Bartok - The String Quartets

[luftpiano]

The Alban Berg Quartet is really good, I think. Not to mention its enticing price.

[San Antone]

BARTÓK String Quartets - Ragazze Quartet

The latest cycle I've got - and it is very good.  To quote Gramophone, "extremely well-focused and well recorded performances," in a review of Vol. 1.  Vol. 2 is just as good.

[staxomega]

BARTÓK String Quartets - Ragazze Quartet

The latest cycle I've got - and it is very good.  To quote Gramophone, "extremely well-focused and well recorded performances," in a review of Vol. 1.  Vol. 2 is just as good.

I have listened to their first disc of string quartets 1, 2 and 4 more than their new one, I quite liked it.

https://youtu.be/P_ff3hOYTXA

At 1:28 their cellist says "the string quartet is a medium that is easy to put all your... summarize everything as a composer that you've wanted to do and say". Not entirely clear if she means composers in general or just Bartok. Interesting observation, if it's the former I've always felt this way about string quartets in general as well.

[SonicMan46]

Reading back through this thread, absolutely amazing how many sets are available w/ quartets often re-recording! 

For me, just the Emersons and a Keller replacement, the Alexander SQ which also includes the Kodaly SQs on a total of 3 discs - for those interested or just getting into these works, reviews attached of the Alexanders (2 outstanding and 1 'mediocre' rating from AllMusic although the comments don't seem to warrant a 3/5*?).  Dave

 

[Mandryka]

Reading back through this thread, absolutely amazing how many sets are available w/ quartets often re-recording! 

For me, just the Emersons and a Keller replacement, the Alexander SQ which also includes the Kodaly SQs on a total of 3 discs - for those interested or just getting into these works, reviews attached of the Alexanders (2 outstanding and 1 'mediocre' rating from AllMusic although the comments don't seem to warrant a 3/5*?).  Dave

 

Ragazze!

[SonicMan46]

Ragazze!

Hi Mandryka - love the cover art below - but are the two discs packaged yet as a small set?  In the meantime, I'll take a listen on Spotify - seems to be the 'newest' recommendation on the block -    Dave

 

[Todd]

My current faves are Diotima, Ragazze, Takacs 2, and Tokyo 1.  Each sounds quite distinctive, showing that a lot of variation can be had in this music.

[George]

My current faves are Diotima, Ragazze, Takacs 2, and Tokyo 1.  Each sounds quite distinctive, showing that a lot of variation can be had in this music.

Which one is Takacs 2, Todd?

I have this one: https://www.amazon.com/Bart%C3%B3k-String-Quartets-Tak%C3%A1cs-Quartet/dp/B0000042GU

[amw]

Decca is Takács II (under Dusinberre) and Hungaroton is Takács I (under Takács-Nagy).

[George]

Decca is Takács II (under Dusinberre) and Hungaroton is Takács I (under Takács-Nagy).

Thanks

[Klaze]

Saw the Ragazze Q play all 6 quartets live today. Originally planned across 2 separate dates, one concert had to be rescheduled and they decided to play them all on one day. What a feat to perform, and amazing to hear and see. I snapped up the recording as well, happy to see they have been well received and not surprised based on this live performance

[SonicMan46]

Saw the Ragazze Q play all 6 quartets live today. Originally planned across 2 separate dates, one concert had to be rescheduled and they decided to play them all on one day. What a feat to perform, and amazing to hear and see. I snapped up the recording as well, happy to see they have been well received and not surprised based on this live performance

Thanks - must have been a great experience!    On Spotify, I listened to the Ragazze Quartet completely and also in a playlist of SQs 1 & 3 back-to-back w/ my two sets (Emersons & Alexanders, in a recent post above) - I can appreciate them all and am still happy w/ what I own, BUT if Channel Classics decides to package the two discs together in a double slim jewel box at a reduced price, then I'll certainly make a purchase.  Dave

[Karl Henning]

Saw the Ragazze Q play all 6 quartets live today. Originally planned across 2 separate dates, one concert had to be rescheduled and they decided to play them all on one day. What a feat to perform, and amazing to hear and see. I snapped up the recording as well, happy to see they have been well received and not surprised based on this live performance

Zowie!

[staxomega]

Saw the Ragazze Q play all 6 quartets live today. Originally planned across 2 separate dates, one concert had to be rescheduled and they decided to play them all on one day. What a feat to perform, and amazing to hear and see. I snapped up the recording as well, happy to see they have been well received and not surprised based on this live performance

That must have been great. I think they have the best complete cycle of this century, even possibly as good as Arcanto's stunning interpretation of string quartet 5 and definitely as fine as Arcanto in 6. I looked up where they are performing, and that is a lot of dates only in Netherlands

[Klaze]

Thanks - must have been a great experience!    On Spotify, I listened to the Ragazze Quartet completely and also in a playlist of SQs 1 & 3 back-to-back w/ my two sets (Emersons & Alexanders, in a recent post above) - I can appreciate them all and am still happy w/ what I own, BUT if Channel Classics decides to package the two discs together in a double slim jewel box at a reduced price, then I'll certainly make a purchase.  Dave

Hello Dave, yeah i hear you, I own Takacs, Juilliard (60's), Diotima, Keller, Hungarian Qt and the Emersons as well and whenever I listen to any of them, I'm enjoying the music, though my preference is for the first three groups i mentioned. So i didnt feel like i needed another set but I simply couldnt resist buying the Ragazze recordings at the concert. For your info, they were still sold as 2 separate digipacks with a wrapper around them in the same art-style. I'm not sure if Channel classics is in the habit of releasing budget versions, but you'll manage without them I'm sure

[Klaze]

Zowie!

Wowie zowie indeed, they even set up a small table with some rehearsal diaries and their own notes on the music and some papers on Bartok, which was a nice touch. They really put in a lot of effort and love that's for sure.

That must have been great. I think they have the best complete cycle of this century, even possibly as good as Arcanto's stunning interpretation of string quartet 5 and definitely as fine as Arcanto in 6. I looked up where they are performing, and that is a lot of dates only in Netherlands

Yeah that is unfortunate, and if i understood correctly they have been playing these quartets in different programs for years now and i think these concerts were the apotheosis so I'm not sure if they will be playing them in the near future? Will definitely check out the Arcanto recordings, thanks.

[staxomega]

If anyone happens to have Arditti Quartet's recording of the 4th String Quartet would you mind sending me a message? I can't find a way to sample this anywhere online. I guess Gramavision was a label that wasn't bought up by some other company that has their catalog on streaming? Couldn't even find this as a torrent.

edit: huge thanks to the forum member that sent me this!

[SurprisedByBeauty]

a cycle from Quarteto Classico and one from the Rudi Mahall Quartet (apart from 4.)

FYI, I have still not found anything suggesting that a "Quarteto Classico" ("Cuarteto Classico"?) exists. And about that "Rudi Mahall Quartett" (I find 1, 2, 5, 6 listed under their name; they all seem to stem from one source), I have my doubts as to whether there really ever was such a quartet or whether it's not some meta-data funk-up.

Bartok SQ4t Cycle Survey about to be finished!

Thanks once more for all the help I got here!!!

Cheers,

Jens

[SurprisedByBeauty]

It is done! (until it needs immediate updating, that is)

Only in the works (on and mostly off), for a few years, here's, at last, my grand #BartokStringQuartetCycleSurvey


"A Survey of Bartók String Quartet Cycles"

[Todd]

Nice list.  You may want to update the image for the Vermeer recording.