Bene: Smycov kvartety komplet – CD

This CD presents Josef Benes complete string quartets: String Quartet No. 1 in G major, Op. 28, and String Quartet No. 2 in F major, Op. 30, performed by the Martin Quartet. Remembered in his day as a violin virtuoso and outstanding teacher, Bene held prestigious positions in Ljubljana and Vienna and met N. Paganini and A. Rolla during a concert tour of Italy. His two string quartets, published in 1865 and 1871, conclude his surviving compositional legacy and require highly accomplished players. The Martin Quartet, which has previously helped rediscover neglected works by S. Taneyev and P. Eben, brings these quartets to life, apparently for the first time in 150 years, giving Benes long-forgotten music the opportunity to be heard again.