Beethoven's String Quartets

[Todd]

I came across what looks to be another Asian market cycle in the making: The Excelsior Quartet.  Their site lists Opp 59, 127, and 135, and a new release with the Op 18 quartets is slated for release in Japan in the next month or two.  Maybe they stop at eleven quartets.

[Jo498]

Did Michel Bernstein have anything to do with the original Calliope recordings by the Talich? I don't think so. The stereo Vegh qt. was on Bernstein's label Valois, though. Probably you are thinking of that one. The Calliope founder was Jacques Le Calvé (I had to look this up).
I have a single disc but while still unter Calliope it is also re-issue and has only a brief text. It contains op.59/1 and 74 and it is very good although fairly relaxed, more intense in the slow movements.
I think I was less fond of another one but this was 25 years ago and I am not even sure which one it was, probably op.59/2 +130, or one incl. op.59/3.

[André]

Opinions on this set of the late quartets ?

[kishnevi]

Opinions on this set of the late quartets ?

From what I remember, rather middle of the road.
The complete cycle is available as a Sony cheapie budget set, so if you get it,  I would suggest that.

[Mandryka]

Opinions on this set of the late quartets ?

It's revelatory for its restrained, elegant, lyrical, beautiful, polished, refined and delicate vision of late Beethoven.

[Baron Scarpia]

It's revelatory for its restrained, elegant, lyrical, beautiful, polished, refined and delicate vision of late Beethoven.

Seven adjectives. Must be something to hear.

[Daverz]

Opinions on this set of the late quartets ?

Beautifully played.  You can find it on Amazon for a little more than $10 plus shipping.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B008BOWG7C/ref=sr_1_1_olp?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1517814328&sr=1-1&keywords=tokyo+string+quartet+beethoven

[André]

Thanks, guys !

Actually, besides my admiration for the Tokyos, there is a cost factor: it's 7.61$ on Amazon prime (free shipping). But there's only one set available, so I'd better act fast !

[Jo498]

There is also a complete reissue of these Tokyo SQ recordings incl. the string quintet as a cheap "white box", probably the most economical option:

[asin]B008BOWG7C[/asin]

[Mandryka]

Seven adjectives. Must be something to hear.

Eight

revelatory
restrained
elegant
lyrical
beautiful
polished
refined
delicate

[André]

There is also a complete reissue of these Tokyo SQ recordings incl. the string quintet as a cheap "white box", probably the most economical option:

[asin]B008BOWG7C[/asin]

I know, but I'm not in the market for op 18 and I have other sets/singles for the middle quartets.

[Herman]

Eight

revelatory
restrained
elegant
lyrical
beautiful
polished
refined
delicate

The thing is: are the 'restrained,' 'elegant,' 'refined' and 'delicate' really things LvB was asking for?

[Baron Scarpia]

Eight

revelatory
restrained
elegant
lyrical
beautiful
polished
refined
delicate

Granted, but I was only counting up adjectives modifying "vision."

[Mandryka]

The thing is: are the 'restrained,' 'elegant,' 'refined' and 'delicate' really things LvB was asking for?

I have no idea. In the late quartets at least, it's not obvious to me that he wasn't, with the exception possibly of op 133 and some moments of parody and comedy. That's to say, the Tokyo approach isn't inconsistent with Beethoven's ideas as transmitted as far as I know. It's probably as "valid" an approach as (e g) the Juilliard's aggressive style. But I could well be wrong, maybe someone's studied the question. I'd have to see how well Tokyo deal with parody in (eg) op 130/v-- my memory is that their op 130 is very good, but I'd have to check. I'd also like to hear again what they do with 132/ii.

Mosaiques sound different of course, but I wonder if in some fundamental sense they have a similar conception of what late Beethoven was up to.

[vers la flamme]

Bump. I have been listening to some Beethoven quartets lately, mostly the Kodály Quartet on Naxos, who are very, very good in op.130, op.131 and op.135 (but that's all I've heard) and the Colorado String Quartet. I got their set on MP3 for extremely cheap, $1 I think, but the performances are actually quite good. But I'm thinking of branching out and getting a second complete set.

A couple have piqued my interest: the Belcea Quartet, the Alban Berg Quartet, the Takács Quartet (though they have been eliminated from the running on account of their set being too expensive), the Hungarian Quartet. Just trying to sample all these (and the others) here and there to decide which one is for me, which is a delicate balance while trying also not to become extremely sick of the music. 

Who all has been listening to the Beethoven SQs lately?

[Ratliff]

I've been listening to the Endellion Quartet recently, which is very fine. Probably the Vermeer Quartet remains my favorite set.

[JBS]

Quartetto Italiano, followed by Endellion and Guarnieri

I would actually have suggested Takacs if you hadn't mentioned its price.

[Brian]

Endellion is really distinctive, rough and ready and gutsy and occasionally not technically perfect. Love the inclusion of the alternative version of No. 1.

[amw]

I think my favourite sets at the moment are the Leipzig and Auryn Quartets (but neither is cheap) and also the Juilliard 1960s and Emerson Quartets (the former just cheaply reissued, the latter probably still cheap). I'm allowed to have 4 favourites, I'm a very normal person.

The Belcea Quartet is also very good and used to be my overall favourite, but tastes have changed. I also like the Hungarian Quartet but if anything prefer their stereo remake to the mono original.

[JBS]

I have the Juilliard in my To Be Listened To pile.
And I just ordered the Talich.

The Takacs is available in three smaller sets (Early, Middle, Late) for about $90. That's the way I have them: multi CD sets in jewel boxes.  I don't consider that an unreasonable price, but I recognize it may not fit into the budget.