Schubert: String Quintet, Quartet in G, Quartet in D minor

The Belcea Quartet has added three late masterpieces by Franz Schubert to their impressive discography on EMI Classics; the Quartet in D Minor 'Death and the Maiden', the Quartet in G Major D887 and the sublime Straing Quintet in C Major with Valentin Erben of the Alban Berg Quartet as the second cellist. The quartet has garnered various praises for their take on Schubert. The New York Times recently stated, "In the Belcea's account [of 'Death and the Maiden'] the worked seemed so formidable and emotionally complex that there was nothing more to say." With Valentin Erben, the Belcea Quartet's brilliant Schubert release cannot be ignored.

The Belcea Quartet has gained an enviable reputation as one of the leading quartets of the new generation, winning the Gramophone Award for Best Debut Recording in 2001. As exclusive EMI recording artists, their discography includes Schubert quartets, Brahms' String Quartet Op. 51, No. 1 and second String Quintet with Thomas Kakuska, and, most recently the complete Bartok quartets, for which the Quartet was awarded the title Chamber Music Ensemble of the Year by Germany's prestigious Echo Klassik Awards and nominated for a 2008 Gramophone Award.

"...Though barely older than Schubert at the time of his death, the Belcea players gave us playing and interpretation of the highest imaginable standard throughout this demanding program...String quartet playing at this phenomenally high level is a rare experience and one to treasure..." --Crosscut Seattle