Prisca Quartet — Mozart’s String Quartet No. 16 in E-flat Major, K. 428 (1935 Recording)

Description

overviewfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f

MOZART Quartet No. 16 in E flat, K.428
Recorded 24 April 1935, Raum VII (Lützowstraße 76), Berlin
Duration 33’26”

Hans Munch-Holland, cello
Carl Eugen Korner, viola
Will Smit, violin
Walter Prisca, violin

578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_titlefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_quotefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9review_bodyfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9main_samplefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fsamples/PACM017.mp3578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fProducer’s Note578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcontent578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f

Mozart’s third “Haydn Quartet” in a rare 1935 recording

Remastered for finest sound quality

Mozart’s string quartets were surprisingly neglected during the 78rpm era, and it was astonishing to find that this masterpiece from his series of six quartets dedicated to Haydn received almost no attention whatsoever. We managed to trace a 1912 recording of the third movement, and a later US recording (by the Busch Quartet) of the full work, but this rare use appears to be the first attempt to make available commercially Mozart’s 16th String Quartet.
The plot thickens when we try to find out more about the quartet and this recording, probably due to its heritage. An authoritative guide to British 78rpm releases states that Decca released no material in collaboration with the German Polydor label between 1933 and 1941, yet these discs are all stamped with the German mechanical copyright imprint, dated 1935, and it was from this alone that we were originally able to date the recording.
Of the Prisca Quartet, we know of Hans Munch-Holland from his involvement with Max Strub and the Strub Quartet – in particular his contribution to their recording of the Bruckner Quintet, remastered and reissued by Pristine Audio as PACM006. The Prisca Quartet also recorded Mozart’s 20th Quartet, K.499, as well as works by Haydn and Schubert, and the Bruckner Quintet with S. Meineke. We’ve also found mention of a recording of Verdi’s Quartet in E minor.
Beyond that the trail runs dry thus far. What I can say is that this is one of Mozart’s finest quartets, the playing and recording are both superb here, and those with a sharp ear will note the homage Mozart plays in the third movement to Haydn, basing his Minuet very closely indeed to the Scherzo in Haydn’s Quartet in E flat major, Op.33 No.2 (“Joke”), as released on Pristine Audio’s PACM013, The Haydn Quartet Society, Volume Three.

Andrew Rose

578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab1_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fFull Track Listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5ftrack_listing578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f

• MOZART Quartet No. 16 in E flat, K.428
  Recorded 24 April 1935, Raum VII (Lützowstraße 76), Berlin
  Issued in the UK as Decca “Polydor” Series DE.7036-DE.7039
  Matrix numbers: 2637gn, 2638½gn, 2639½gn, 2640gn, 2641½gn, 2642½gn, 2643½gn, 2644½gn.
  (Duration 33’26”)

Walter Prisca, violin
Will Smit, violin
Carl Eugen Korner, viola
Hans Munch-Holland, cello

578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab2_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_labelfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fCover Art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_typefb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcover_art578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_contentfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers/thumbs/PACM017.jpg578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_thumbnail2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_cover_download_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5fcovers/PACM017.pdf578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample1_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample2_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample3_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample4_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample5_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f578a9379d1e540bd96d26f03a79628d9tab3_sample6_s3_locationfb55cd020f0643f08418183279e63a5f

Explore more from our collection.