"Bruch's two string quartets date from his youth. One rarely hears them today which is unjust as they are full of rich and effective melodies and are well-written in the style of the mid Romantic. To some extent, they resemble Mendelssohn's Op.44 quartets. The First Quartet dates from 1858. The first movement begins with an Andante introduction and leads to an Allegro ma non troppo with its energetic and powerful main theme. The lovely second subject is more lyrical. The second movement, Adagio, is a sweet song without words. A stormy scherzo, Allegro molto energetico, follows. Its contrasting trio section is based on a folk melody. The finale, Molto vivace, is a tarantella. Both of its themes are particularly fetching."
—Wilhelm Altmann writing in his Handbook for String Quartet Players
Max Bruch (1838-1920) enjoyed a long and fruitful career as a composer, conductor and teacher. He studied with Ferdinand Hiller and his talent was recognized early on by Schumann and Ignaz Moscheles. Today, Bruch is primarily remembered for his fine violin concertos and his choral works. However, as Altmann notes, his chamber music is beautiful and deserving of performance.
