The Bohemians,Smetana: String Quartetes Vol. 2 various CD Top-quality

in the ninenteenth century when mostvof the esteblished genres of the Classical era acuired a programmatic dimension the string quarter, to a large extend, retained, abstract credentials. The expextion to the rule may be found among the Czechs. First Smetana and then Janazek took a fiercely personal view of the string quartet. Smetana,s tendancy to imbue chamber music with a programatic quality had begun with his G minor paino trio of 1856 written to commemorate and, perhaps, to externalise the grief felt on the death of his doughter Berdiska.