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Piano Quintets

Gabrel Fauré (like Martinů, mentioned recently) is among the composers whose works I came to appreciate during my classical download binge of 2014/15. I became particularly fond of his two Piano Quartets and the first Piano Quintet.

The second Quintet, and the works of ths composer's old age in general (the String Quartet, the Piano Trio, etc.) strike me as a little florid and over-ripe by comparison. Having said that, it's been a while since I heard it: who knows, another airing may yet change my mind. The version I have of the quintets is this 2009 Naxos CD performed by the Fine Arts Quartet joined by pianist Cristina Ortiz. 

The first Quintet apparently had a very long gestation period, with some tentative first drafts made in 1887, but not completed until 1896, and not publicly performed until 1906. For all that, the piece has a seemingly spontaneous and natural flow which belies its difficult birth. The Adagio second movement is particularly lovely.

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