The Amadeus Quartet planned to celebrate their 40th anniversary last October at a special recital as part of the Semaine de Musique de Chambre in Paris. But then their viola player Peter Schidlof died, and the Alban Berg Quartet took over the concert at short notice. In a rearranged programme the Berg played two Beethoven quartets, and then, in what was clearly an emotional atmosphere, three of their members were joined by the remaining Amadeus players for a performance of the Second Brahms Sextet. We have here a recording of that occasion.
Even more than usual is there here an elegiacal quality in the playing of the first movement, and feelings are so strongly expressed that you are almost drawn into the Salle Favart itself. But though there are many incidental beauties it has to be said from a strictly objective viewpoint that the movement doesn't quite hang together, and the playing itself is not immaculate. The Scherzo provides more assured playing, and has a pleasant flowing elegance, but in the remaining movements and in the single movement encore there are more technical lapses and problems of ensemble. There's no doubting the atmosphere of the occasion, and the audience's response is overwhelming and sympathetic, but this disc must be regarded as a souvenir of a special event, and not as a competitive issue.
Members of the Berlin Philharmonic Octet play the two Brahms string sextets on a Philips CD, and that disc is the one to go for if you want the best available version of both works.'