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Sending his beloved Clara Schumann the first three movements of his first Sextet, Brahms instructed her to "burn this rubbish" rather than bother sending the manuscript back: a typical gesture from this most self-critical of composers. Yet this product of a mere 27-year-old is one of the most beautiful works ever written for this instrumental combination. Most romantic composers preferred the conventional quartet; Brahms, never one to follow fashion, saw the rich possibilities in the extra two instruments. The Raphael Ensemble's recordings, deservedly re-released in remastered form as part of Hyperion's 20th-anniversary celebrations, revel in those possibilities. The ensemble's playing speaks with ardent directness and a complete lack of affectation; the sound runs the gamut from lusciousness to ethereality--the intertwined melodies in the second Sextet's last two movements are like fine threads drawn through the air. The original reviews of these 12-year-old recordings were unqualified praise, although their trademark restraint sometimes cramps the music's passion and tempi are at times too measured. No matter: this record still offers 74 minutes of ravishing beauty. --
Michael Church