At first glance Kreisler and Korngold may not seem the most obvious of bedfellows; however, as contemporaries, both shared the same Viennese musical roots and, as the insert-note rightly points out, both fled Vienna for the United States to escape Nazi persecution. Also, both of the string quartets presented here possess a haunting Viennese nostalgia.
Kreisler’s only String Quartet was composed in 1921 and is a delightful discovery. Although the quartet contains much memorable melodic material, those expecting similar fare to his more well-known salon pieces may well be in for a pleasant surprise. The evidence here is that Kreisler was eminently capable of turning his hand to more complex, extended forms than the bon-bons (delightful though they are) that he is generally remembered for. Throughout the quartet’s 30-minute duration there are many impressive moments, though I would single out the first movement climax (faint echoes here of Schoenberg’s Verklarte Nacht?) and the lovely “Prelude and Romance” third movement.
Korngold’s Third String Quartet is a later work, and here the nostalgia is of a Vienna gone for ever. Composed in 1945 it was one of the first works that broke that silence (in terms of his concert music) that Korngold had imposed on himself during the war. As ever, his melodic gifts are prolific throughout, and in the Scherzo, slow movement and finale Korngold reuses (much to our gain) melodies previously employed in his music to the films Between Two Worlds, The Sea Wolf and Devotion.
The Angeles Quartet’s performances of these rewarding works are exceptionally fine and committed and the recorded sound has an intimate and beautifully natural ambience. A highly recommendable issue indeed.'