Both composers employ their chosen resources with great expertise, Dohnanyi in a richly harmonized Sextet that opens among the clouds and ends in a mood of dance-like exuberance, Fibich with a more conventional structure and a genial stream of melody. Each work owes something to Brahms although in the case of Fibich’s Quintet, Schumann seems as much in evidence, not only through the score’s specific melodic complexion (i.e. the first movement’s second subject), but in a Scherzo that features two contrasting trios. Smetana is another possible point of reference, especially at the start of the finale, although –as Jan Smaczny usefully points out in his excellent booklet-note – the younger Fibich “often anticipated the achievements of the elder composer”. Furthermore, the piano part incorporates elements from a bulky ‘piano diary’ inspired by Fibich’s pupil, mistress and librettist, Anezka Schulzova.
Dohnanyi’s Sextet is a far darker piece, opening as it does among rolling string arpeggios and toughening for a fairly tense development. The “Intermezzo” second movement suggests (at least initially) Brahms as siphoned through the imagination of Schoenberg, whereas the eventful third movement suddenly breaks into a rhythmically upbeat finale that sounds as much Afro-Caribbean as Hungarian, albeit with a luscious ‘big’ tune to offset the fun.
The Endymion Ensemble do both Fibich and Dohnanyi proud, although I have fond memories of an earlier, even more exhilarating digital version of the Sextet with Andras Schiff, Kalman Berkes, Radovan Vlatkovic and the Takacs Quartet (Decca, 12/88 – nla) – a prime contender for Decca’s budget-price digital Eclipse series. ASV’s recordings are excellent.'