Schubert's String Quartets

Started by Mark, October 06, 2007, 06:18:44 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

amw

Quote from: Herman on July 07, 2020, 03:33:42 AM
missing from AMW's survey are a few major recrordings.

To be fair I did only include recordings that I own personally.

And for me the comparison between the Juilliard (Epic/Testament) and Petersen is mostly based on ensemble sound and general edginess and psychological readings. I do consider that valid for most other repertoire as well (eg Beethoven, Schoenberg) but it is always the Juilliards of the 1950s and 1960s that I'm comparing to; after Claus Adam and Raphael Hillyer's departures the ensemble sound changed quite significantly.

Que

Quote from: Jo498 on July 05, 2020, 07:56:44 AM
Curiously the Festetics Schubert quartet disc has "Tome 4" on the cover, so back then they apparently planned to do all? of them.

Quote from: hvbias on July 05, 2020, 08:08:38 AM
This is precisely what tipped me off to wondering if there was more. And if it was a case of Arcana's website deleting titles that are no longer in print.

Yep. I also assume that a whole series was planned that never materialised...  At least, I have never found any trace of it.

Considering the quality of the performances, very frustrating indeed.

Q

Jo498

We probably had this before but what is there on historical instruments Schubert quartets?

often out of print, but in principle existent:

Coll. Aureum (LP only) D 94, 810, 804 + 703 
Festetics D 804 + 46
Mosaiques D 804 +87, 810 + 173
Terpsycordes D 887 + Quartettsatz, 804 + 810
Chiaroscuro: D 804 (+Mozart), D 810 +173
Tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos, dans une chambre.
- Blaise Pascal

JBS

Quote from: Jo498 on July 07, 2020, 11:49:26 AM
We probably had this before but what is there on historical instruments Schubert quartets?

often out of print, but in principle existent:

Coll. Aureum (LP only) D 94, 810, 804 + 703 
Festetics D 804 + 46
Mosaiques D 804 +87, 810 + 173
Terpsycordes D 887 + Quartettsatz, 804 + 810
Chiaroscuro: D 804 (+Mozart), D 810 +173

L'Archibudelli did D 87, but apparently no other quartets.

Hollywood Beach Broadwalk

Jo498

tbh I don't care too much for any of the early quartets. But that D 87 seems the most popular and frequently recorded of them, is a total puzzle for me...
Tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos, dans une chambre.
- Blaise Pascal

amw

Quote from: Jo498 on July 07, 2020, 11:49:26 AM
We probably had this before but what is there on historical instruments Schubert quartets?

often out of print, but in principle existent:

Coll. Aureum (LP only) D 94, 810, 804 + 703 
Festetics D 804 + 46
Mosaiques D 804 +87, 810 + 173
Terpsycordes D 887 + Quartettsatz, 804 + 810
Chiaroscuro: D 804 (+Mozart), D 810 +173

Skalholt Quartet (a Jaap Schröder pick-up band) did D703, D887 & D956. This was well after Schröder's good period so intonation is somewhat painful to listen to but I think Que likes them.

Que

Quote from: amw on July 07, 2020, 04:59:44 PM
Skalholt Quartet (a Jaap Schröder pick-up band) did D703, D887 & D956. This was well after Schröder's good period so intonation is somewhat painful to listen to but I think Que likes them.

Negative...

I did try some on Spotify because Gurn mentioned these recordings, but it is indeed painful to listen to!  :o

Q

amw

Quote from: Que on July 07, 2020, 09:41:50 PM
Negative...

I did try some on Spotify because Gurn mentioned these recordings, but it is indeed painful to listen to!  :o

Q
I was confusing you with Gurn, I guess—apologies.

At least someone likes them.

Todd

Quote from: Jo498 on May 14, 2020, 03:32:27 AMThere are apparently five? "modern" complete recordings, Leipzig/MDG (hypercomplete with fragments included), Auryn/cpo, Kodaly/Naxos, Verdi/Haenssler, Diogenes/Brilliant. (There is one from the mid/late 70s with the Melos/DG and one from the 50s or early 60s with a Viennese quartet.)


Never having bought a complete Schubert String Quartet set, I dug around a little.  Ten sets have been recorded based on what I can find, though perhaps - and hopefully - there are more:

Vienna Konzerthaus (Westminster)
Endres (Vox)
Tanayev (Melodiya)
Melos (DG)
Vienna (Camerata)
Auryn (CPO)
Leipzig (MDG)
Kodaly (Naxos)
Verdi (Haenssler)
Diogenes (Brilliant)

They vary a bit in number of quartets recorded.  The Tanayev is available as a $5 download at Qobuz.  I did stream the Diogenes and it was quite good, but I should probably buy one or two or three, starting with the Auryn.
The universe is change; life is opinion. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

People would rather believe than know - E.O. Wilson

Propaganda death ensemble - Tom Araya

Jo498

I wasn't aware of Endres and Vienna. Wiener Konzerthaus is very historical, Taneyev not quite as old but download only. (I think the latter is certainly worth $5.) The number varies probably because there are a bunch of fragments. I think the Leipzig is the most complete. I have not heard any of the Kodaly, Diogenes and Verdi but I think Auryn and Leipzig are both excellent. The advantage of the Leipzig (and the Kodaly) is that one can buy single discs.
Tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos, dans une chambre.
- Blaise Pascal

aukhawk

Not a complete set but I really like the Doric Quartet Nos.13 & 14.

Jo498

There are of course plenty of high level 13-15.
I think for most listeners, one recording will be sufficient for the early works (they are really extremely early, Schubert was 13-18 or so, earlier than almost all of the symphonies or piano sonatas), so the Taneyev download is a good option. Or, if one wants physical discs, Auryn for a very good cycle that is not too expensive.
Tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos, dans une chambre.
- Blaise Pascal

Daverz

Quote from: Jo498 on May 14, 2020, 03:32:27 AM
One should note that most of the early pieces are really early, i.e. Schubert was about 15 when he wrote them. Some are interesting (e.g. the very first one that cannot decide between g minor and Bb major), but I hardly listen to them and don't think one needs more than one complete recording.

I thought these comments on the earlier quartets from Burton Rothleder in Fanfare were interesting:

    "Among the very earliest quartets, the most attractive movements are the Andante second
     movement of D 32—a plaintive song in A-Minor of exquisite beauty, the final movement of D 36—
     a bouncy and tuneful Allegro, and the final movement of D 46—a rapid Allegro dance, all from the
     pen of a 15 to 16 year old. Other movements in these early quartets also make rewarding
     listening.

     Four later quartets, before the final four quartets, are outstanding in their invention and musical
     line: the D-Major (D 74), the E♭-Major (D 87), the B♭-Major (D 112), and the G-Minor (D 173). I
     reserve a special place for the B♭-Major, which is an astounding achievement, even for what we
     have come to expect from 18-year-old Franz Schubert."

Jo498

Admittedly, I'd have to re-listen to comment on most of the early quartets. I think the g minor was my fav among the early ones. As I said above, I don't really get that the Eflat D 87 is so popular and often used as a filler. I find it rather boring (and it is also written in a style that betrays the limited abilities of some of the players it was written for, i.e. not very "quartet-like"). But one should certainly try all of them, just not expect too much.
Tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos, dans une chambre.
- Blaise Pascal

Herman

the C minor Quartettsatz is more frequently used as filler.

I used to know people who said they liked Schubert's quartet juvenalia, but I never did.

His early piano pieces seem more assured.

rappy

Is there any chronological list of recordings of Schubert's String Quartets? Do you know any early recordings from musicians born in the 19th century?

Jo498

The members of the Busch Quartet were mostly born in the 1890s and recorded the two last and one or two early quartets but they were recorded "only" in the late 1930s. There are probably acoustical recordings at least of some Schubert movements? before 1920 but I don't know any.
Tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos, dans une chambre.
- Blaise Pascal

rappy

#137
Thank's a lot, that's super nice (and helpful)!

It's historically in a way super close, since most of the early quartets were only published in the decade they were born.

Jo498

FWIW the early quartet they recorded is D 112 Bflat major. Adolf Busch also recorded the violin fantasy with Serkin, not sure how well known this one was in the 1930s but probably not as obscure as the early quartets.
Tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos, dans une chambre.
- Blaise Pascal

George

Any love for the Lindsay's Schubert recordings?
"I can't live without music, because music is life." - Yvonne Lefébure