Andrew Clements
The Guardian
April 2014

While the Takács work their way through the core chamber repertoire for Hyperion, the Goldner, the other great quartet on the label’s books, explores its fringes, often in partnership with pianist Piers Lane. Gabriel Pierné (1863-1937) and Louis Vierne (1870-1937) may be familiar names from 20th-century music, but with the exception of Vierne’s organ pieces, their works are little known now. Both were pupils of César Franck whose music left a permanent imprint on their work—leavened by other influences in Pierné’s Piano Quintet from 1916. It’s a substantial work, and a bit long-winded, but it’s scored with subtlety. Vierne’s D minor String Quartet is just over half as long; it’s equally civilised, with elements of late Beethoven, but it’s unmemorable. The quality of the playing does make the disc worthwhile, though. The Goldner weigh every chord to perfection, and make the textures utterly transparent, while their partnership with Lane in the quintet is exemplary.

The Guardian