I was privileged to know John Dalley when I was a young man. I watched him flip labor day burgers minutes before heading to the airport for Prague. He told me how more practice was needed as he became older. I remember he thought all babies were beautiful. I watched him play basketball with his son , I was inspired by him and went on to enjoy some accomplishment in my singing career in no small part because the most brilliant musician I knew was a man to look up to without his violin and great confidence comes with that.
Over a year ago, I promised myself to listen to most (if not all) of Brahms' compositions. It's an arduous task, not because the music is anything but lovely, but because I haven't heard SO MANY of them yet. He was a prolific composer, but my effort is well-rewarded . This one and Op. 26 are completely new to me, and are truly delightful. I wish both Brahms & Schumann had written more of everything--they are the overshadowed geniuses, I feel.
I'm not sure I've ever heard as good a performance of anything. The "petit phrase" at the end of the Andante was effortlessly heartbreaking and the whirlwind of the Rondo all Zingarese/Presto, soul-stirring!
These musicians played a very clever trick on me. In the first two movements they seemed to be creating an almost-too-gentle approach, but the third movement smoldered and the fourth movement just burst with passion. You can learn from a performance like this.
One of the rare times you can hear John Dalley play 1st -- this was probably filmed during the two year period Steinhardt was recovering from his surgery and unable to play. It gives good insight into the Guarneri's violin sound. Also helps you hear why Dalley was such a great match for Steinhardt -- lots of similarities in the the sound they produced -- even though their technique was very different. Dalley had soloist technique but but was probably born to be a chamber player -- he's so precise and every single gesture is within the space of the quartet. Terrific performance! When the Guarneris recorded the Brahms piano quartets with Artur Rubinstein in the mid-60s (a recording still in print), Dalley plays 1st on one of them, but I'm not sure which one...
Thank you for your comment, Tom boyer. As piano quartets have only one violin, John Dalley is not playing first, but the "only" violin. He also recorded this Brahms quartet and the second (A major, op 26), with Rubinstein. Steinhardt played the third, op 60. They also recorded the two Mozart piano quartets (Dalley), the Faure Nº 1 (Dalley), the Dvorak Nº 2 (Steinhardt), and several piano quintets. So there´s a lot played by Dalley. There is also a great recording of the three string quartets by Arriaga featuring Dalley on the first violin and Steinhardt on second! I´ve heard them playing this way one of the late Mozart quartets, and they were amazing, since John Dalley is a truly great violinist. Indeed, his sound was probably bigger than Steinhardt´s more soft grained one. Steinhardt was off by 1993, i guess this video is earlier. That year they played as a string trio and piano quartets whit guest pianist Seymour Lipkin. I attendend their concert at Teatro Colon that year... unforgettable!!!
@@ergo322 I like what the Emerson does with switching up violin parts between Drucker and Setzer. Daley certainly could’ve also been a great first violinist with a quartet.
Good Mikhail Rudy you get the Guarneri Quartet to a New Level Deep Viola Good Cello Good Vibrato John Keep it up until 2 People Died after That Hope to Hear this Quartet in Heaven
Seems to me a rather heavy-handed interpretation. Most of the time it sounds like they're trying to get to the end and get out before the pub shuts, while the piano tries to drown everyone else out. It is without the sensitivity I have heard in other performances and the melodies were trampled to death in the stampede.
I was privileged to know John Dalley when I was a young man. I watched him flip labor day burgers minutes before heading to the airport for Prague. He told me how more practice was needed as he became older. I remember he thought all babies were beautiful. I watched him play basketball with his son , I was inspired by him and went on to enjoy some accomplishment in my singing career in no small part because the most brilliant musician I knew was a man to look up to without his violin and great confidence comes with that.
Mark Murphy I knew the Dalley family at National Music Camp at Interlochen, michigan. His sister was a cellist.
he/they were also born again Christian which might explain his remarkable character
My teacher ❤️
Over a year ago, I promised myself to listen to most (if not all) of Brahms' compositions. It's an arduous task, not because the music is anything but lovely, but because I haven't heard SO MANY of them yet. He was a prolific composer, but my effort is well-rewarded . This one and Op. 26 are completely new to me, and are truly delightful. I wish both Brahms & Schumann had written more of everything--they are the overshadowed geniuses, I feel.
I'm not sure I've ever heard as good a performance of anything. The "petit phrase" at the end of the Andante was effortlessly heartbreaking and the whirlwind of the Rondo all Zingarese/Presto, soul-stirring!
well there's another reason why guarneri quartet is so great - their second violinist is absolutely fantastic!
Dalley = stud. To compliment Steinhardt so well.... such a treat. But I never knew about this performance. So fantastic.
and his bow creations/making is also world class
Amazing❤
Un superbe concert, une grande interprétation !
Magnificent work of art
These musicians played a very clever trick on me. In the first two movements they seemed to be creating an almost-too-gentle approach, but the third movement smoldered and the fourth movement just burst with passion. You can learn from a performance like this.
AMEN.
Thank you for uploading this - this is rare. Thank you!!!
Awesome musicians
One of the rare times you can hear John Dalley play 1st -- this was probably filmed during the two year period Steinhardt was recovering from his surgery and unable to play. It gives good insight into the Guarneri's violin sound. Also helps you hear why Dalley was such a great match for Steinhardt -- lots of similarities in the the sound they produced -- even though their technique was very different. Dalley had soloist technique but but was probably born to be a chamber player -- he's so precise and every single gesture is within the space of the quartet. Terrific performance!
When the Guarneris recorded the Brahms piano quartets with Artur Rubinstein in the mid-60s (a recording still in print), Dalley plays 1st on one of them, but I'm not sure which one...
Thank you for your comment, Tom boyer. As piano quartets have only one violin, John Dalley is not playing first, but the "only" violin. He also recorded this Brahms quartet and the second (A major, op 26), with Rubinstein. Steinhardt played the third, op 60. They also recorded the two Mozart piano quartets (Dalley), the Faure Nº 1 (Dalley), the Dvorak Nº 2 (Steinhardt), and several piano quintets. So there´s a lot played by Dalley. There is also a great recording of the three string quartets by Arriaga featuring Dalley on the first violin and Steinhardt on second! I´ve heard them playing this way one of the late Mozart quartets, and they were amazing, since John Dalley is a truly great violinist. Indeed, his sound was probably bigger than Steinhardt´s more soft grained one. Steinhardt was off by 1993, i guess this video is earlier. That year they played as a string trio and piano quartets whit guest pianist Seymour Lipkin. I attendend their concert at Teatro Colon that year... unforgettable!!!
IIRC, it was standard in the Guarneri for Dalley to be the (only) violinist in pieces that required only one
he sounds better than Steinhardt imo
@@ergo322 I like what the Emerson does with switching up violin parts between Drucker and Setzer. Daley certainly could’ve also been a great first violinist with a quartet.
timeless beauty
❤❤❤❤ Guarneri Quartet e...
❤Brahms
These melodies transports me to the oniric world
Arnold Schönberg considérait ce Quatuor comme étant la 5° Symphonie de Brahms. Il en fit d'ailleurs, une remarquable version pour Orchestre.
John Dalley...knew him anyway he's a great 1at violinist.....
is there a 'technical' term for the 'choppy' par that starts at 31:05? it fascinates me
What a pity at 4:08 there is a slight skip - a wonderful performance and a treasure nonetheless.
Good Mikhail Rudy you get the Guarneri Quartet to a New Level Deep Viola Good Cello Good Vibrato John Keep it up until 2 People Died after That Hope to Hear this Quartet in Heaven
There's a glitch in the video at 4:09. It suddenly jumps.
Also at 12:27
Which year? @Ornatirules
Why there is only one violin? Was that what Brahms intended?
Is there a way that the skip at 4:08 can be fixed??? Thank you!
YES! And another one around 12:30. Please, because this is an amazing performance.
Es bastante común que los grandes cuartetos tengan en su formación excelentes segundos violines,incluso de sonoridades más finas que le primero.
Gad....these fellers here sure understood't how to play them fiddles and a pianino...groooooossssssartig....
Seems to me a rather heavy-handed interpretation. Most of the time it sounds like they're trying to get to the end and get out before the pub shuts, while the piano tries to drown everyone else out. It is without the sensitivity I have heard in other performances and the melodies were trampled to death in the stampede.