Borodin String Qtt 2

Ptss, Your post is kind of a mixed bag, in that it deals with both performance quality of a relatively obscure piece, recording quality, and power conditioning. It is not surprising to me that no one responded to a post requesting comments on the effect of power conditioning on a particular recording of a fairly obscure piece of chamber music, not to put to fine of an edge on it. Believe me, I have spent most of my life trying to understand why everyone was looking at me like I had giant lobsters crawling out of my ears, so I feel your pain!

I am a lover of chamber music. I don't own a single recording of any of the Borodin Quartets. I would have expected any comments might have come from some of the more knowledgable members with respect to serious music, i.e, Frogman, Learsfool, or Schubert.

I have only a latent interest in Borodin, stemming principally from his primary occupation as organic chemist. I take your post as a cattle prod to investigate his music further. I will take a look at what is out there and perhaps place some orders.

Do not let the lack of response dissuade you. I would very much love to see more discussion of chamber works on this site. Even better from my point of view would be a sudden surge in interest in the music of Heinrich Schutz!

Darn, there go those lobsters again.

Ptss, The work of Schutz in subject matter in many respects overlaps the sacred vocal works of JS Bach with respect to subject matter, but Schutz's musical style is a world apart from the late high Baroque, as a comparison of, for instance, the Johannes and Mattheus passions, will show. Also, Schutz wrote far less secular music than Bach.

Schutz is not for anyone, so you would be wise to seek out some free exposure to his work prior to purchase. His music moves me deeply. It goes sadly neglected, at least in the US. Every year, in many major US cites, one of the Bach passions is performed during holy week, but I have never heard a single live performance of a Schutz passion. Nor have I heard a single radio broadcast of a live performance.

His music is old and foreign to our years. The scale is intimate. But, for me, it approaches or equals the poignancy of Bach.

Schubert usually nails it. One might think he apprenticed under a carpenter.