Three Soviet composers including Banschikov, one of the most underrated outside Russia, but who wrote only one quartet alongside much vocal and opera. Basner wrote in all forms including symphonies, but as a violinist himself he composed five string quartets and formed a strong relationship with the legendary Taneyev Quartet, who perform the best two here.
“Without showy publicity or fanfare Northern Flowers/Alto have, over the years, built a very substantial catalogue of recordings. These originate from the St Petersburg Musical Archive. This entrant is made up of Russian quartets from the 1970s and 1980s. It is soundly recorded… The playing, carried by two quartets, is delivered cleanly and with unfaltering conviction.”
—Rob Barnett, MusicWeb International (see the review)
