Beethoven's String Quartets

[Wakefield]

I have the first volume, and liked it enough to put the second volume (just released) in my shopping cart for my next order from Presto.  I'm fairly sure Todd thinks well of it.  But it has not (at least, based on the first volume) replaced my personal favorites,  Quartetto Italiano (who initiated me into Beethoven's quartets with their volume of the late quartets),  Takacs, and Artemis.

BTW, the Belcea don't play them in chronological order.

Thanks, Jeffrey. It looks like an interesting acquisition.

I have heard two or three movements (from different quartets) on Youtube and their sound is quite clean and detailed. I liked, for instance, their highly cantabile tone in first movement of the string quartet No. 7, although apparently the lineup changed after the video on YouTube. 

[Todd]

I'm fairly sure Todd thinks well of it.

Yes, yes I do, though like you, I can't say that they displace my favorites - Vegh stereo, Budapest mono, and Prazak in my case.  I was not aware volume two was coming yet (or soon).  This is good news.

[kishnevi]

Yes, yes I do, though like you, I can't say that they displace my favorites - Vegh stereo, Budapest mono, and Prazak in my case.  I was not aware volume two was coming yet (or soon).  This is good news.

It was released 4/22 (at least in the UK--I generally get all my ZZT through Presto, it seems)

[Wakefield]

It was released 4/22 (at least in the UK--I generally get all my ZZT through Presto, it seems)

I'm ordering both sets from Presto, too. 

[Parsifal]

Based on the samples I take your point on the rough playing; I think I might hold off until I can spend the extra $15 or so on the Artemis Quartet.

I don't hear lack of technical perfection in the Endellion, just a certain assertiveness.  If technical smoothness is a high priority, there is always the Emerson Quartets cycle (or the Alban Berg, now absurdly cheap, but which I find insufferable for reasons that are hard to define).

[Geo Dude]

I don't hear lack of technical perfection in the Endellion, just a certain assertiveness.  If technical smoothness is a high priority, there is always the Emerson Quartets cycle (or the Alban Berg, now absurdly cheap, but which I find insufferable for reasons that are hard to define).

For the record it's not any minor technical errors they make that concerns me; the playing feels rough around the edges to me in terms of the tone, which began to grate on me after a while.  The Artemis Quartet seemed to have a similar (though somewhat lesser) assertiveness with a more pleasant tone.  I have the Alban Berg cycle now; I don't find it insufferable but it also doesn't feel 'right' so I'm looking for an alternative.

[jlaurson]

For the record it's not any minor technical errors they make that concerns me; the playing feels rough around the edges to me in terms of the tone, which began to grate on me after a while.  The Artemis Quartet seemed to have a similar (though somewhat lesser) assertiveness with a more pleasant tone.  I have the Alban Berg cycle now; I don't find it insufferable but it also doesn't feel 'right' so I'm looking for an alternative.

I think Gewandhaus might just be a very fine choice for you. A favorite with several here, and rightly so: consistently exciting, well played, neither aggressive nor leisurely nor non-committal. Certainly better than Alexander I, I think, and also better in the middle and late quartets than Alexander II, which has a superb op.18 set, but then tapers off severely.

[Octave]

While the Gewandhaus is mentioned, can anyone remind me what the major difference is between the two editions of the set?  Seems like the recent re-edition was more compact but did not include a paper/glue booklet?  Maybe CDR with documentation instead? 
I know this was discussed in the past several months, but my searches are coming up nil.

Extraneous-aloud: My wishlist is mushrooming, just for cycle sets.  I am most focused on the Talich reissue, Gewandhaus, maybe the Budapest mono (the one reissued by United Archives), and now possibly that Alexander set....damn your eyes, Gordo.  Also dropping pennies in the fountain for the Vegh stereo set to come back once more before nightfall.

[Papy Oli]

While the Gewandhaus is mentioned, can anyone remind me what the major difference is between the two editions of the set?  Seems like the recent re-edition was more compact but did not include a paper/glue booklet?  Maybe CDR with documentation instead? 

The latest edition of the Gewandhaus is a normal CD-size boxset (whereas the old version is a taller version not fitting on CD shelves) and includes a CD-Rom with the booklet in PDF format.

[Octave]

Cheers, Olivier!

[Papy Oli]

you have pictures of pictures of pictures of the 2 sets on that page :

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,13.msg694830.html#msg694830

[jlaurson]

you have pictures of pictures of pictures of the 2 sets on that page :

http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,13.msg694830.html#msg694830

Indeed, we do. FYI: eager to trade mine for the little box, if anyone has funky shelves and a hankering for the booklet on paper.

[Mandryka]

I'm looking for a cycle--or individual middle and late quartets if necessary--with a 'modern' playing style; in other words some vibrato is fine but I'd prefer that it not be used constantly.  Any suggestions?

Also, how is the Talich recording, sound aside?

You need Turner and you need the latest Tokyo

[Geo Dude]

Mandryka, thanks for the tip; I'm aware of the Turner (hoping for a price drop/reissue) but I was not aware of the Tokyo Quartet's new stuff on Harmonia Mundia.  I don't think I'll get it immediately, but it's definitely wish listed.  Good stuff.

Jlaurson, thanks for the recommendation on Gewendhaus, they're certainly not bad!  I'm doing comparative sampling of Gewandhaus, Artemis, and Takács right now, actually.

[Parsifal]

Mandryka, thanks for the tip; I'm aware of the Turner (hoping for a price drop/reissue) but I was not aware of the Tokyo Quartet's new stuff on Harmonia Mundia.  I don't think I'll get it immediately, but it's definitely wish listed.  Good stuff.

Jlaurson, thanks for the recommendation on Gewendhaus, they're certainly not bad!  I'm doing comparative sampling of Gewandhaus, Artemis, and Takács right now, actually.

I found that new Tokyo dreadfully boring, mainly because the cello was very weak (whether the blame falls on the engineer or the performer, is hard to say).  Of all of the Beethoven quartet recordings I've heard, I'd put it dead last. 

I much prefer their older cycle

[asin]B008BOWG7C[/asin]

The question is, how long before every recording ever made gets recommended.  I think we may be close to the one third mark.

For tastefully sentimental, there's this:

[asin]B0001ZA2IE[/asin]

Gorgeous 80's Telefunken/Teldec recordings reissued.

[DavidRoss]

The question is, how long before every recording ever made gets recommended.  I think we may be close to the one third mark.

Nearly everyone good enough to be recorded by a major label and to stay in the catalog for years or decades has some virtue, though not every performer appeals to every taste. Just because I don't care for, say, Quartetto Italiano's Beethoven doesn't mean they're bad, or that I'm tin-eared, just that I usually prefer chili to banana pudding. 

[kishnevi]

I found that new Tokyo dreadfully boring, mainly because the cello was very weak (whether the blame falls on the engineer or the performer, is hard to say).  Of all of the Beethoven quartet recordings I've heard, I'd put it dead last. 

I much prefer their older cycle

[asin]B008BOWG7C[/asin]

Jens also was disappointed in the last installment of their new cycle.   I like the Razumovsky installment, but have nothing almost nothing else from that cycle.   I do have the older cycle (in the box you picture), and although I played it through relatively recently,  I don't remember a single thing about it, which suggests a certain blandness.
(further thought)
Wait, I do have three more of the Tokyo's second cycle because they're included in the Lumieres box (6, 13 and 16).   A single listen to those suggested they may not be bad,  but gave me absolutely no motivation to get anything more from that cycle.

[jlaurson]

Jens also was disappointed in the last installment of their new cycle. 

Yes, I think that if one needs to distinguish and make differentiations at all (and one must, to recommend something, rather than everything), then Tokyo II actively doesn't make the cut, and Tokyo I doesn't, passively. Just like Italiano doesn't, as far as I'm concerned (not that I dislike it), or either of the Who-am-I-thinking-of cycles on Philips (Brilliant) and RCA or either Alexander.

[kishnevi]

Yes, I think that if one needs to distinguish and make differentiations at all (and one must, to recommend something, rather than everything), then Tokyo II actively doesn't make the cut, and Tokyo I doesn't, passively. Just like Italiano doesn't, as far as I'm concerned (not that I dislike it), or either of the Who-am-I-thinking-of cycles on Philips (Brilliant) and RCA or either Alexander.

Guarneri, if it's the Brilliant set I've got. 

Which, come to think of it,  I rather liked.  Like the Alban Berg--meaning that while I liked it,  I don't like it as much as I like others.

[Mandryka]

Well, I think you're all wrong about Tokyo 2.

What is special about the Tokyo is that they avoid excitement. It's peaceful, noble, refined and rather classical. You couldn't be further from jejeune ideas about this music: Beethoven the alpha male, the super hero involved in some sort of sweaty promethian striving. And that makes the reading 21st century in outlook, iconic. Geo Dude asked for modern playing. This is it.

I thought there were many new and interesting  things in there. i've never heard op133 played  so calmly and contrapuntally and level headedly. That was for me a revelation, in itself making the set worth keeping. As was the serenity of the adagio op127.

Mybe I could see your review Jens, and think about it point by point. That could be fun.

I don't have a problem with the cello.

By the way, The Turner Quartet op59 has similar qualities. Which I thought was especially nteresting in op 59, a set of works I usually can't stand.