_(composer)

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The Mandelring Quartet was founded in 1983 in Neustadt (Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany), and currently consists of Sebastian, Nanette and Bernhard Schmidt siblings, as well as their friend Andreas Willwohl. They won major competitions such as the Premio Paolo Borciani and the Munich ARD competition, and  since then have performed in many well-known concert halls all over the world. The ensemble has recorded numerous CDs that have won the German Record Critics' Award and nominated for Cannes Classical Award. The Quartet Quartet is also the founder and artistic director of the Hambacher Musikfest festival.
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandelring_Quartet

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