Recordings That You Are Considering

[Coopmv]

I sure wish that they would show the original price as well, for I never know exactly how much I am saving on their sale items. 

I generally compare the US price with MDT price for a particular item and order from MDT only CD's that are priced much higher in the US.  I only buy classical concerts on DVD from US vendors since their prices are much better than MDT's prices for some reasons ...

[DavidRoss]

I'm considering purchasing the Guarneri 4tet's complete LvB 4tet cycle on RCA/Brilliant and seek advice from those familiar with this set.

[jlaurson]

I'm considering purchasing the Guarneri 4tet's complete LvB 4tet cycle on RCA/Brilliant and seek advice from those familiar with this set.

From WETA:

The String Quartets are an essential element in a Beethoven collection and Brilliant go again to Universal Classics – Philips – to bring us the second string quartet cycle of the Guarneri Quartet, recorded between 1987 and 1992. Unlike the group's earlier cycle on RCA, this one has not been in print for quite a while before Brilliant re-issued it in a separate box and ArkivMusic made the individual CDs available on demand as "Arkiv-CDs". That's not necessarily because the Philips cycle is not as good. It sounds less 'generous' than the 1960's effort, and more precise in return. This benefits the later more than the earlier quartets, which are not as agile (Quatuor Mosaïques) or enthusiastically energetic (Takács) as could be.

Currently I am also listening to the second Vegh cycle (naïve – a particular favorite of mine), Tokyo on RCA (the first cycle I owned), and the Quartetto Italiano's Philips set re-released by EMI. While the Guarneri can't touch the Vegh on emotional content, they certainly don't suffer from comparison to the Italian and Japanese-American competition. In short: A cycle that might never elicit raves and passionate defense as "the best" in anyone, but one that won't let you down, either.

[Haffner]

You want the Guarneri Late String Quartets, not the whole box. Specifically, you want op.127 from the former set. It's just my opinion but even the mighty Vegh, Juillard, and Takacs sets can't touch that op. 127. Best in existence.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I'm considering purchasing the Guarneri 4tet's complete LvB 4tet cycle on RCA/Brilliant and seek advice from those familiar with this set.

This is very "big" Beethoven. Wide dynamics, with deep, rich, "romantic" tendencies that might be right up some folk's alley but honestly didn't do much for me. But I'm biased in favor of a more classically contoured Beethoven. YMMV of course.

[Haffner]

This is very "big" Beethoven. Wide dynamics, with deep, rich, "romantic" tendencies that might be right up some folk's alley but honestly didn't do much for me. But I'm biased in favor of a more classically contoured Beethoven. YMMV of course.

I'm curious now! Which are your favorite recordings of the Late SQs, please?

[DavidRoss]

This is very "big" Beethoven. Wide dynamics, with deep, rich, "romantic" tendencies that might be right up some folk's alley but honestly didn't do much for me. But I'm biased in favor of a more classically contoured Beethoven. YMMV of course.

I share your preference, Don, liking Takacs & the Emersons much more than Vegh & the Italians, for instance.  Thanks--and thanks to Jens and Andy, too, for your thoughts.

[prémont]

I share your preference, Don, liking Takacs & the Emersons much more than Vegh & the Italians, for instance.  Thanks--and thanks to Jens and Andy, too, for your thoughts.

Takacs are too "efficient" to me - , the Emersons I do not know. their Art of Fugue scared me right away, but else I would explore their Beethoven, the Vegh`s (haven´t heard but their stereo - the mono is in my listening queue) are passionate in a very Beethovenian way IMO, the Italians are too "silky" for my taste. But there are others. I recently acquired maybe 15 sets to listen to.

[Haffner]

I share your preference, Don, liking Takacs & the Emersons much more than Vegh & the Italians, for instance.  Thanks--and thanks to Jens and Andy, too, for your thoughts.

The Takacs is a terrific set, especially for the Late, and I always liked the cuckoo Emerson "Grosse Fuge".

[jlaurson]

I second the preference for the Takacs. Among modern recordings, certainly, it has few rivals... (Prazak, perhaps).
Perfection, but with blood and heart. (Although especially the late quartets don't REALLY need too much heart, I find. The X-Ray readings of the Hagen Quartett, for example, have a forbidding allure all of their own. (See this review).

What the Hagens (Lukas, Veronika, Clemens -- with Rainer Schmidt on second violin) do to the Heiliger Dankgesang in op. 132 is almost creepy. They are to Beethoven what Boulez is to Mahler{*}. You see (or hear, rather) details and connections that you can't in the score or other interpretations, because their playing is of the most nuanced order. It is light, modern, clean. It reminds me of minimalist architecture -- lots of glass, brushed aluminum, clean and bright wood.

[* I would like to amend this to "what the stereotype of Boulez in Mahler is..." or at least: "what Boulez is Mahler's Third Symphony".]

[DavidRoss]

Thanks again, Jens.  I like Boulez's Mahler--very much--and I like the Hagens, so on the strength of your recommendation I just ordered their op 127 & 132 disc after listening to the samples on DGG's site.  It should make for an interesting and different approach complementing the Takacs's etherealness, the Alexander's lyricism, and the Emerson's incisiveness. 

[Dancing Divertimentian]

I'm curious now! Which are your favorite recordings of the Late SQs, please?

It's sort of a mixture, Andy. I enjoy performances by the Hollywood Quartet, the Yale Quartet, Vegh stereo...and my favorite Op.135 is by the Hagen Quartet from 1992 (their Grosse Fuge is great, too). I had high hopes for the Hagen's recent Op.127 and Op.132 (from 2005) but so far my expectations haven't been met. The Hagen's seem to be "over-interpreting" the pieces, trying to find an "angle" instead of letting the music unfold naturally (like they did in Op.135).

I can't understand the change in philosophy but it seems to fit with the character of the Hagens, who can be wildly uneven on disc. When they're on they're really on, but when they're off they're off.

[Haffner]

It's sort of a mixture, Andy. I enjoy performances by the Hollywood Quartet, the Yale Quartet, Vegh stereo...and my favorite Op.135 is by the Hagen Quartet from 1992 (their Grosse Fuge is great, too). I had high hopes for the Hagen's recent Op.127 and Op.132 (from 2005) but so far my expectations haven't been met. The Hagen's seem to be "over-interpreting" the pieces, trying to find an "angle" instead of letting the music unfold naturally (like they did in Op.135).

I can't understand the change in philosophy but it seems to fit with the character of the Hagens, who can be wildly uneven on disc. When they're on they're really on, but when they're off they're off.

Hagen can be really great. I also found alot to like about the Yale set. Thanks so much for the response!

[nut-job]

This is very "big" Beethoven. Wide dynamics, with deep, rich, "romantic" tendencies that might be right up some folk's alley but honestly didn't do much for me. But I'm biased in favor of a more classically contoured Beethoven. YMMV of course.

My favorite cycle is one that seems to be relatively obscure, the Vermeer quartet, originally released on Teldec, now in a Warner bargain-price box.  Beautiful clarity and richness of audio engineering, sensitive performance which are expressive without sacrificing tautness and clarity.



http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-String-Quartets-Vermeer-Quartet/dp/B0001ZA2IE/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1237232823&sr=8-1

[Bogey]

My favorite cycle is one that seems to be relatively obscure, the Vermeer quartet, originally released on Teldec, now in a Warner bargain-price box.  Beautiful clarity and richness of audio engineering, sensitive performance which are expressive without sacrificing tautness and clarity.



http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-String-Quartets-Vermeer-Quartet/dp/B0001ZA2IE/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1237232823&sr=8-1

Shows the release as 2005.  Is this the date of the recording as well?

[George]

Discussion has already begun on another thread. Feel free to stop on by. 

[nut-job]

Shows the release as 2005.  Is this the date of the recording as well?

This is a re-release of recordings from the 80's.

When I first got one of their recordings they looked like this:


Then this (which I now have):

[Bogey]

This is a re-release of recordings from the 80's.

When I first got one of their recordings they looked like this:


Then this (which I now have):

Looks as though they have only had a handful of recordings where they are the on ensemble on the disc.  How many of their discs do you have on the Teldec label?

[nut-job]

Looks as though they have only had a handful of recordings where they are the on ensemble on the disc.  How many of their discs do you have on the Teldec label?

I have the Beethoven cycle.  There is also a Bartok cycle and some other things on Naxos, which I have not heard.

[Dr. Dread]

Discussion has already begun on another thread. Feel free to stop on by. 

Before he locks it!

*runs away*