LOUIS SPOHR (1784-1859): Complete String Quartets, Vol. 12 - No. 33 in G, Op. 146 and No. 35 in E Flat, Op. 155, Potpourri No. 1 on Themes from Gaveaux's "Le Petit Matelot", Op. 5.

Description: If you remember the mid-2005 release of the previous volume in this ultra-long lasting series, you'll recall the discomfort and anxiety which characterized Quartet No. 34, which Spohr wrote at a time of political repression and fear for his position and income. No. 33 comes from 1851, at the beginning of the composer's rough patch and is quite similar in effect. In fact, Spohr requested that his last two quartets not be performed (as he did with his Tenth Symphony, which will be in next month's catalogue on cpo). Here is the revised version of his last quartet, written in 1856, which was a conscious effort to revisit the Classical style of Haydn and Mozart. As a brilliant 15-minute filler, we also have Spohr's first work for string quartet (1804) which is in the quatuor brillant style. Dima Quartet, Moscow.