Recorded in April 1971, but evidently not released until 1978, these performances sound as fresh and spontaneous as ever. If the pianist plays Mozart in a somewhat Chopinesque fashion and the string players sound Dvo?áksy if not downright Brahmsische, the effect is nevertheless charming. First and foremost these performances are spirited, poised, elegant, and ideally musical. I enjoyed the RCA LP for years, and now, surface noise departed and dynamics solidifed, I enjoy the CD even more.
My first recording of these Mozartean masterpieces was a monophonie London LP featuring Clifford Curzon and members of the Amadeus Quartet, which is now available on a music-packed mid-priced London CD. Among recent, “all-digital“ CD releases I have especially enjoyed the Denon recording with Jacques Rouvier and the Mozart String Trio, and the Beaux Arts Trio with violisi Bruno Giuranna on Philips. There are “authentic-instruments“ performances on Deutsche Grammophon, Saydisc, and Smithsonian Collections; they may all be outstanding, but I can only recommend the DG, with Malcolm Bilson and colleagues, from personal knowledge.
But excellent as many other recordings certainly are, the Rubinstein-Guarneri collaboration is excellent in a very special way, and therefore most enthusiastically recommended, especially to fans of the performers.
-- Robert McColley, FANFARE [5/1991] reviewing the quartets, previously reissued as RCA 60406
