Antonin Dvorak: String Quintet in G major with Double Bass op. 77, Piano Quintet no. 2 in A major op. 81.(Sound recording review)

Antonin Dvorak String Quintet in G major with Double Bass op. 77, Piano Quintet no. 2 in A major op. 81

Laurene Durantel--double bass, Kathryn Stott--piano, The Skampa Quartet: Pavel Fischer, Jana Lukasova--violin, Radim Sedmidubsky--viola, Lukas Polak--cello. Production: Pctr Vit. Text: Cz, Eng., Ger., Fr. Recorded: March 2007, Rudolfinum, Prague. Released: 2007. TT: 71:26. DDD. 1 CD Supraphon SU 3909-2.

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If we take a careful look at the recording activities of the Skampa Quartet we find that apart from special productions that interestingly cross the boundaries of the originally classical gente (for example Janacek with Iva Bittova) and other tasks requiring ordinary recording practise (various string quartets by world masters), the quartet has gradually been building up a model catalogue of the basic works of Czech chamber repertoire. These always take the form of individual projects, but each is very carefully thought out and prepared. Like other Czech quartets the Skampians sometimes work with other colleagues as a way of opening up the repertoire possibilities. Thus in this case an album of two Dvorak quintets has now been added to the ensemble's line of excellent recordings of Czech and world quartet music. The colleagues participating on this CD lend it a special angle of interest; they are the already renowned French double bassist Laurene Durantel and the also internationally well-known English pianist Kathryn Stott. International collaboration of this kind makes possible a wider and more sensitive choice of fellow performers, guaranteeing the closest possible consistency of style. In this case and this context the most successful piece is the Quintet in G major with double bass. Laurene Durantel plays with great refinement and intimacy--he fits ...