Beethoven's String Quartets

[Spotted Horses]

Thanks David. I was leaning towards ABQ, and I love their Mozart quartets.

ABQ on EMI is not the same as the Mozart recordings on Teldec. Different viola. TThe me it sounds like a different ensemble.

There are actually two Beethoven sets on EMI, live and studio.

[Kalevala]

I've heard both. I much prefer Prazak, one of my favorite cycles while Ebene is... just okay. They don't have the rhythmic drive and complete mastery of every nuance of these quartets like Prazak Q has.

When roughly are the Prazak ones from as I know that they've been around in various iterations for a while.  I suspect that these are more recent ones.

K

[Que]

ABQ on EMI is not the same as the Mozart recordings on Teldec. Different viola. TThe me it sounds like a different ensemble.

Indeed!

[Mandryka]

Thanks David. I was leaning towards ABQ, and I love their Mozart quartets.

Try Quartetto di Cremona

[Jo498]

I think the different sound of the ABQ is at least partly because of EMI/digital/different engineerings and venue although the earliest EMI are still analogue recordings, incl. the middle and early Beethoven quartets. 1978 are the earliest middle Beethoven recordings, they probably recorded the last Mozart for Teldec less than a year before that.
Edit: The change from Beyerle to Kakuska (viola) took place before the late quartets, the 1980 recording of Schuberts D 887 is also still with Beyerle. There was another change on 2nd violin but this was earlier within the Teldec period.
(The longest time members Pichler, Schulz, Erben are all still alive, it seems.)
Anyway, I didn't hear these recordings until a year or two ago despite having liked their Mozart, Schubert, Berg, partly because I thought they'd be too "mainstream" to add much to the many recordings I already had. Then someone praised one particular quartet in their recording and when I looked for this I saw that I could get the whole bunch in the brown EMI box for 10 or 15 Euros (used like new), could not resist and was very positively surprised. They were simply among the best quartets of their time and although the level of playing has become extremely high in the 40 years since then they hold up very well.

[prémont]

Try Quartetto di Cremona

"Normally" I would consider it, but I already possess around forty complete sets, so I've reached my limit. Only a complete set featuring period instruments would catch my interest.

[Que]

"Normally" I would consider it, but I already possess around forty complete sets, so I've reached my limit. Only a complete set featuring period instruments would catch my interest.

QFT

[JBS]

"Normally" I would consider it, but I already possess around forty complete sets, so I've reached my limit. Only a complete set featuring period instruments would catch my interest.

I have considerably fewer than that* but I have enough that the price ($138 on Amazon) evaporates whatever interest I have.

*I reached that level of obsession only with Beethoven and Mahler symphonies, and even there my collecting has tapered off.

[Brian]

When roughly are the Prazak ones from as I know that they've been around in various iterations for a while.  I suspect that these are more recent ones.

K

My Prazak Beethoven SACD box has dates 1999-2003.

[Kalevala]

My Prazak Beethoven SACD box has dates 1999-2003.

Thanks! 

K

[George]

Thanks David. I was leaning towards ABQ, and I love their Mozart quartets.

Another vote here for ABQ. They are great and will complement what you have well

[Franco_Manitobain]

Another vote here for ABQ. They are great and will complement what you have well

Hi George, thank you. I did order the ABQ. I should be getting it this week. 

[Herman]

Anyway, I didn't hear these [ABQ] recordings until a year or two ago despite having liked their Mozart, Schubert, Berg, partly because I thought they'd be too "mainstream" to add much to the many recordings I already had. Then someone praised one particular quartet in their recording and when I looked for this I saw that I could get the whole bunch in the brown EMI box for 10 or 15 Euros (used like new), could not resist and was very positively surprised. They were simply among the best quartets of their time and although the level of playing has become extremely high in the 40 years since then they hold up very well.

Indeed, the ABQ's technical and musical level was dauntingly high. Sometimes it almost seemed as if things came just too easy for them...

[Peter Power Pop]

Another vote here for ABQ. They are great and will complement what you have well

And another. After listening to a variety* of recordings of the complete Beethoven quartets, the Alban Berg (this one) was by far my favourite.

(*The ones I listened to were the Alban Berg Quartett, Quartetto Italiano, Tokyo Quartet, and Quatuor Végh.)

[Herman]

(*The ones I listened to were the Alban Berg Quartett, Quartetto Italiano, Tokyo Quartet, and Quatuor Végh.)

(*The ones I listened to were the Alban Berg Quartett, Quartetto Italiano, Tokyo Quartet, and Quatuor Végh.)

Perhaps try some quartets of the currently performing generation next. Ebene, Prazak, Artemis. (though the latter group has disbanded)