Prokofiev String Quartets

[snyprrr]

Yes, there's only two! This shouldn't take long, eh?

I currently only hold the Aurora Quartet on Naxos, a wonderful reading in very rich sound (for Naxos). I remember going through some research waaay back in years, maybe twenty- but I seem to recall that this Naxos recording beat most all contenders. I remember not liking the Emerson here. I can't remember who else I compared. Was there a HarmoniaMundi, or was that Janacek?

Anyhow, I was listening to the Aurora yesterday, and wondered if there was any consensus on a greater performance/recording. I suppose we will have to separate the two, since No.2 is so much more popular. Names such as the Hollywood and Fine Arts pop into the mind, but, what have you heard?

I'll search the Amazon whilst you gather your data!

[Todd]

Get the below and be done with it:

[Brian]

Get the below and be done with it:

Seconded.

[snyprrr]

ok! Thread done!! All go home!!

[Jo498]

Thirded
(although I do not know the music all that well and it is my only complete CD; I think I have another one of at least one quartet on my harddrive in an older recording)

[Karl Henning]

Yes, there's only two! This shouldn't take long, eh?

(* cranks the corn popper *)

[snyprrr]

(* cranks the corn popper *)

You're pre-empting the common sense here. I checked, and there just aren't that many recordings. And the Amazon Reviewers who have, like, most of them have settled into camps, so, I just can't see how there is going to be any argument here at all.

Pavel Haas- unqualified FirstChoice at the moment

Aurora- I really like the cavernous acoustic here; some do not... how much better is the Haas group, anyhow? Aurora still seems like Contender...

Russian- on ArteNova, seemingly universal acclaim here from all-female group... anyone?

St.Petersburg- Delos; haven't heard much, but I'm surely interested because of their trademark sound production with managing engineer/sound guru Tiess.

Coull- Hyperion's Simpson gang... some criticism of "too good", but then also praise for the same... is Hyperion sound a winner??

Emerson- generally universally criticized for steely polish with no soul, "brittle" DG digital recording

Sequioa- lauded old time recording... '70s?... anyone??

Manfred- Pierre Verany; no info.

Hollywood- ??

Italian- ??

??

Don't EVEN try to rile me with one of your baiting Emerson Posts!! My credentials for dealing with them even handedly are impeccable!! 0:)

[Sergeant Rock]

Get the below and be done with it:

Fourthed (is that a word?  )

Sarge

[Jo498]

The chicks from the Pavel Haas are also quite hot (or at least one of them), if you need a deal breaker!

[Karl Henning]

Don't EVEN try to rile me with one of your baiting Emerson Posts!! My credentials for dealing with them even handedly are impeccable!! 0:)

But have you listened to them yet?  You recall that even you found them contenders in your (open-ended, IIRC) Shostakovich quest . . . .

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I really like the Emerson, here. They carve through this music with the kind of single-minded resolve you'd expect from them yet they have no problems taking this music and flipping it upside-down, which plays right into Prokofiev's muse. Delightful.   

As far as the Hollywood Quartet in the second, definite good stuff there, too.

 

[amw]

Emerson's really solid—I think their 'sound'* works better for Prokofiev than the Pavel Haas's, actually, and the interpretations can't be faulted. I'm not sure you need both CDs, they take similar 'lines',** so it's more or less down to which ensemble you like better. In No. 2, I remember also enjoying the Pacifica Quartet (which comes with a volume of Shostakovich quartets, but I found the Prokofiev the most compelling performance, iirc).

I recommend you buy the St Petersburg so you can tell us what it's like

* as distinct from the sonics which are bad early digital though in a realistic acoustic—Pavel Haas's acoustic is too reverberant, not really chamber music-like, as is often the case in their recordings

** down to nearly identical timings in the 2nd quartet: PHQ 6:15 / 7:26 / 7:52, Emerson 6:23 / 7:08 / 7:52. In general, Emerson tends to play the slow movements slightly—not noticeably—faster, PHQ takes more breathing & relaxation time.

[snyprrr]

oy vey!! did Karl pay you all extra???

I'm pretty sure I "had" the Emerson at some point... I'd like to hear a compare with the Coull, but, nevermind,...

OK, HERE'S MY BEEF!!

I always assume that people who have the Emerson in any rep that I'm arguing against (sorry, I just won't hear their Sibelius, etc.,...) are just... just... errr, I don't know, is it some latent attitude thing with the Emerson that comes from fawning critics? It's just that so many of their "cooler" recordings are marred, in some people's eyes, by a certain uniformity, that, like, the Alban Berg Quartet, may not appeal to every work by every Composer- though the Emerson choose to play anything and everything-

AAAAAHHHHHH- I have no point...

Anyone who thinks the Emerson don't have a handicap are mad hatters I say!! And then Karl goes and wears it on his sleeve like a badge of honour, "Oh looook how gooood the Emerson are, they're just so gooood." AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!


Look, I know they're all that,- and at last count, with the DSCH, I was only holding out on 4-6, maybe 10, and maybe 14... perhaps a studio DSCH Cycle would have also been interesting...


Oy, I get this throbbing every time this Emerson nonsense begins to bubble up... bubbling...bubbles...



There! Now what were we talking about?

[snyprrr]

I recommend you buy the St Petersburg so you can tell us what it's like

I was kind of disappointed in that there wasn't much in the dollar bin at Amazon when it can to these two SQs. Even that Delos disc was almost $4!! Delos??? $4??? Most Delos goes for pennies these days, I'm surprised.

However, they say that the Nazdizadze SQ on the same disc is worth the POA... I may yet check it out.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I always assume that people who have the Emerson in any rep that I'm arguing against (sorry, I just won't hear their Sibelius, etc.,...) are just... just... errr, I don't know, is it some latent attitude thing with the Emerson that comes from fawning critics? It's just that so many of their "cooler" recordings are marred, in some people's eyes, by a certain uniformity, that, like, the Alban Berg Quartet, may not appeal to every work by every Composer- though the Emerson choose to play anything and everything-

Brainwashing is so last year...

[Dancing Divertimentian]

There! Now what were we talking about?

[Karl Henning]

Brainwashing is so last year...

(* chortle *)

[Karl Henning]

Fair Disclosure:  I have no personal or financial ties to the Emerson String Quartet.

[springrite]

Sequioa- lauded old time recording... '70s?... anyone??

This is the one I have on LP and it is still my top pick!

[snyprrr]

Fair Disclosure:  I have no personal or financial ties to the Emerson String Quartet.

I'll bet you did not have sex with that woman, either. mmmm...

MY EYES!! MY EYES!!


JUST LOOOK AT THOSE TANS!!! How can someone with a tan like that, sitting on a pastie chair... pastel... how can I allow them to... uh... ack... sputter...

This is the one I have on LP and it is still my top pick!

FINALLY!!  a voice crying in the wilderness

Is the acoustic dry, or is there some air around them?