Haunting Masterpieces: Shostakovich String Quartets by Newton Classics - Hagen Quartet CD

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• UPC: 818247710560
• Product Type: Music CD
• Brand Name: Newton Classics
• MPN: 8802056
• Genre: Classical
• Style: Modern / Chamber Music
• Composer: Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975)
• Primary Ensemble: Hagen Quartet
• Ensemble Members: Lukas Hagen (First Violin), Rainer Schmidt (Second Violin), Veronika Hagen (Viola), Clemens Hagen (Cello)
• Release Year: 2011 (Original recordings ℗ 1995)

Product Features

• Format: Audio CD, Jewel Case
• Total Timing: 70'48
• Recording Type: DDD Stereo
• Recording Locations: Bibliothekssaal, Polling (Nos. 1–4) and Kirche St. Konrad, Abersee bei St. Gilgen (Nos. 5–14), Germany/Austria
• Recording Dates: December 1993 and April 1994

Overview

Dive into the intense emotional landscape of Dmitri Shostakovich with this compelling collection of string quartets performed by the world-renowned Hagen Quartet. This Newton Classics release brings together three pivotal works—Quartets Nos. 4, 11, and 14—offering a panoramic view of the composer's evolving chamber style. From the folk-inflected melodies of the Fourth Quartet to the stark, introspective elegies of the Eleventh, these performances are marked by the Hagen Quartet's signature precision and raw dramatic power.

Originally recorded for Deutsche Grammophon in the mid-1990s, these digitally mastered (DDD) sessions have been lauded for their sonic clarity and interpretive depth. Whether you are a longtime devotee of Shostakovich or new to his sound world, the Hagen Quartet’s mastery provides an immersive and unforgettable listening experience.

Interesting Facts

• The Hagen Family: The quartet is unique in that three of its four members—Lukas, Veronika, and Clemens—are siblings. This familial bond often contributes to their extraordinary intuitive ensemble playing.
• Shostakovich's Cycle: Dmitri Shostakovich wrote 15 string quartets in total, which are often viewed as a "secret diary" of his inner life under the Soviet regime, contrasting with the public nature of his symphonies.
• Dedicated Works: Many of Shostakovich's quartets were dedicated to members of the Beethoven Quartet, who premiered almost all of them. The String Quartet No. 11 is specifically dedicated to the memory of the Beethoven Quartet's second violinist, Vasily Shirinsky.
• Acoustic Excellence: The recording locations, including the library hall in Polling, Germany, were chosen for their exceptional natural acoustics, perfect for capturing the delicate nuances and sudden explosions of sound characteristic of Shostakovich's writing.

Track Listing

String Quartet No. 4 in D Op. 83

1. I. Allegretto (3'46)
2. II. Andantino (6'27)
3. III. Allegretto (5'14)
4. IV. Allegretto (11'07)

String Quartet No. 11 in F minor Op. 122

1. I. Introduction: Andantino (2'19)
2. II. Scherzo: Allegretto (2'47)
3. III. Recitative: Adagio (1'10)
4. IV. Étude: Allegro (1'18)
5. V. Humoresque: Allegro (1'05)
6. VI. Elegy: Adagio (4'27)
7. VII. Finale: Moderato (4'07)

String Quartet No. 14 in F sharp Op. 142

1. I. Allegretto (8'51)
2. II. Adagio (9'24)
3. III. Allegretto (8'46)

Publishers

• Label: Newton Classics B.V.
• Original Copyright: ℗ 1995 Deutsche Grammophon GmbH, Hamburg
• Release Copyright: © 2011 Newton Classics B.V.
• Manufactured in: The Netherlands

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