Streichquintette = String Quintets = Quintettes À Cordes

Released in 1988 under the His Master's Voice Digital imprint, this recording captures the Alban Berg Quartett performing Mozart’s string quintets alongside violist Markus Wolf. The ensemble, renowned for their technical precision and analytical approach to the Classical repertoire, recorded these works as part of a broader project to document core chamber music masterworks. The production benefits from the late-1980s shift toward digital recording technology, which sought to highlight the interplay between the four string quartet members and the additional viola, a hallmark of Mozart’s rich textures in his K. 515 and K. 516 quintets.

The Alban Berg Quartett was instrumental in elevating the standards of mid-20th-century string quartet performance, emphasizing a blend of rigorous structural integrity and expressive warmth. By the time of this release, the ensemble had established itself as a premier authority on the Viennese canon. Critics and audiences of the era generally praised the recording for its clarity and the nuanced, conversational style of the playing, noting the seamless integration of Markus Wolf into the established chemistry of the group.