Schubert's String Quartets

[snyprrr]

$$$...however, if I were to go "Complete," there was an old set by the VPO Quartet, or... who was it?...help... the one where their old world Schubert playing was light years ahead of everyone else......otherwise, sure, it's either Melos, Kodaly, Leipzig, the above mystery Quartet, Auryn,...who else?

Still, what's your fav early Schubert SQ?

No.8 seems to have that perfect "cross-roads" synthesis, to me.

[DavidW]

It's not expensive, it's $30 for a 6 cd set, what more do you want?

The Auryn Quartet cycle is very expensive, I wouldn't buy them if I were you.  There are only three complete cycles, Kodaly, Auryn and Melos.  If Melos is too expensive for you then why bother?  It's actually the cheapest one!

I don't know why you would describe a recording that you have not heard by an ensemble that you can not remember as "light years ahead of everyone else"!?  Very puzzling post.

[DavidW]

No wait, I'll take that back there is one more set-- the Vienna Konzethaus Quartet, I think it's oop though but can be had used.  Melos is still the cheapest.

[Herman]

I'm not sure going completist is the thing to do with Schubert's SQs. I'd get the newer Melos Qt set of the last three quartets plus the single mvt.

Or the two ABQ cds.

[DavidW]

I'm not a big fan of the early string quartets so I agree with you Herman, but Mr Snipper clearly wants a big box set.  I was not even able to answer Snipper's question about favorite early quartet.  I suppose in a year or two he'll be doing this all over again with piano trios!

[ChamberNut]

Mr Snipper,

Throw that Kodaly away, and buy this--

Yes David! 

[George]

Yes David! 

Anyone know how that Melos sets compares to the Lindsays incomplete set?

[snyprrr]

but Mr Snipper clearly wants a big box set. I suppose in a year or two he'll be doing this all over again with piano trios!

Nononononono,no,... I do not want a big box set! As a matter of fact I think I'm done with Schubert. The only reason I got that Naxos was because of the raves in Gramo/Penguin. I'd never heard No.1 or No.4, and I must say I liked them better than... well, I just didn't know Schubert's style ran through his whole corpus. As I said, No.8 seems to have all the elements... what more do I need to know about the Schubster? I think I just don't particularly like Schubert... he was not the composer I thought he was going to be... much grungier than I thought. Perhaps all this "Heaven" talk was over just the Quintet in C (which I have not yet heard... looking forward), because I have found nothing heavenly in the last SQs, or in the Naxos (except for the first mvmt. of No.1). I just thought the Naxos could have been a little more gruff and woodsy, but I'm not buying box sets just to check out some early SQs. No, generally, Schubert's been a disappointment for me (though, a revelation nonetheless). And no, I will probably not be going after the piano trios (though I remember a great part in the movie "The Hunger").

No wait, I'll take that back there is one more set-- the Vienna Konzethaus Quartet, I think it's oop though but can be had used.  Melos is still the cheapest.

I think that's the one I mentioned (rec. in the '50s???). btw- I have nothing against the Melos set (though I heard the recording was a bit harsh in places).

No one has a favorite early Schubert SQ??

[DavidW]

Yeah that bit in the Hunger is fantastic isn't it?

Have you heard the String Quintet?  It is perhaps Schubert's greatest chamber work.

[DavidW]

Oh and if you're not quite done with Schubert yet, check out Herman's recs.

[snyprrr]

I still have the Quintet ahead of me: last stop on the SchuberTrain. And yes, my expectations are high (I'll probably go for ABQ). EVERYONE says it's "da bomb!" So, until then...

[Gurn Blanston]

No one has a favorite early Schubert SQ??

Given your turn towards annihilation lately, I almost hate to mention D 87 in Eb... Pity there's nothing satanic in it though...

Well, I don't care, I am quite fond of it anyway. It's the essence of pre-syphilitic Schubert...

[ChamberNut]

Have you heard the String Quintet?  It is perhaps Schubert's greatest chamber work.

0:)

[snyprrr]

Given your turn towards annihilation lately, I almost hate to mention D 87 in Eb... Pity there's nothing satanic in it though...

Well, I don't care, I am quite fond of it anyway. It's the essence of pre-syphilitic Schubert...

pre-syph...niiice!

Sounds like I might like it.

That leaves 2-3, and 5-6...aren't two of these just fragments?

And what about that lone D353 E major SQ? That one seems to fly under the radar.

I was shocked at how advanced he sounds out of the box.

...and aggressive...

[Valentino]

I still have the Quintet ahead of me: last stop on the SchuberTrain. And yes, my expectations are high (I'll probably go for ABQ). EVERYONE says it's "da bomb!"

Everybody's wrong, of course.
Hagen Quartett, and it's even in print!

[DavidW]

Everybody's wrong, of course.
Hagen Quartett, and it's even in print!

You don't like Schubert's string quintet?

[snyprrr]

No D, ABQ vs Hagen.

[snyprrr]

No one has really mentioned D703 in c minor, the most famous Quartettsatz.

...any poetic musings?...

Also, I was considering that Borodin/Virgin?...

[Valentino]

Superwoman and her Sidekicks have recorded D703 too, you know...

[Valentino]

You don't like Schubert's string quintet?

Quite the contrary. Grew up on the Lindsays (their second movement is a must hear), and have studied other interpretations including ABQ, but I've ended up with that little ol' band from Salzburg as my favourite in this Schubert piece too.