The accounts of the Razumovsky quartets from the Guarneri foursome, recorded in 1991-92, are bold, dramatic, and sharply profiled. There is a refreshing sense of...

The accounts of the Razumovsky quartets from the Guarneri foursome, recorded in 1991-92, are bold, dramatic, and sharply profiled. There is a refreshing sense of immediacy to the group’s playing, particularly in their dynamic, emotionally charged reading of the F major quartet. First violinist Arnold Steinhardt’s intense yet sweet-toned lyricism is irresistible, as is the momentum the Guarneri players impart to the finales of all three quartets. – Ted Libbey, author of The NPR Guide to Building a Classical CD Collection