Janacek Quartet: Dvorak String Qts Op. 96 “American” & Op. 34 - Decca SXL 6103
$
71
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Description
ITEM DESCRIPTION:
This beautiful and rare LP from Decca (SXL 6103, English pressing, black/silver WB “Original Recording By…”, stereo, original inner sleeve included) features the Janacek Quartet in truly magnificent accounts of Dvorak’s String Quartets No. 9 in D minor Op. 34 and No. 12 in F Major Op. 96 “American”, both recorded at Decca’s West Hampstead Studio No. 3, London, on 26/27 October 1963 (producer: Ray Minshull / engineer: Kenneth Wilkinson).
The Janacek Quartet were comprised of violinists Jirí Trávnícek and Adolf Sýkora, violist Jirí Kratochvíl, and cellist Karel Krafka.
Wrote the critic A.R. in his review for the June 1964 issue of The Gramophone: “The Vlach and Amadeus recordings of Dvor'ak's F major Quartet each had interesting couplings: the Vlach, Janacek's Quartet No. 2, Intimate Letters; the Amadeus, Brahms's B flat Quartet, Op. 67; and now the Janacek team has Dvoiak's D minor Quartet which can otherwise only be purchased in the second Vox Box of the complete Dvoiak String Quartets.
“The Janacek's bring us the finest and best recorded performance so far of the F major, with the Vlach not far behind— but there is no stereo version—the Kohon close on their heels (or bows). The D minor gains greatly from the better balanced recording, especially in the slow movement in which some of the 'cello pizzicato phrases —and there are quite a lot—were very faint in the Vox recording. It is hard to believe that Brahms, to whom this quartet is dedicated, approved of the scoring of the first page of the slow movement in which double-stopping increases the parts up to seven. The Kohon Quartet clarify this thick texture rather more successfully than the Janacek, but in all other respects this is a more distinguished and idiomatic performance. I warmly recommend this disc.”
Incidentally, there are superb liner notes on the reverse side of the jacket, in English only, written by Decca producer Ray Minshull.
CONDITION – PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:
The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.
The condition of the laminated jacket is EXCELLENT. There is slight wear and discoloration around the edges and mild discoloration to the rear panel, but that is all. There are no bends, seamsplits, owners' markings, or other defects, and the album remains perfectly solid, bright, glossy, and striking in appearance – overall, this rates as a fine collector's copy.
The condition of the LP itself is near-MINT (Quartet Op. 96 “American” / EXCELLENT (Quartet Op. 34). There is a slight bit of surface noise at the start of Op. 34, but afterwards it clears up. The rest of the LP plays superbly. However, if you must have completely flawless surfaces, then please do not buy this LP. Overall, this rates as a truly excellent collector's copy.
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REFUNDS:
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