Schubert's String Quartet in G Major, D.887

[rubio]

Can anyone recommend a superb recording of this piece; perhaps coupled with an excellent "Death and the Maiden"? I think this set looks mighty tempting! Has anyone heard it, and care to comment on it?

http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//GEMMCD9141.htm

[Harry Collier]

THE recording of this piece, in my opinion, is that of the Busch Quartet (coupled with Death & the Maiden). Exemplary playing from another age, and remarkably remastered in its new EMI GROC incarnation. An alll-time classic. But do make sure you get the GROC remastering.

[rubio]

THE recording of this piece, in my opinion, is that of the Busch Quartet (coupled with Death & the Maiden). Exemplary playing from another age, and remarkably remastered in its new EMI GROC incarnation. An alll-time classic. But do make sure you get the GROC remastering.

So the EMI GROC remastering is better than the above Pearl remastering? Quite often it is the other way around.

[Harry Collier]

So the EMI GROC remastering is better than the above Pearl remastering? Quite often it is the other way around.

I would guess so, but I don't know the Pearl. I know the Busch recording from a) an LP and b) a previous EMI reincarnation. I was very impressed with the 2006 GROC transfer (and I'm very suspicious of transfer sound). Pearl tends to annoy me with all the surface noise that is left on -- quite unnecessarily, in my view, as transfer experts such as Pristine Audio and Mark Obert-Thorn have shown. You can keep the baby and throw out the bath water.

[Michel]

I would suspect that is the one to go for, although Tokyo, as always as excellent.

[lukeottevanger]

I was going to recommend the Busch too, but I see I'm not the first!

Honestly, this is one of Schubert's most incredible works, and I don't think it has been served well in recordings. The first movement is so difficult for the first violin to play with the serene sublimity it deserves - those soaring triplets catch so many out; the last movement only reveals itself as the extraordinary ahead-of-its-time conception it is (rather than a fairly tedious jog-along in 6/8) in very rare performances. The Busch are the only Quartet I've heard manage it from start to finish (their inner movements are better than any others I've heard too), though I won't know as many recordings as many here will.

A memorable phrase I once read re. this work (the slow movement specifically): 'alarming beauty'. I think this is just right; I'd also modify it to 'desperate beauty' - clinging on to beauty right at the edge of the abyss. That's how this extraordinary piece strikes me, though I'm not trying to link this impression to its place in Schubert's biography.

[Bunny]

I have the complete quartets by the Auryn Quartett and the Melos quartet.  Of the two, the Auryn Quartett is better both for interpretation and sound quality.

[mahlertitan]

I have the complete quartets by the Auryn Quartett and the Melos quartet.  Of the two, the Auryn Quartett is better both for interpretation and sound quality.

i only have the melos one.....

[val]

My favorite version is the one of the Alban Berg Quartet.

The version of the Cherubini Quartet is fascinating: very slow, but with an intense emotion, in some moments reminds us how much Bruckner learned from Schubert's music.

The versions of the Busch Quartet, the Amadeus, seem less personal and interesting.

[BorisG]

Can anyone recommend a superb recording of this piece; perhaps coupled with an excellent "Death and the Maiden"? I think this set looks mighty tempting! Has anyone heard it, and care to comment on it?

http://www.mdt.co.uk/MDTSite/product//GEMMCD9141.htm

Leipzig/MDG, Auryn/Tacet, Melos/Harmonia Mundi.

[Bunny]

i only have the melos one.....

You are feeling very sleepy...
You must hear the the Auryn Quartett ...
You must follow the link...
Your finger is going to the button... ...

[Bunny]

Leipzig/MDG, Auryn/Tacet, Melos/Harmonia Mundi.

Does the Melos Quartet have the complete quartets on Harmonia mundi?  I have the set on DG which doesn't have the best sq.  Also, I have the tacet version of the Auryn Quartett's cycle, but it's now on cpo which is quite a bit less expensive.

I can't find the Melos Quartet listed at the HM website.  Could you furnish a link, please?

[Que]

Leipzig/MDG, Auryn/Tacet, Melos/Harmonia Mundi.

Boris, which one do you prefer?
Could you tell somenting about how Leipzig and Auryn compare? (I have the Leipzig Qt but am considering the Auryn.)

Thanks!

Q

[Drasko]

I can't find the Melos Quartet listed at the HM website.  Could you furnish a link, please?

http://www.harmoniamundi.com/others/artistes_disco.php?artist_id=142

But it doesn't look complete, they are missing Schubert Quintet at least

[Bunny]

Aha! It's quartett with a tt.  For their later DG recordings, they changed the spelling to quartet with one t.

There's a separate recording on DG of the quintet with Rostropovich.  I have it and it's quite good if not as good as the Alban Berg with Heinrich Schiff (EMI) or the Auryn Quartet's with Christian Poltéra or my personal favorite, L'Archibudelli (or the players that would become L'Archibudelli) with Kenneth Slowik and Anner Bijlsma.  Another great Quintet recording is the live performance from the Marlboro Festival (Pamela Frank on violin) which includes Rudolph Serkin and Benita Valente doing Der Hirt Auf Dem Flesem, D. 965.

[mahlertitan]

You are feeling very sleepy...
You must hear the the Auryn Quartett ...
You must follow the link...
Your finger is going to the button... ...

wait, Auryn Quartett? oh, I just realized that i did hear this set, it's on Naxosmusiclibrary.com. The 15th quartet was very good.

[Bunny]

wait, Auryn Quartett? oh, I just realized that i did hear this set, it's on Naxosmusiclibrary.com. The 15th quartet was very good.

At 128 kbps it's just barely tolerable sound quality.  I wish Naxos would beef up their bit rate, then I would subscribe.

[Drasko]

Aha! It's quartett with a tt.  For their later DG recordings, they changed the spelling to quartet with one t.

No, I think it's the other way around, DG recordings are earlier (70s) while HM are from early 90s.

Number of ts looks variable though

[Valentino]

The Hagen Quartett had D. 887 coupled with LvB op. 95 on a DG CD that's OOP. Have anybody heard it and could you comment on the performance?

[BorisG]

Boris, which one do you prefer?
Could you tell somenting about how Leipzig and Auryn compare? (I have the Leipzig Qt but am considering the Auryn.)

Thanks!

Q

Close calls, I like them all. All are fresh additions.

My preference is the "new" digital Harmonia Mundi Melos for narrowly more intensity and immediacy. Auryn and Leipzig are similar in these measurings. Sonics and atmosphere rating - Warm, "new" Melos. Warmer, Auryn. Warmest, Leipzig.

I would probably recommend Auryn to someone whose likes I did not know, since most things considered they sit in the middle. Of the three, Leipzig is closer to old school, but not to the degree of DG Melos or Philips Italian, and others.

Leipzig and Auryn have equally great sound. The "new' digital Melos is not far behind.