WEB FLAC (tracks) – 691 Mb | MP3 CBR 320 kbps – 371 Mb | Digital booklet | 02:39:58Classical | Label: Chandos RecordsFor its very first recording on Chandos, the Arcadia String Quartet presents what has been at the very heart of its musical career and influences: the complete string quartets by Bartók.

With the music of the Hungarian composer, the members of this Romanian ensemble, neighbours of his birthplace, have won such major careershaping competitions as Osaka, the Wigmore Hall, and Hamburg.

Bartók’s attachment to the string quartet – as to no other genre – was to the keystone of the Viennese tradition, but with the aim of moving the medium out of its native city a little, into the countryside of alternative tonalities and rhythms.

The six mature works he wrote are being revealed here with all the singular patterns, mixed modalities, bitterness, lamentations, and, at times, bright folk influences which they contain.

Tracklist:01. String Quartet No. 1, Op. 7, Sz. 40: I. Lento02. String Quartet No. 1, Op. 7, Sz. 40: II. Poco a poco accelerando al allegretto03. String Quartet No. 1, Op. 7, Sz. 40: III. Introduzione. Allegro-Allegro vivace04. String Quartet No. 3, Sz. 85: Prima parte. Moderato05. String Quartet No. 3, Sz. 85: Seconda parte. Allegro06. String Quartet No. 3, Sz. 85: Ricapitolazione della prima parte. Moderato07. String Quartet No. 3, Sz. 85: Coda. Allegro molto08. String Quartet No. 5, Sz. 102: I. Allegro09. String Quartet No. 5, Sz. 102: II. Adagio molto10. String Quartet No. 5, Sz. 102: III. Scherzo. Alla bulgarese11. String Quartet No. 5, Sz. 102: IV. Andante12. String Quartet No. 5, Sz. 102: V. Finale. Allegro vivace13. String Quartet No. 2, Op. 17, Sz. 67: I. Moderato14. String Quartet No. 2, Op. 17, Sz. 67: II. Allegro molto capriccioso15. String Quartet No. 2, Op. 17, Sz. 67: III. Lento16. String Quartet No. 4, Sz. 91: I. Allegro17. String Quartet No. 4, Sz. 91: II. Prestissimo, con sordino18. String Quartet No. 4, Sz. 91: III. Non troppo lento19. String Quartet No. 4, Sz. 91: IV. Allegretto pizzicato20. String Quartet No. 4, Sz. 91: V. Allegro molto21. String Quartet No. 6, Sz. 114: I. Mesto-Più mosso, pesante-Vivace22. String Quartet No. 6, Sz. 114: II. Mesto-Marcia23. String Quartet No. 6, Sz. 114: III. Mesto-Burletta. Moderato24. String Quartet No. 6, Sz. 114: IV. Mesto