String Quartet in G D887:
Allegro molto moderato
Andante un poco moto
Scherzo Allegro vivace
Allegro assai
String Quartet op.3:
Langsam
Massige Viertel

Schubert’s late masterpiece for string quartet, his 15th and final quartet in G major D887, was composed in 1826. Although the first movement was performed at a Vienna Musikverein concert devoted to his music, he couldn’t find anyone to publish it. It displays an almost Beethovenian profundity, and is a dramatic departure from the two previous song-based quartets that had proved popular. The writing is assured and the harmonies audacious. It is a dark, rather introverted work, full of passionate outbursts and drama. Berg’s Quartet op.3 was premiered in 1911 towards the end of his studies with Schoenberg. It was badly received and baffled listeners and performers alike. Like the Schubert G major, it displays daring harmonies and a remarkable technical assurance. This CD is the Kuss Quartet’s debut on ONYX. They are regular performers at the Edinburgh and Salzburg festivals, and also perform regularly in New York, London and their home city of Berlin. Advertisements for this release will appear in BBC Music Magazine and Gramophone.The next project for the Kuss Quartet on ONYX is a programme of Russian miniatures for quartet for release in 2012.