The Arcadia Quartet reaches the penultimate release in it's acclaimed complete Weinberg string quartets series with this volume, featuring Quartets Nos 3, 9, and 14. As in previous volumes, the works are taken from contrasting periods of Weinberg's compositional development, and so present a varied programme that works in it's own right. Quartet No. 3, composed in 1944, could be considered as the first 'mature' quartet, and is set in three movements. The Ninth Quartet, composed in 1963, dates from his self-described 'starry decade', when his work was championed by a significant group of enthusiastic performers, including Emil Gilels, Leonid Kogan, Kirill Kondrashin, Rudolf Barshai, and the Borodin Quartet. Quartet No. 14 dates from 1978, three years after the death of Weinberg's great friend and mentor Shostakovich: a time when Weinberg was questioning and renewing his artistic identity. The album also includes the short Improvisation and Romance, from 1950.
Tracks: 1.1 String Quartet No. 3, Op. 14 in D minor~I. Presto - 1.2 String Quartet No. 3, Op. 14 in D minor~II. Andante sostenuto - 1.3 String Quartet No. 3, Op. 14 in D minor~III. Allegretto 1.4 Improvisation and Romance for String Quartet~[Improvisation.] Adagio - 1.5 Improvisation and Romance for String Quartet~[Romance.] Andante 1.6 String Quartet No. 9, Op. 80 in F sharp minor~I. Allegro molto - 1.7 String Quartet No. 9, Op. 80 in F sharp minor~II. Allegretto - 1.8 String Quartet No. 9, Op. 80 in F sharp minor~III. Andante - 1.9 String Quartet No. 9, Op. 80 in F sharp minor~IV. Allegro moderato 1.10 String Quartet No. 14, Op. 122~I. Quarter Note = 96 - 1.11 String Quartet No. 14, Op. 122~II. Quarter Note = 63 - 1.12 String Quartet No. 14, Op. 122~III. Quarter Note = 108 - 1.13 String Quartet No. 14, Op. 122~IV. Quarter Note = 54 - 1.14 String Quartet No. 14, Op. 122~V. Quarter Note = 152 - Doppio più lento
