Beethoven's String Quartets

[Parsifal]

I believe that's the Orford.

Orford, there's such a thing? I stand corrected.

[Parsifal]

There's a Port Orford, Oregon.  I doubt the quartet is named after that town.

There was a LaSalle street near where I lived. Turns out the LaSalle quartet was named after that street. Go figure.

[Todd]

Deleted the prior post because it turns out the Orford are Canadian, and it appears they are named after Orford, Quebec.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

There was a LaSalle street near where I lived. Turns out the LaSalle quartet was named after that street. Go figure.

Thanks for clearing up the Oxford thing. There was a string quartet by that name at one point, but they didn't seem to have recorded a cycle. (And there is one now, by that name, and they definitely haven't.) Orford is on my radar. Myself, I'm listening to the Vermeer cycle, finally, well after having acquired it. Struggling, like so many others, in some of the densest late writing -- but VERY good in op.127 and definitely up to snuff in the middle quartets, which is where I have worked my way to by now, going backwards.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

I've completed my most ambitious discography to-date:


A Survey of Beethoven String Quartet Cycles

http://ionarts.blogspot.com/2017/09/a-survey-of-beethoven-string-quartet.html

A heck of a lot of work -- and VERY appreciative of any corrections and additions! (Todd!?!)

[Parsifal]

Two things.

You have listed the Brilliant Classics release of the Guarneri Quartet's Beethoven cycle with their first cycle. In fact it is a reissue of the later cycle recorded for Philips.

For the Italiano Quartet, you show the new release in the "Originals" series and the older clamshell box. It is also available in a the Complete Quartetto Italiano edition.

[asin]B013L20N4G[/asin]


...and I just noticed that the Artemis set (which I have but have not had time to listen to) omits the alternate finale of Op 130. Anyone with a U.S. address want this turd?  I will send it free of charge.

[Todd]

Unless I missed it, the Voces String Quartet cycle appears to be absent. 

Also, for the Colorado, it might be worth including the Musical Concepts download at Amazon for $0.99 for the set. 

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Two things.

You have listed the Brilliant Classics release of the Guarneri Quartet's Beethoven cycle with their first cycle. In fact it is a reissue of the later cycle recorded for Philips.


...and I just noticed that the Artemis set (which I have but have not had time to listen to) omits the alternate finale of Op 130. Anyone with a U.S. address want this turd?  I will send it free of charge.

That's a harsh stance on a quartet following LvB's initial intentions. (Re: Artemis)

Really? Is the Brilliant re-release the Decca/Philips issue? I used to think so, and then somehow have come to consider it their first. That's good to know. (Any way I can check up on it? YES... I think it's part of my Brilliant LvB Box. That should do the trick. In any case, THANK YOU.

The Italian catch-all box I am not inclined to include, simply because I don't like catch-all boxes and I'd have to start a whole new line just for it. But I should make mention of it in the comments -- and will.

Unless I missed it, the Voces String Quartet cycle appears to be absent. 

Also, for the Colorado, it might be worth including the Musical Concepts download at Amazon for $0.99 for the set. 

Same to you... Thanks! I'm hunting down information on the VOCES SQ4t at once. [Actually, I can't find any, on first searches. Could you help out with any link/info?]

[Parsifal]

That's a harsh stance on a quartet following LvB's initial intentions. (Re: Artemis)

Honoring LvB's original intentions is fine. But completely omitting a string quartet movement that Beethoven wrote during his mature period (and arguably ignoring his final intentions) is not fine in my book.

Really? Is the Brilliant re-release the Decca/Philips issue? I used to think so, and then somehow have come to consider it their first. That's good to know. (Any way I can check up on it? YES... I think it's part of my Brilliant LvB Box. That should do the trick. In any case, THANK YOU.

I don't have access to the box at the moment (it's in a storage unit in another town) but since I have a long record of mis-remembering things I tried to check. The best I came up with a listing on Amazon describes the set as DDD. If that is accurate it must be the Philips set, since the RCA set was done in the 60's and couldn't be DDD. Also, this listing identifies it as the Philips set.

http://www.allmusic.com/album/beethoven-string-quartets-mw0001564355

The Italian catch-all box I am not inclined to include, simply because I don't like catch-all boxes and I'd have to start a whole new line just for it. But I should make mention of it in the comments -- and will.

Fair enough, but some of your readers might like catch-all boxes.

[Todd]

Actually, I can't find any, on first searches. Could you help out with any link/info?

HMV Japan

[André]

Deleted the prior post because it turns out the Orford are Canadian, and it appears they are named after Orford, Quebec.

Yes. Active 1965-1991. Quartet in residence at the Orford Music Festival. Resurrected as the New Orford String Quartet. Toronto Symphony's concertmaster Jonathan Crow is its current first violinist.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Edit All suggested additions & edits made. Thanks once more for the keen eyes.

Out of curiosity, Todd: How did you ever hear about the Voces' LvB Cycle? That doesn't seem something one just stumbles about except, perhaps, in Romania... Do they have a pocket of fame? I didn't even make the association the Arriaga recording of them I have.

HMV Japan

Got it! Thanks.

I don't have access to the box at the moment (it's in a storage unit in another town) but since I have a long record of mis-remembering things I tried to check. The best I came up with a listing on Amazon describes the set as DDD. If that is accurate it must be the Philips set, since the RCA set was done in the 60's and couldn't be DDD. Also, this listing identifies it as the Philips set.

http://www.allmusic.com/album/beethoven-string-quartets-mw0001564355

Got it. Will check with my set and make the changes necessary.

[Todd]

Out of curiosity, Todd: How did you ever hear about the Voces' LvB Cycle?

I routinely peruse Japanese and other Asian retail sites for obscure recordings of core rep, particularly of Beethoven.

[kishnevi]

Honoring LvB's original intentions is fine. But completely omitting a string quartet movement that Beethoven wrote during his mature period (and arguably ignoring his final intentions) is not fine in my book.

I've always understood the substitute finale to have been a necessary concession to his audience. Still it would be nice to include both and allow the listener to choose for themself.

[kishnevi]

Discography note

The Artemis cycle was originally issued as individual CDs, one installment being a double CD,  with no attempt at chronological order.

The Belcea cycle was originally issued as two digipaks of 4 CDs each.

The Emerson Late Quartets were once issued in DG's Trio series.

I have no idea what current availability is for any of them.

[Jo498]

The Artemis single issues were not complete. I remember people being quite angry that they had to buy the box if they wanted op.74 (I think) because this had not been issued as a single or double.
The original issue of the Emerson was a 7-disc-box. Somewhat later came a double with the middle quartets in DG's Beethoven edition and a little after that the Trio with the late quartets as well as a single with op.132 and another one in the "DG century". The middle quartets have since then appeared in the "Duo" series and the whole box in the "postage stamp" series as well as in the Emerson DG omnibus box.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

Discography note

The Artemis cycle was originally issued as individual CDs, one installment being a double CD,  with no attempt at chronological order.

The Belcea cycle was originally issued as two digipaks of 4 CDs each.

The Emerson Late Quartets were once issued in DG's Trio series.

I have no idea what current availability is for any of them.

Dear Jeffrey,

thanks for that. For reasons of keeping the survey clear and navigable, I don't list every individ. installment of every cycle that's out there, unless a complete set cannot reasonably be gotten by.
I know there are a few exceptions, but really only where it's 1 set + 3 subsets (fitting neatly across one row) and/or if I recommend one part of that cycle, but not the whole. (Alexander II)

But thanks for the keen eyes!

The Artemis single issues were not complete. I remember people being quite angry ...

I remember that, too. That was a stupid move -- if it was intentional at all, which I almost doubt -- on Virgin's part.

[Florestan]

I routinely peruse Japanese and other Asian retail sites for obscure recordings of core rep, particularly of Beethoven.

I've been attending the Voces Quartet live concerts for years now (the original violist died a few years ago and was replaced). The play mostly Haydn, with some Mozart tossed in for variation. This is not a criticism, mind you, just an observation. Their playing is no-nonsense, poised and beautiful. Their personae are unassuming, gentle and humorous. They always offer an encore. Trully classical types, I'd say.

Oh, and another observation: the hall is (sometimes much) less than half-empty at their concerts than at the concerts of the Romanian NRSO, the latter being almost full. Yet, they never deliver anything else than obviously committed performances.

EDIT: I'd be greatly interested in your review of their Beethoven cycle, if and when you plan to listen to it.

[SurprisedByBeauty]

I've been attending the Voces Quartet live concerts for years now (the original violist died a few years ago and was replaced). The play mostly Haydn, with some Mozart tossed in for variation. This is not a criticism, mind you, just an observation. Their playing is no-nonsense, poised and beautiful. Their personae are unassuming, gentle and humorous. They always offer an encore. Trully classical types, I'd say.

Oh, and another observation: the hall is (sometimes much) less than half-empty at their concerts than at the concerts of the Romanian NRSO, the latter being almost full. Yet, they never deliver anything else than obviously committed performances.

EDIT: I'd be greatly interested in your review of their Beethoven cycle, if and when you plan to listen to it.

Chamber music recitals are hard to fill... in Bucharest just as much as in Vienna. Only a few cities seem to be real chamber music cities; Washington D.C. comes to mind, which was an awesome dozen years of amazing concerts and amazing audiences.

I'm afraid I won't likely be listening to that cycle, since it's low on priority and high in expense. But perhaps Todd will give us a review if he has it or plans on getting it.

[Florestan]

Chamber music recitals are hard to fill... in Bucharest just as much as in Vienna.

I don't know about Vienna, but in Bucharest a chamber music recital will fill somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 hall --- and it's a pitty, because more often than not they're better than the symphonic ones, at least for my ears. But then again, 75% of my listening time is devoted to chamber music so I might perhaps be biased.

perhaps Todd will give us a review if he has it or plans on getting it.

My thoughts exactly.