Beethoven's String Quartets

[Scarpia]

Okay...I don't really hate you...but I am jealous. Mine was considerably more expensive.

Sarge

Well, look on the bright side.  At least you seem to have time to listen to yours. 

[bwv 1080]

I hate you.

Sarge

Got that beat, downloading it at no charge right now under my all-you-can-eat Zune pass

timely discussion, had been looking for a new recording (have cleveland, guaneri & julliard)

[snyprrr]

Yea, I just saw it for cheap too.

Sarge, tell me about their 130. Anything special to report?



I've been listening to some of the Suske Late, and,...oh, this should warm Herman's cockles!,... there does appear to be sooomething to be desired! See, my impressions can grow! Look at me pa!!

Anyhow, the main thing about the Suske set is that I feel like I need a little more DDD,... and perhaps the occasional wild hair. As Herman said, this Suske set is a great "101", though, I might be inclined to give it the highest reccomend available. Solid, four square, perfect. I do admit that the Op.18 is definitely thee one to get by the Suske.

I just wish you could get any group piecemeal. I've been thinking Hagen, but I'd also like something old and comfy, like the QI. But, honestly, I'm not willing to work up an obsessional lather this autumn, so, maybe I'll just browse through the Thread (yea, good luck with that "staying level", haha).



So, any bizarre choices for 130 with GF? I don't know if that's the SQ I want to experiment with. Any existential Late LvB epiphanies?

[Scarpia]

This one just popped up on the MDT radar:



http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product/HMU807481-83.htm

[Sergeant Rock]

Yea, I just saw it for cheap too.

Sarge, tell me about their 130. Anything special to report?

Not really. It's a perfectly fine performance but nothing jumps out as unique...nothing like the Fitzwilliam's slow, otherwordly Cavatina....nothing like the Hagen's blistering Große Fuge. FYI, the Gewandhaus omits the first movement repeat.

So, any bizarre choices for 130 with GF? I don't know if that's the SQ I want to experiment with. Any existential Late LvB epiphanies?

Check out the two I mentioned. Hopefully you can find the Fitzwilliam (long OOP). Wish they'd done a complete cycle.

Sarge

[david-jw]

So, any bizarre choices for 130 with GF? I don't know if that's the SQ I want to experiment with. Any existential Late LvB epiphanies?

snyprrr  I'm midway through comparing 16 different sets of the late string quartets, in search of just that- epiphanies.

I'm comparing the following:

QI ,Lindsay (1980's),Talich,Vegh mono, Vegh Stereo, Takacs, Amadeus, Juilliard 1960's, Busch, Hollywood, Budapest Library of Congress, Alban Berg live, Vermeer, Emerson, Yale, Medici.

Its a bit of a mad project (80 seperate quartets to go through for each complete listen) but after the first pass I delve deeper into each of the newer (to me) sets except any that I really dont get on with (Takacs for example).

You mention the QI?

imho / ymmv etc of course, but the quartetto italiano are holding up pretty well. I am biased admittedly because they were the version I imprinted with 25 years ago and have lived with. They are right up there in 127,132 and 130/GF, but dont really do it for me in 131 and 135. (I also have enjoyed the Busch and Lindsay for many years but wanted to extend my appreciation of these works by listening to more interpretations).

Some peeps find QI too polished, but to my ear there is real passion and intensity in their playing and their slow movements are sublime.

My surprises so far have been the Hollywood Quartet, who are just fabulous and have real depth to the interpretations, combined with the most amazing tone and ensemble- they truly play as one. Its bewitching to listen to. There is a real contained, interior quality to their recordings- very special.

I've also been surprised by the Vegh Stereo. I havent got to their 135 yet,  their 131  is indeed magnificent, but I have been underwhelmed by their 127/132/130/GF.

I expected more, but will go back to them and relisten a number of times due to their reputation which is no doubt well earned.

So far I still favour the EMI Busch quartet recordings overall. For epiphanies I would say that in my experience todate no one gets consistently deeper in terms of one recorded set. If they had recorded the GF the set would be perfect (although the included version by the busch string ensemble fills the gap). And its super cheap too, have you considered this?

[Scarpia]

Any existential Late LvB epiphanies?

This may be the best single Beethoven Quartet recording I have heard.  The Griller play Op 132 (originally a mono Decca LP, which I have on vinyl).

[George]

You mention the QI?

imho / ymmv etc of course, but the quartetto italiano are holding up pretty well. I am biased admittedly because they were the version I imprinted with 25 years ago and have lived with.

Yes, I love the QI too and they were my first as well.

I've also been surprised by the Vegh Stereo. I havent got to their 135 yet,  their 131  is indeed magnificent...

This much I fully agree with, Their Op. 131 is stunning, right from the start.

[david-jw]

Yes, I love the QI too and they were my first as well.


This much I fully agree with, Their Op. 131 is stunning, right from the start.

Hello George,

Yep- as soon as I started listening to the Vegh stereo 131 I was rooted to the spot and it was as if I was hearing the 131 for the first time. Every small choice they make seems just right in this performance, and it was a revelation.

I think this may be why their performances of the other late quartets in this stereo set have not seated with me yet- the 131 was the first I listened to and perhaps raised my expectations so high that I expected to be utterly bowled over.

[Brahmsian]

Quartetto Italiano were my introduction also to Beethoven's quartets.  I have always been greatly ecstatic about that set.

I must say though, I wasn't the greatest fan of Op.135, that is, until I heard the Takacs recording of it, which just blew me away! 

[bwv 1080]

really liking the Gendwandhaus recording, it may supplant cleveland as my favorite

my 3 tests of a LvB SQ recording - the 1st mvt of op 130, the grosse fugue & the heiliger dankgesang are all superlative.  The mix, reverb & vibrato are right & you don't get the self-conscious "this is the deepest & most profound music ever" vibe, which I get sometimes from late SQ recordings

[dirkronk]

My surprises so far have been the Hollywood Quartet, who are just fabulous ... they truly play as one.

<SNIP>

So far I still favour the EMI Busch quartet recordings overall.

Agreed...enthusiastically. The only thing I think wrong about the Hollywood Quartet is that they didn't record one hell of a lot more of the chamber repertoire.

As for the Busch...yes, they get the ultimate nod from me for depth. Old style playing, to be sure, but what artistry. There's just the one proviso that, if you're buying the EMI recordings on that label, you need to supplement with a purchase of op.59/1 and op.130 on whatever Columbia/Sony release you can find...and you absolutely DO want them. Well, IMO anyway. I can never put on the 130 without listening all the way through...and frequently wanting an immediate replay. Some reissue labels have offered these two quartets as integral with the EMIs, but I don't recall an actual EMI-branded set that included them, due to copyright issues I assume.

I'm enjoying your comments, perhaps in part because your reactions reflect my own pretty much across the board, but also because it's been quite a while since I did my own marathon listening session on the late quartets (and never using so many groups!). Your ears have amazing stamina!

Cheers,

Dirk

[snyprrr]

Yes, that you all.

I was looking up 130 on amazon, and I was really drawn to these "lost" $2 cds, like the Cleveland and Fitzwilliam and Medici and Lindsay and the like.

I will follow david-jw's survey with interest.

Juices are flowing!!

[david-jw]

Agreed...enthusiastically. The only thing I think wrong about the Hollywood Quartet is that they didn't record one hell of a lot more of the chamber repertoire.

As for the Busch...yes, they get the ultimate nod from me for depth. Old style playing, to be sure, but what artistry. There's just the one proviso that, if you're buying the EMI recordings on that label, you need to supplement with a purchase of op.59/1 and op.130 on whatever Columbia/Sony release you can find...and you absolutely DO want them. Well, IMO anyway. I can never put on the 130 without listening all the way through...and frequently wanting an immediate replay. Some reissue labels have offered these two quartets as integral with the EMIs, but I don't recall an actual EMI-branded set that included them, due to copyright issues I assume.

I'm enjoying your comments, perhaps in part because your reactions reflect my own pretty much across the board, but also because it's been quite a while since I did my own marathon listening session on the late quartets (and never using so many groups!). Your ears have amazing stamina!

Cheers,

Dirk

Hi Dirk,

its a very intense experience, but fascinating, I'm just keen to make sure I dont burn out on these works- which are probably my favorite, period, and spoil them for good and keeps.

So far its been fascinating, full of surprises, such as the glorious Hollywood Q. I agree absolutley- wish they had not packed it in when they did.

The good news on the EMI Busch set is that they have re-issued it and have done a licensing deal with Sony to include the 130. Its been remastered using the ART, and to my ears its an improvement without sacrificing the top end a la Schnabel.

Over here in the UK its on £13 online.


cheers David

[david-jw]

Yes, that you all.

I was looking up 130 on amazon, and I was really drawn to these "lost" $2 cds, like the Cleveland and Fitzwilliam and Medici and Lindsay and the like.

I will follow david-jw's survey with interest.

Juices are flowing!!

Hiya Snyprrr,


The medici were in fact last nights great surprise. I picked them up for a song second hand, and almost didnt include them in the survey, as they have a bit of a mixed rep and I had started listening to the 130 in the car and not liked what I heard.

But I listened to their 127 last night and gasped out loud at what I was hearing.  1st movt very energised, slow movementt exhalted, 3rd movt passionate, final movement very intense and exhalted- wonderful, wonderful! I liked it so much I put their 131 on and it too was very strong indeed.

Their tone is alittle unconventional and there are lapses in intonation and the recording is a little too reverby for todays fashions BUT the whole performance completly overcomes these setbacks to my ears and is vibrant, energetic and heartfelt.

"a welcome addition to the catalogue" as they used to say lol!

I'd love to hear the Fitzwilliam Quartet- I admire  their Shostakovich recordings greatly.

cheers

David

[The new erato]

Over here in the UK its on £13 online.


cheers David

Where?

25£ on mdt.

[George]

Hi Dirk,

its a very intense experience, but fascinating, I'm just keen to make sure I dont burn out on these works- which are probably my favorite, period, and spoil them for good and keeps.

Smart move, I almost burned out on the sonatas myself.

[david-jw]

Hi Erato

£12.41 amazon market place
£13.93 Amazon

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Beethoven-String-Quartets-Busch-Quartet/dp/B0011X9S3K/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1285705360&sr=1-1

this is the newer, remastered set with the 130 and GF included (GF is the Busch string ensemble playing it)

@ George

How long did it take to saturate on the PS?

cheers

David

[George]

@ George

How long did it take to saturate on the PS?

cheers

David

I forget. But I know that it began comparing three full sets (Gulda, Annie Fischer and Barenboim, DG) with my single CDs, going through each work chronologically. A month or so later, I did the same with Kempffs mono, Backhaus's stereo, Schnabel Naxos and Bernard Roberts sets. Then came Gilels, Hungerford, Kovacevich, etc. All told, maybe a year and a half? Two years?

[Scarpia]

I forget. But I know that it began comparing three full sets (Gulda, Annie Fischer and Barenboim, DG) with my single CDs, going through each work chronologically. A month or so later, I did the same with Kempffs mono, Backhaus's stereo, Schnabel Naxos and Bernard Roberts sets. Then came Gilels, Hungerford, Kovacevich, etc. All told, maybe a year and a half? Two years?

I have no idea what would possess people to systematically "compare" different performances of a work.  Normally I scatter listening over different composers and performers but if I get at all systematic it is to listen to a single performer doing different works by the same composer.