Moeran: String Quartets / String Trio

The liner notes say he studied with Ireland and was influenced by Sibelius. Really? I hear the sweetness of the former, but not the Scandinavian's complexity. Instead, I hear a man who delighted in being a sponge and integrater (ok, not a word, but it should be). There is Debussy, Faure and even Smetana here, but always with a kind of British crispness overlaid. When he goes folk, he looks west across the Atlantic, not over his shoulder at the Slavs. That keeps the piece dreamy, but reformist. The G Major is a special kind of synthesis of compositional strengths and will stay with you for some time (the Adagio presages a significant theme in Shosti's 8th St Qt). The playing is critical here, since the pieces, often gently romantic, might easily go mushy without the interpreter's respect. Maggini does it right. And those liner notes mention a Cello Concerto written for the composer's wife. Back to the shopping cart we go; in for a nickel . . .

The quartets of Ernest Moeran are immensely likable pieces of music: melodic, flowing, substantial, quintessentially British in a twentieth century way. And of course the Maggini Quartet, who specialize in British repertory, do a wonderful job with this music. Still, the Maggini's have some stiff competition here: The Vanbrugh Quartet, whose idiomatic survey of the quartets on ASV has as its discmates Moeran's Fantasy Quartet and Piano Trio, fine chamber music that listeners will want to have: Moeran: Chamber Music. On the other hand the Maggini's Naxos disc includes Moeran's string trio. The question is, which disc to buy - the Vanbrugh on ASV or the Maggini on Naxos? The answer for me is both, despite the duplication in music. The Fantasy Quartet, Piano Trio and String trio are all well worth having and the only way to get them is to buy both discs. If one wants to plunk for only one disc, however, I would go with the Vanbrugh's on ASV which contains 20 more minutes of highly delectable music. If price is a consideration, then the Maggini is the way to go - Amazon resellers currently offer discs at less than $4, a great bargain.Highly recommended!

The Anglo-Irish composer E.J. Moeran deserves to be better known. He wrote very fine orchestral music and, as this disc attests, composed excellent chamber works as well. The String Quartet in E flat major sounds to me like a mix of Ravel and Vaughan Williams, and a delightful combination that is -- ethereal at times, folksy at others. It's a two-movement work discovered in his papers after his death, a piece presumably written very early in his career. Moeran was in his late twenties when he composed the String Quartet in A minor, a three-movement work that is more in the English string tradition of the time: Fewer occasional glimpses across the waters and more concentration on native folk music. The Trio is to me a relatively subdued piece, rather quiet and somber much of the time, at least until the last portion of the final movement, when things noticeably pick up. I confess that I grew less fond of it over repeated hearings than I did the quartets, but those two quartets are more than enough to sell me on this disc. I recommend it wholeheartedly.

It's hard to imagine that these pieces have fairly languished unheard--- at least on American shores. A shame... until now. Those familiar with Moeran's contemporary, Frank Bridge, will no doubt spot his similar and subtle use of the British folk idiom throughout these works.The Eb Quartet is an early two movement work beautifully wrought and flavored by a very tangible English countryside. Delightful!The A Minor Quartet is a three movement affair that shows Moeran's remarkable compositional growth: he takes his innately pastoral writing to broader and deeper places. The second movement Andante is especially touching. (Amazing that this music was written in 1921 and, yet, its dominant characteristic retains a penchant for the romantic--- certainly Elgar was more "modern" at this time, interestingly enough.)The String Trio in G of 1931, in five movements, is an inventive, melodious and utterly delightful work. Again, special mention should be made of the beguiling Adagio... and the Andante grazioso finale.More well known for his orchestral works, we should thank Naxos for bringing these lovely chamber pieces to CD, in such fine performances by the Maggini Quartet and in a full, warm sound.[Running time: 59:23]

The earlier reviewers are right on -- this is first-rate early 20c British/Irish chamber music marvelously played!

Voici un autre compositeur anglais qui gagne à être découvert.vous découvrirez le côté un peu pastoral de l'époque.Une belle acquisition à bas prix.

Ernest John Moeran was a Norfolk lad of Anglo-Irish extraction, who studied with the great and good of early 20th century English classical music. These three pieces straddle the first world war, the trio being the latest, written in 1931.They are a revelation in terms of how to use and develop lyrical themes, often derived from lesser-known English folk tunes.If you like Delius, Frank Bridge, and maybe Vaughan Williams and Warlock too, you will be at home with Moeran's music. Happily, it works both as easy- and serious- listening.The players are outstanding, and the timbre of their 18th century instruments is a beautiful mix of mellow and bright, though never too bright.The recording is excellent, with just the right balance and reverb, great stereo definition, and plenty of fluid dynamic.A definite contender for my Desert Island!

I heard a track of this on Radio 3 and ordered it within ten minutes. I had never come across Moeran before but if you like other British composers such as Vaughn Williams this should appeal hugely.

Arrived on time,all is good,thanks !

I liked what I heard and now wish to hear more, especially his famous symphony in G Minor. Pity he died so relatively young and under somewhat mysterious circumstances. He could write very engaging music and I for one enjoyed these pieces.

Wonderful compositions well recorded and well played.

Thanks for good one.