« The Telegraph »

Lontano (Distr. Warner Classics) 2564 69074-6

Valentin Berlinsky was the cellist who engendered and safeguarded the warm sound of the Borodin Quartet, which has occupied a central and revered place in the realm of chamber ensembles ever since its formation in the Forties.

Throughout its changes of personnel in the upper instruments, Berlinsky, who died in December last year only a month before his 84th birthday, was the one who guided it artistically and made sure that its personality was not unduly compromised. These performances of the clarinet quintets by Mozart and Brahms, recorded at the Moscow Conservatoire in January 2000, are testaments to his mellow tone, wisdom and discretion.

By Geoffrey Norris

Telegraph rating: * * *