The Chilingirian Quartet give a pleasantly unforced account of Bartok's First Quartet, with a sensitive tonal blend and good intonation. All the problems associated with the fluctuating tempos in the second and third movements have been solved and the energetic attack in the latter never puts the emotional equilibrium in danger. Much the same could be said of the Second Quartet—euphonious, expressive and energetic playing, always attentive to the detail of the score (two small, presumably inadvertent, anomalies in the first violin notwithstanding). Textures are consistently well integrated and the tricky second movement coda is safely negotiated.
The next stage on from this would be to project a more acute response to Bartok's harmonies and textures, even at the risk of temporarily destabilizing the admirable sense of continuity already achieved, and to allow for more personal initiative to counter the slight impression given of orchestral solidity rather than chamber music fluidity. Such things as a wider range of bow-stroke and vibrato, less consistent homogeneity in the slow movements, more volatile rhythm in the fast ones might help to release the kind of imaginative insight and idiomatic colouring which distinguishes the Vegh recordings (Astree Auvidis/Pinnacle—CD only) and puts them on a different artistic level.
It may well be that the acoustic properties of West Dean College, Chichester are resistant to these things, although for Bartok a slight dryness is greatly preferable to over-luxuriance. Be that as it may, the Chilingirian and Chandos have established a good technical standard at the outset of this new Bartok cycle.
'