What amazing control! Listen to opening Allegro of Beethoven's G major Quartet, Op. 18/2, to the way the ensemble effortlessly and effectively bends the tempo before the first cadence. What incredible balances! Listen to the opening Allegro of the D major Quartet, Op. 18/3, to the way first violin's melody hovers and soars above the slowly swelling harmonies of the second violin, viola, and cello. What elegant ensemble! Listen to the ineffable give and take of the closing Presto of the D major Quartet. And what sound! Played on period instruments, these performances by the
Quatuor Mosaïques have a natural warmth and depth that set them apart from their steel-stringed younger siblings. No matter how many recordings by how many string quartets one has of ever-popular Beethoven's Op. 18 Quartets, this disc demands to be heard. Naïve's sound is full, deep, and clear.