Raff String Quartets 2-4, 8 from cpo

[Alan Howe]

Announced as a late January release in Germany:
https://www.jpc.de/jpcng/cpo/detail/-/art/joachim-raff-streichquartette-vol-2/hnum/5821806

[Mark Thomas]

Good heavens, what a surprise! I had abandoned all hope of this series ever being completed. The first disc, with String Quartets Nos.6 and 7, appeared 10 years ago! Hopefully we won't have to wait until 2025 for the final pair, Nos.1 and 5.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Very interesting. But whatever happened to the Quartetto di Milano series on Tudor? Only two volumes were produced there, I believe.

[Mark Thomas]

I believe that their funding source dried up, Gareth.

[Gareth Vaughan]

Ah. An all too common story, Mark.

[Aramiarz]

The same sad history that other interesting projects, Kosenko only released the vol 1, etc

[eschiss1]

Now at the jpc-cpo front page (Überblick --> Neuheiten), announced for Jan. 26 (main area release. Interesting releases this month, I think, making sure to notice too the Liszt on page "2/2" )

[Mark Thomas]

Yes, it's available now. My copy is on its way.

[Alan Howe]

There's a most positive review over at MusicWeb:
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2015/Dec/Raff_quartets_v2_7770042.htm

[Mark Thomas]

As you say, and no more that these fine performances deserve. I do hope that the remaining two quartets follow soon, they were recorded about nine years ago after all.

[Mark Thomas]

I was wrong when I made the last post in this thread nearly three years ago, the two missing quartets were not recorded with the others. However, I've just learned that the Mannheim Quartet will record String Quartets Nos.1 and 5 in July next year. It'll be the first commercial recording of No.5. So, with cpo's usual brisk schedule, dare we hope that they might just be available in time for Raff's bicentenary in 2022?

[Gareth Vaughan]

That's very welcome news, Mark. I hope I am still around to hear them when the disk is released!!!