Composer
Mieczyslaw Weinberg
proudly proclaimed himself a disciple of
Shostakovich
, who reciprocated by saving
Weinberg
from one of
Stalin
's purges. However, as listeners realize that
was more than just a
clone, his works have been receiving more attention. This release, offering works from the early and late parts of
's career, is part of a complete cycle in progress from the
Arcadia Quartet
, and the performances thus far have been very strong. The
Arcadia
hones in nicely on the differences between
and
. In the
String Quartet No. 4
, premiered in early 1945, it is the mood that is most
-like, more so than the structure. The work has clear resonances of wartime experiences, and though a Soviet commentator quoted in the booklet likens the finale to recollections of a happy childhood, it is a happiness that dissolves, trying to reconstitute itself through resolute contrapuntal gestures but failing. The downbeat quality reminds one of
's mentor, but the methods of achieving it are different. The
String Quartet No. 16
, from 1981, is perhaps a less successful work, but it seeks to merge folk and modernist influences in a manner different from anything
tried, and listeners' reactions may vary. The
captures the essentially Romantic nature of
's music, again different from the often acrid
, in fine, long-breathed performances, and throughout, this is chamber playing at a very high level. Further releases in the
's series will be impatiently awaited by listeners who put this one on classical best-seller charts in the spring of 2023. ~ James Manheim