Beethoven Op.18 (Poll)

[Peregrine]

Aside from my perenial favourites - the Juilliard SQ, I've always quite liked the Italian SQ in these early quartets.

[snyprrr]

Well, interest here seems to have crested. So far, the Vegh and QItaliano, as the usual suspects, lead the pack, with the Mosaiques not far behind. The Lindsays, ABQ, and Emerson are shutouts.

I had really had my eye on the ABQ's second, "live" recording ($13), but I broke down and got the Suske/Berlin set for only $7.99, just to have sooomething to listen to. I haven't gotten it yet, but the reviews I managed to find all pretty much said that the Suske was in the Talich camp of playing, but perhaps with better technical command. And the recordings are from the 70s, so it comes from the pre-superstar era (apparently the East German LPs had a very opaque surface that the cd remastering has lifted to reveal a decent recording).

Apparently, no one I've asked has actually heard these performances, so, I'm hoping for the best (though, how will I know, having not really heard these pieces, or having any comparisons handy?).

[Jo498]

I have two of the Mosaiques which are way too slow (actually of the Mosaiques recordings I have heard these are almost the only really disappointing ones). The complete sets by the HIP quartets Turner and Smithsonian are much better, among my favorites. The Hagen's are good in #1 and #4. I think I also liked the '60ties Juilliard in this opus, but I would have to check my other recordings of the music. With the cheapo reissue of the Smithsonian Quartet on harmonia mundi this would be my first recommendation for those liking period instruments.

[Pat B]

With the cheapo reissue of the Smithsonian Quartet on harmonia mundi this would be my first recommendation for those liking period instruments.

The Smithsons are my favorite of the op. 18 sets I've heard. They've been issued several times.

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[Gurn Blanston]

The Smithsons are my favorite of the op. 18 sets I've heard. They've been issued several times.

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Mine too. I have the middle box.

[Gurn Blanston]

Mine too. I have the middle box.

Oh, and I have the bottom one too. I wonder how that happened? 

[Gurn Blanston]

I have two of the Mosaiques which are way too slow (actually of the Mosaiques recordings I have heard these are almost the only really disappointing ones). The complete sets by the HIP quartets Turner and Smithsonian are much better, among my favorites. The Hagen's are good in #1 and #4. I think I also liked the '60ties Juilliard in this opus, but I would have to check my other recordings of the music. With the cheapo reissue of the Smithsonian Quartet on harmonia mundi this would be my first recommendation for those liking period instruments.

Completely agree about the Mosaiques. I wonder what they were thinking? 

I have the Turner's Op 59, I have never seen their Op 18, but I would certainly like it, I'm sure. Too bad they have been so hard to find.

[Mandryka]

Completely agree about the Mosaiques. I wonder what they were thinking? 

I have the Turner's Op 59, I have never seen their Op 18, but I would certainly like it, I'm sure. Too bad they have been so hard to find.

I have both Turner sets and I can say that I find the op 59 more interesting because it's less conventional.

[Gurn Blanston]

I have both Turner sets and I can say that I find the op 59 more interesting because it's less conventional.

Ah, interesting. I liked their go at Op 59, it is quite ambitious.