The cover shows that this young American quartet is extremely photogenic. And the musicmaking is the aural equivalent—glamorous in tone-quality, athletic in technique, well equipped to withstand the closest scrutiny and to supply powerful projection, factors crucial to success on the international scene today.
Unanimity of attack, an appropriate huskiness in the answering phrase, suppressed excitement in the triplet accompaniments, set Schubert's Death and the Maiden on a highly promising course. Doubts creep in with the second subject—is it not too 'public', too 'fat', or, more simply, just too loud? It is difficult to be sure without having heard the Emerson Quartet in the flesh, but I would guess that their fortissimo is generally more impressive than their pianissimo (an exception is their effective non vibrato enunciation of the 'Death and the Maiden' theme itself). This means that Schubert's summonses back to reality are generally more convincing than his flights away from it (and so ultimately those summonses also lose something of their dramatic relevance). Nor am I convinced that they address certain passages, for instance the slow movement's first variation, with all the sensitivity they might. But I am in danger of misrepresenting their achievement. For one thing, none of the listed comparisons offers an ideal solution to Schubert's interpretative demands, roughly speaking, the Amadeus on DG overplay the emotionalism (albeit with terrifyingly powerful results in the finale), the Alban Berg on EMI underplay it, and the Fine Arts' compromise (on Lodia/John Goldsmith) sacrifices too much of the drive of the first movement and the con moto of the second. At least with the Emerson Quartet the sense of momentum is never in doubt. The dactylic variation in the second movement, the prestissimo finale coda, indeed, the whole of the finale, are terrific displays of quartet playing. It doesn't add up to a great performance to my mind, but it certainly demands equal ranking with its above-listed rivals.
Similarly in the Beethoven there are impressive highlights—tremendous vehemence in the first movement development, another terrific last movement coda—which clearly announce the arrival of a force to be reckoned with on the chamber music scene. And the second movement tempo, unusually forward-moving, could be justified as a reminder of the allegretto marking and as a reflection of the exceptional concentration of the whole work. But if it is inwardness and spirituality you are looking for (which in turn give perspective to the defiant assertiveness elsewhere) your loyalty will surely remain with the Talich (Calliope/Harmonia Mundi) or the Vegh (Auvidis/Pinnacle), in fact more with the Talich in this instance, I would recommend, despite a recording quality which cannot compete with DG's for clarity and realism.'