Georg Druschetzky: Oboe Quartets

Although many composers have written chamber works including the oboe, few of them have themselves been oboists by trade. Not so with Czech composer Georg Druschetzky, whose career as performer and composer spanned some five decades. Heard on this Hungaraton CD are Druschetzky's four oboe quartets, scored for oboe, violin, viola, and cello. It should not be surprising that in this case, the oboe takes the place of the first violin and the remainder of the strings serve an almost exclusively accompanimental role. The works are stylistically akin to the early Haydn string quartets -- charming, graceful, and elegant. Oboist Lajos Lencses has devoted much of his career to the recording of oboe chamber music. His tone, though bright, is still sweet, quite controlled, and seemingly effortless. Despite Lencses consistent intonation throughout the album, the string players have difficulties matching pitch with him and even with each other. Articulation also does not match consistently, with Lencses preferring a shorter, crisper attack on short notes and the strings playing much more legato. As the strings are essentially accompanists in this instance, the burden of matching style and intonation completely rests with them. Their shortcomings, however, do not greatly detract from the otherwise enjoyable performance given by Lencses. ~ Mike Brownell, All Music Guide