Eduard Mrazek, Vienna Philharmonia Quintet - Bruckner: String Quintet / Schmidt: Piano Quintet (1991)

It takes a composer to know a composer. Robert Simpson's The Essence of Bruckner is still the seminal work on the man from Ansfelden. When his publishers reissued a new edition of the work, the Englishman heavily revised his chapter on the Third Symphony (he came out in favour of the version that was presented to Wagner); he also added a new chapter on Bruckner's String Quintet in F in recognition of its importance in the scheme of things.

Simpson was right on the money. Written between the Fifth and Sixth symphonies, the String Quintet is a major work. Bruckner followed Mozart rather than Schubert and Boccherini in his use of two violas and a cello. This is no "Elephant on a tricycle". Bruckner had already written a String Quartet in his formative years; here, he's surprisingly adept at funnelling his genius into the medium of chamber music. If you have gorged yourself on his Symphonies, Masses and Motets, here is more fuel for the fire. Commentators have long noted that Bruckner seems to be straining at the bit in the codas of the outer movements but the music is no worse off for that. Best of all is the long-breathed Adagio in G Flat Major: it is more pacific than a certain pond - and what a cello-line throughout!