Beethoven: String Quartets

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Having toured the world with its Beethoven Quartets cycle as the old millennium entered the new, the Takács Quartet now commits some of them to disc. This two-CD set from Decca includes the three Razumovsky quartets, Op. 59, of 1806, and the Harp Quartet, Op. 74, sometimes known as the Lobkowitz after its dedicatee, composed in 1809. Although the latter's presto yields the fastest version of the fate motif Beethoven ever wrote, it is possible to go too quickly, as the Takács does here, making triplets of the first notes, which are not written as such. The speed of the dazzling finale of the Razumovsky No. 3 is impressive, but just fails to grip as firmly as a slightly slower, more controlled performance might.

On the other hand, the Thème Russe last movement of the Razumovsky No. 1 is a model of restraint, the playful parts entering from all angles with delightful measured precision, polished and perfect. The Takács' music breathes as if in a meditative trance the broad, shallow arch of the molto adagio, which lasts a satisfying quarter-hour in Razumovsky No. 2. The four play best what is calculated and intricate, like the theme and variations that conclude the Harp Quartet, giving each episode a distinct flavor. Variety is more important than usual on one-composer recordings such as this, and the members of the Takács Quartet prove themselves contemplative Beethovenians, who occasionally mistake the gallop for a stampede. --Rick Jones

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The Takacs Quartet begin in the middle of what is to be a complete set of the Beethoven string quartets. The Takacs had enjoyed nearly 20 years of increasing international success before, in the mid-1990s, Gabor Takacs, their founder and leader, died, to be replaced by Edward Dusinberre; and two years later Roger Tapping became the viola player. Since then, the reconstituted ensemble has won new laurels, notably with their 1998 set of the Bartok quartets (also on Decca). And on the evidence of... read more

Beethoven: String Quartets

Tracks:

Op. 18 No. 1 In F Major: I: Allegro Con Brio - Alban Berg Quartett
Op. 18 No. 1 In F Major: II: Adagio Affettuoso Ed Appassionato - Alban Berg Quartett
Op. 18 No. 1 In F Major: III: Scherzo (Allegro Molto) & Trio - Alban Berg Quartett
Op. 18 No. 1 In F Major: IV: Allegro - Alban Berg Quartett
Op. 59 No. 1 In F Major 'Rasumovsky': I: Allegro - Alban Berg Quartett
Op. 59 No. 1 In F Major 'Rasumovsky': II: Allegretto Vivace E Sempre Scherzando - Alban Berg Quartett
Op. 59 No. 1 In F Major 'Rasumovsky': III: Adagio molto e mesto : IV: Allegro (Th russe) - Alban Berg Quartett

Tracks:

Op. 18 No.2 In G Major: I: Allegro - Alban Berg Quartett
Op. 18 No.2 In G Major: II: Adagio cantabile - Alban Berg Quartett
Op. 18 No.2 In G Major: III: Scherzo (Allegro) & Trio - Alban Berg Quartett
Op. 18 No.2 In G Major: IV: Allegro molto, quasi presto - Alban Berg Quartett
Op. 18 No. 6 In B Flat Major: I: Allegro con brio - Alban Berg Quartett
Op. 18 No. 6 In B Flat Major: II: Adagio, ma non troppo - Alban Berg Quartett
Op. 18 No. 6 In B Flat Major: III: Scherzo (Allegro) & Trio - Alban Berg Quartett
Op. 18 No. 6 In B Flat Major: IV: Adagio (La Malinconia) - Allegretto quasi Allegro - Alban Berg Quartett
Op. 135 In F Major: I: Allegretto - Alban Berg Quartett
Op. 135 In F Major: II: Vivace - Alban Berg Quartett
Op. 135 In F Major: III: Lento assai, cantante e tranquillo - Alban Berg Quartett
Op. 135 In F Major: IV: Grave, ma non troppo tratto - Allegro - Alban Berg Quartett

Tracks:

Op. 18 No. 3 In D Major: I. Allegro
Op. 18 No. 3 In D Major: II. Andante con moto
III. Allegro
Op. 18 No. 3 In D Major: IV. Presto
Op. 18 No. 5 in A Major: I. Allegro
Op. 18 No. 5 in A Major: II. Menuetto & Trio
Op. 18 No. 5 in A Major: III. Andante cantabile
Op. 18 No. 5 in A Major: IV. Allegro
Op. 95 In F Minor: I. Allegro con brio
Op. 95 In F Minor: II. Allegretto ma non troppo
Op. 95 In F Minor: III: Allegro assai vivace, ma serioso

Tracks:

Op. 18 No. 4 In C Minor: I. Allegro ma non tanto
Op. 18 No. 4 In C Minor: II. Scherzo (Andante scherzoso quasi Allegretto)
Op. 18 No. 4 In C Minor: III. Menuetto (Allegretto) & Trio
Op. 18 No. 4 In C Minor: IV. Allegro
Op. 130 in B flat Major: I. Adagio ma non troppo - Allegro
Op. 130 in B flat Major: II. Presto
Op. 130 in B flat Major: III. Andante con moto, ma non troppo
Op. 130 in B flat Major: IV. Alla danza tedesca (Allegro assai)
Op. 130 in B flat Major: V Cavatina (Adagio molto espressivo)
Grosse Fuge In B Flat Major, Op. 133
Op. 130 in B flat Major: VI. Finale (Allegro)

Tracks:

Op. 59 No. 2 In E Minor 'Rasumovsky': I: Allegro
Op. 59 No. 2 In E Minor 'Rasumovsky': II: Molto Allegro
Op. 59 No. 2 In E Minor 'Rasumovsky': III: Allegretto
Op. 59 No. 2 In E Minor 'Rasumovsky': IV: Finale (Presto)
Op. 127 In E Flat Major: I: Maaestoso - Allegro
Op. 127 In E Flat Major: II: Adagio ma non troppo, molto cantabile
Op. 127 In E Flat Major: III: Scherzando vivace
Op. 127 In E Flat Major: IV: Finale

Tracks:

Op. 59 No. 3 In C Major 'Rasumovsky': I: Introduzione (Andante con moto) - Allegro vivace
Op. 59 No. 3 In C Major 'Rasumovsky': II: Andante con moto quasi allegretto
Op. 59 No. 3 In C Major 'Rasumovsky': III: Menuetto (Grazioso) & Trio
Op. 131 In C Sharp Minor: I: Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo
Op. 131 In C Sharp Minor: II: Allegro molto vivace
Op. 131 In C Sharp Minor: III: Allegro moderato
Op. 131 In C Sharp Minor: IV: Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile
Op. 131 In C Sharp Minor: V: Presto
Op. 131 In C Sharp Minor: VI: Adagio quasi un poco andante
Op. 131 In C Sharp Minor: VI: Adagio quasi un poco andante

Tracks:

Op. 74 In E Flat Major 'Harp': I Poco adagio - Allegro - Beethoven
Op. 74 In E Flat Major 'Harp': II. Adagio ma non troppo - Beethoven
Op. 74 In E Flat Major 'Harp': III. Presto - Beethoven
Op. 74 In E Flat Major 'Harp': IV: Allegretto con Variazioni - Beethoven
Op.132 In A Minor: I: Allegro sostenuto - Allegro - Beethoven
Op.132 In A Minor: II: Allegro ma non tanto - Beethoven
Op.132 In A Minor: III: Molto adagio - Beethoven
Op.132 In A Minor: IV: Alla marcia, assai vivace - Beethoven

Customer Reviews:

A wonderful Beethoven cycle.......2007-06-18

This is a fine recording, remastered for the reissue. Intelligent, driving, finely played. Excellent musicianship. Buy it. You won't be sorry you did.

A LONG TIME COMING AT THIS PRICE .......2007-06-02

On LP I own any number of complete Beethoven String Quartets by the great masters of that genre. I bought them all as a teenager and in college. When I started buying CDs a complete Beethoven set for over $100 by a great quartet became out of my price range at the time. To find the Berg Quartet, (a favorite group of mine), surveying these great works at this price from Amazon is one of the best bargains going.

I went immediately to Op. 135 and found it marvelous in concept, execution and recording. I've now listened to almost all the quartets, and the consistency is wonderful. Because I'm in the business I'm using only high end professional equipment for playback and the sound is truly "You Are There". The recordings capture the upper overtones of all the instruments without the least harhsness, no mean feat. The blend of the group and the hall is articulated in a way that happens on only a very few recordings. Ocassionally one can hear a minor difference in what might be placement of microphones, even from movement to movement. This could, in fact, be the result of a temperature or humidity change in the recording venue. You have to pay very close attention to notice this and it does nothing to diminish these sonic wonders) Worth thrice the price.

What more can be said?.......2007-02-03

There are many wonderful performances of these remarkable pieces. Which is the finest? Only God, in his wisdom, will ever be able to answer such a question, but I'm sure with his celestial headphones on he'll be listening to the Alban Berg Quartet. For me this quartet is able to "read" each individual quartet with such clarity, from the light hearted humor of the Op.18 to the intense and darkly passionate Op.95 through to the strangely happy yet unearthly Op.135, with many other wonderful moments, that I can hardly imagine any better. You won't go wrong buying this.

With the Best of the Best.......2006-12-14

I know it's saying a great deal with the excellent full sets of these quartets to choose from, but these overall are my favorites. The playing is excellent, balanced and perfectly toned. There are unquestionably the deep emotional commitment of the Vegh Quartet, the intelligence of the Juilliard, the parlor intimacy of the Talisch and the muscular intensity of the Italiano. And the serious collector needs to listen to these sets, or selections of, for a rounded understanding of these works. But for a consistency of quality and feeling throughout a traversal of all the quartets I believe the Berg set wins an arguably close contest--at least for me.

What sound problems????.......2006-11-14

I am only writing this review in dispute of RB Townsend remarks below.
I have been listening to this mostly Live set for a few years now on high end Audiophile equipment and notice NO problems with sound at all.
It is clear, clean, crisp, transparent and rich with no "glare" at all.
if it is "well lit", this would suit Beethoven's strings perfectly.
An absolutely stunning performance with a Superb sound stage and sound.
All the other reviewers and the buyers who agree with their assessments (a hundred of them) can't be wrong.
With all due respect, Perhaps Mr. Townsend is listening to this on an Aiwa bookshelf System. Perhaps.

Average customer rating:

Takacs...what amazing musicians
Sublime Playing
MORE APPRECIATION
Takacs Complete Beethoven Quartets (part 3)
Defective Decca set of Takacs Late Quartets

Beethoven: The Late String Quartets
Ludwig van Beethoven , and Takacs Quartet
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00067R3BG
Release Date: 2005-01-11

Tracks:

Maestoso - Allegro
Adagio ma non troppo e molto cantabile
Scherzando vivace
Finale
Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo
Allegro molto vivace
Allegro moderato
Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile - Piso - Andante moderato e lusinghiero - Adagio - Allegretto - Adagio, ma non troppo e semplice - Allegretto
Presto
Adagio quasi un poco andante
Allegro

Tracks:

Assai sostenuto - Allegro
Allegro ma non tanto
Heiliger Dankgesang e.Genesenden an die Gottheit, in der lydischen Tonart.Molto adagio -. Andante - Molto adagio - Andante - Molto adagio.
Alla marcia, assai vivace - Piegro - Presto
Allegro appassionato
Allegretto
Vivace
Lento assai, cantante e tranquillo
Der schwer gefae Entschlu(Grave - Allegro - Grave ma non troppo tratto - Allegro)

Tracks:

Allegro con brio
Allegretto ma non troppo
Allegro assai vivace ma serioso
Larghetto espressivo - Allegretto agitato
Adagio ma non troppo - Allegro
Presto
Andante con moto ma non troppo. Poco scherzando
Alla danza tedesca (Allegro assai)
Cavatina ( Adagio molto espressivo)
Overtura (Allegro) - Meno mosso e moderato - Allegro - Fuga
Finale (Allegro)

Amazon.com

Some Quartets, like the Busch, Italiano, and Talich, have come close to the inner core of these supreme masterpieces. The Takács Quartet now joins those select few. From the opening chords of the Op. 127--firmly stated, perfectly blended, just gruff enough while still sounding beautiful--you know you're in safe hands during this journey into the deepest, most timeless works in the repertory. Slow movements are always a major test here, and if the Takács doesn't surpass some of the above-mentioned groups, they are superior to their present-day peers in conveying Beethoven's deepest thinking while also attending to surface beauties. The Takács surpass the Emersons and Alban Berg Quartet(admirable as those performances are)in their interpretive insights and ensemble sound. But these masterpieces are so rich and dense that admirers need more than one version. The Takács are masters of Beethoven's quick-changing contrasts, making them sound logical, even inevitable. While their playing is full of drive and forward motion, it's never excessively energetic or overly lean. Of course, the Grosse Fugue is included, along with Beethoven's substitute finale Opus 130 and the Opus 95 Quartet, making for three well-filled discs recorded in excellent sound. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Takacs...what amazing musicians.......2007-07-23

Perhaps the best chamnber music group of our time, I was eager to purchase the CD after hearing them perform live a few months ago with the newest member of their group, Geraldine Walther (the best violist the San Francisco Symphony has ever had and lost). Listening to them in person, I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Unfortunately with this piece the energy did not reach me in the same way. It is still an amazing performance, but I need to know my Beethoven better so I can be more selective in my purchases. I am committed to purchasing all future recordings from them, however, and if you have a chance to hear them live, do so!

Sublime Playing.......2007-03-02

I have come to enjoy and appreciate string quartets much more in recent years, and my collection of recordings embraces Mendelssohn, Schubert, Haydn, Shostakovich, Borodin and Britten; but not Beethoven. I had some old LP recordings of the quartets several years ago (long disappeared) and I felt it was time to hear them again. So I was approaching this set of quartets as something new.

I bought these recordings having read several reviews of the Takacs Quartet's recordings of the Beethoven Quartets; indeed they have been so glowing that I could not help but be curious. These are not easy works to understand and I have heard the music a few times and feel that I am just beginning to learn about them. I would have to say that my favorites are the Quartet in F minor, Op. 95 "Quartetto Serioso" the Quartet in B flat, op. 130, the Grosse Fuge, op. 133 and the Quartet in F major, Op. 135. These works had an immediate appeal and the playing of the Takacs is luminous. The Quartet in E flat, Op. 127, Quartet in C sharp minor, Op. 131 and Quartet in A minor, Op. 132 have extended slow movements that are intimate and somber, and can become somewhat tiresome. When I was playing disc one with the Op. 127 and Op. 131 quartets my wife said it was the most boring music she had heard. Well, this is music that requires multiple hearings to understand and I do not plan to get rid of this set.

As has been pointed out by several reviewers, the late Beethoven quartets are not works for light listening. However, even the most challenging of the quartets contains music that I found appealing. For example, the Scherzo and Allegro from the Op. 127 quartet are brilliant and even the C sharp minor quartet with its beginning dark and somber adagio eventually brightens as the music unfolds. I usually listen to CDs with a headset and I found that the sound and balance of these recordings are second to none. The playing of the Takacs is fabulous and I highly recommend this set, even if some of the music may require some patience.

MORE APPRECIATION.......2006-12-01

To be honest, I have never really understood or appreciated Beethoven's Late String
Quartets finding them very difficult to decipher and really not too enjoyable to listen to. (In reality, I honestly feel that they are very "private" compositions of Beethoven that are reflective of the inner turmoil of his life at the time of their composition) Although I don't feel that I really understand them now (nor do I ever expect to), I have enjoyed them more in this recording that is played by the exquisite Takács Quartet than I ever have enjoyed them. To me, the Takács Quartet has some semblance of understanding of these monumental works; they indeed seem to understand them or in the very least they indeed play them most beautifully neither being too gruff or too sentimental. Their sound is simply gorgeous making for a most enjoyable listening experience. Coupled with Decca's exquisite recorded balance and sound, (the recording also includes the Grosse Fugue in this 3 disc set) I now almost like and appreciate the works.

In conclusion, I don't still even pretend to consider Beethoven's Late String Quartets as some of my favorite compositions, however, I indeed do intend to return to this recording often hopefully garnering more of an understanding of these most important compositions by Beethoven.

Takacs Complete Beethoven Quartets (part 3) .......2006-08-28

This is the 3rd part of my full review of the Takacs Beethoven string quartets. Part 1 is for the Opus18 Quartets and Part 2 for the middle quartets.

I am a Busch Quartet Lover (as are the Takacs players themselves) so those quartets loom in the back of my mind as the standard against which other performances are measured. Since the Busch performances were loved against years of listening to many other quartets as well, it is high praise for the Takacs that I consider the Takacs often their equal, and on some occasions (op59 no3) even superiour.

With the late quartets the Takacs come into competition with a well recorded (for 1930s) Busch performance on every quartet (except the full No13). Fortunately, the Takacs took these on at the last, and their style and insight has certainly matured. The "crescendo effect" I complained about in my other reviews is mostly gone here, and they generally seem more in touch with the emotional centre of the music. Furthermore, Duisinberre has for the most part laid off the heavy vibrato he sometimes brought to slow movements on the earlier discs.

The Takacs popularity is in large part to the variety of qualities they bring to the music. Many quartets have strengths in certain areas, such as great fire, sublime sensitivity, immaculate technique, superb dynamics...but very rarely does a quartet come along that is strong in so many of these areas at once, as the Takacs are. In my previous reviews I complained that their only "lack" was that they sometimes seemed distant to the essence of the music in a way my favourite quartet, the Busch, never seems to be.

In this final set of their cycle, they mostly correct this, and their performances for the most part take on the great authority of classics. Still, they are not (most of the time) in the same league as the Busch yet, either in emotional depth or, in particular, their ability to play in unison when called for. The uncanny way the Busch can blend into one sound at certain moments really gives them an extra edge when they need it. At those moments I often found myself slightly dissapointed with the Takacs when, remembering a moment where the Busch pulled out an extraordinary sonority for great effect, the Takacs, though playing with all their heart, still sounded like 4 individual instruments scraping away in not an entirely sure fashion.

Op95 starts off chock full of Takacs strengths: lively phrasing, varied textures, rippling fire, immaculate technique and dynamics. The first movement does not quite have the ripping tragedy that the Busch do, but still is very gripping.

No12 manages to outdo the Busch at times in sheer power and masterful melodic articulation. The long slow movement is very beautifully done and the scherzo amazes with its ferocity. The last movement slightly dissapoints near the end. The Busch make great use of their unified textural sonority to sustain the wild arpeggios, such that the piece ends leaving one exhilarated. The Takacs leave dynamic gaps here and the music sort of lurches to the finish in a dissapointing way.

No13 is only available in a poor Sony recording from 1943 by the Busch, one that omits the Grosse Fugue as well. Poor recording and all, noone has ever come close to understanding the first part of this quartet in the way the Busch do. The natural tempos and phrasing of the lonely 'horn calls' in the first movement makes the development section like falling into a well of amazing emotional depth. The Takacs are altogether more pensive, almost sweet. They try to turn this movement inward, rather self conscious and psychological, and it really pales compared to the Busch.

Great firey 2nd movement from Takacs as expected.

3rd movement gets it typical laid back Schumannian whimsy from the Takacs. O how infinitely better is the natural Busch rendering, with Adolf catching that wild central gypsy melody on the wing such that you won't get it out of your head for days. Takacs are snoozers here.

The Takacs catch up on the slow movement. Perhaps taking the warning that Beethoven called this short piece "my greatest work of chambermusic" they give it great gravitas and concentration, shaping the alternating passages with loving intensity. That sweeps forward into a nearly hysterical, and amazingly played Grosse Fugue, after which the monster quartet is finished off with Beethovens alternate ending. The Takacs really fly through this piece and its brilliant, much more becoming than the Busch laid back tempo.

So, if for quartet No 13 I could have the Busch upto the slow movement, then Takacs the rest of the way including the fugue, I would be in bliss, but life is not so simple!

I'd like to continue but am running out of space. Basically quartets 14 and 15, while not quite in the same league as the Busch for some of the aforesaid reasons, are still very great performances, ones that complement the Busch very well and are occassionally better. For slow movement lovers, the variations from no14, while very fine, misses alot of the profound emotional transformation that the Busch capture in the silences and amazing pure tonal sonorities. The Heilegen Danksang from No15 is just wonderfully done by the Takacs, perhaps even as good as the Busch, which is saying alot. No16 is as good or even better than the Busch. I think the Takacs make even more sense out of it. Rather like the 8th symphony it is full of Beethoven at his most wierdly personal and subtle and overall the Takacs catch the spirit of the melody better than the Busch.

All in all, a mostly triumphant finish for the Takacs. For a complete set with a modern recording the Takacs would certainly be my first choice, though as I have often stated the old Busch recordings (of half the quartets) for the most part still scale this music the highest.

But we are spoilt for choice. We can own all sorts of recordings of this wonderful music, wandering all the interesting and unique ways to the one musical core.

Defective Decca set of Takacs Late Quartets.......2006-05-01

I purchased this set yesterday, and it has the same defect noted by others: Disc 3 is correctly labeled but is an exact copy of the music on Disc 1. Obviously Decca has a quality control problem and seems to lack the integrity to do a recall.

Average customer rating:

The most exciting
Takacs Full Beethoven St. Quartets Review (part 2)
The Best so Far.
Excellent recording.
Even the Penguin Guide says they are alongside the best

Beethoven: String Quartets
Takacs Quartet , and Beethoven
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B000063WRQ
Release Date: 2002-05-14

Tracks:

Quartet in F major, op. 59: Allegro
Quartet in F major, op. 59: Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando
Quartet in F major, op. 59: Adagio molto e mesto
Quartet in F major, op. 59: theme russe: Allegro
Quartet in E flat major, op. 74: Poco adagio-Allegro
Quartet in E flat major, op. 74: Adagio ma non troppo
Quartet in E flat major, op. 74: Presto-Piu presto quasi prestissimo
Quartet in E flat major, op. 74: Allegretto con variozioni

Tracks:

Quartet in E minor, op. 59: Allegro
Quartet in E minor, op. 59: Molto adagio
Quartet in E minor, op. 59: Allegretto-Maggiore (Theme russe)
Quartet in E minor, op. 59: Finale: Presto
Quartet in C major, op. 59: Introduzione: Andante con moto-Allegro vivace
Quartet in C major, op. 59: Andanto con moro. Quasi allegretto
Quartet in C major, op. 59: Menuetto (grazioso)
Quartet in C major, op. 59: Allegro molto

Amazon.com

Having toured the world with its Beethoven Quartets cycle as the old millennium entered the new, the Takács Quartet now commits some of them to disc. This two-CD set from Decca includes the three Razumovsky quartets, Op. 59, of 1806, and the Harp Quartet, Op. 74, sometimes known as the Lobkowitz after its dedicatee, composed in 1809. Although the latter's presto yields the fastest version of the fate motif Beethoven ever wrote, it is possible to go too quickly, as the Takács does here, making triplets of the first notes, which are not written as such. The speed of the dazzling finale of the Razumovsky No. 3 is impressive, but just fails to grip as firmly as a slightly slower, more controlled performance might.

Customer Reviews:

The most exciting.......2006-09-01

A lot of more or less perfect performances of the middle quartets are avaiable, but this is the most exciting. There is a price to pay for excitement, that is a lesser feeling of balance, of perfect architecture. For my part I happily pay that price, because to me, the middle Beethoven was very much about excitement. The master would certainly enjoy the playing of the Takacs. If this is your first set of Beethoven's middle quartets, you will hardly accept other; this is so exceptional.

Takacs Full Beethoven St. Quartets Review (part 2).......2006-08-27

This is the 2nd part of my full review of the Takacs string quartets. Part 1 is for the Opus18 Quartets and Part 3 for the Late Quartets.

I am a Busch Quartet Lover (as are the Takacs players themselves) so those quartets loom in the back of my mind as the standard against which other performances are measured. Since the Busch performances were loved against years of listening to many other quartets as well, it is high praise for the Takacs that I consider the Takacs often their equal, and on some occasions (op59 no3) even superiour.

The Takacs are certainly one of the strongest modern quartets, offering outstanding virtuosity in all 4 positions married to a large variety of tonal expression. They don't quite have the novelty and plain wierdness that the Lindsay's always manage to find, but are far more thrilling and precise in their articulation. Opus 59 no.2 in the old Lindsay set is one of their finest achievments in my opinion, yet the Takacs are as good in their more straightforward way. The wild fantasy and total uncertainty about what will come next that the Lindsay's manage turns into oohs and ahhs for the Takacs with their blazing virtuosity and martial power. Compared to the Busch Op59 no.2 however (currently out of print) the Takacs lack the unanimity of texture that the older quartet can muster. They also don't have the same authority of vision that Busch musters, which is especially evident in the slow movement, where the Busch always seem to find that perfect shade of volume and rythym to capture Beethoven's inspiration.

In fact, I would say that is the greatest weakness of this first Takacs Beethoven release (they recorded op18 next and late qs last). They often seem to just lose a grip on the deeper meaning of the music and substitue for it a repetative dimuendo to crescendo "effect", like they are trying to insert some drama that they don't find in the music. This "trick" mostly dissapears thankfully by the final set, but here it often rears up and betrays an emotional immaturity when compared to the Busch.

Nevertheless! This is not always so, and in my opinion they capture the perfect time and dynamics for the op59 no3 slow movement, that dreaded place where most quartets fall down. Their immaculate pizzicato and perfect phrasing even outdoes the Busch in my opinion, making it the best version available of this quartet.

Op59 no 1 is a very fine performance all they way through, more visceral and thrilling yet just as involving as the 1941 Sony Busch recording except, unfortunately, in the slow movement. Here, the Busch manage a rapturously sorrowful lament of dreadful passion that leaves you breathless. The Takacs come off rather badly in comparision, taking a quiet pensive approach that just completely pales in comparison to the Busch revelation.

Finally, the Harp quartet really sparkles under the Takacs, a brilliant virtuosic show yet never getting aggressive the way the Berg do for example. (No Busch perf on record for this quartet sadly). The uncommonly rapidly played scherzo is especially thrilling in my mind, though some reviewers have preferred a more measured pace. This is my favourite perfomance of the harp on record.

A wonderful set then, well deserving of all its accolades. Op59 no3 and op 74 are my two favorite recorded performances, and op59 1 and 3 aren't bad either, the painfully weak point being the slow movement of op59 no1 in comparision with the Busch. Hear the Busch in that movement and you will see why they are justly esteemed so highly.

Thanks for reading

The Best so Far........2006-05-18

This set is amazing. I have had the pleasure of hearing the Berg, Lindsay, Emerson, and Julliard string quartets interpret the opus 59s, and I must say that the Takacs outdoes them all. Before this recording was introduced to me, I had a deep affection for the Emerson and Julliard's recordings. That has most certainly changed now. The Takacs fulfilled all my preconceived notions about what these pieces require, and introduced me to much much more. The finale of the op. 59 no.3 is astounding (a term I would never use to describe the previous quartets' interpretations), and, in my opinion shatters the attempts of the Emerson's rendition - I'm not sure where Mr. Jones finds so much room to complain about the finale of the no. 3 - nevertheless he is wrong. The op. 59s as recorded here is a landmark recording and I promise it will be referred to as an essential interpretation for years to come. As for the "harp" quartet, I could talk forever about the amazing beauty which is reveled in this recording....but I'll spare you. All I will say is that it too is fantastically beautiful and should not be missed. Whether you are a native collector of Beethoven quartets or one just looking for the "right" first set, the Takacs will not disappoint - Strongly Recommended.

By the way, the case cover you will most likely be getting if you are ordering it new is the one pictured above by Mr. Frank Rust, not the one pictured by Amazon.com. Not that it matters, but I just thought I would let you know.

Excellent recording........2006-01-01

I own a few other complete sets (not including the Emersons, Alban Berg, and the Lindsays). I had always been impressed by the Italian Quartet. The Takacs play at the same level, but with better recorded sound. In retrospect, I don't see Takacs as that much of an upgrade (unlike some of the previous reviewers). However, for a first set, they would be my first choice, particularly if price is not an issue.

Even the Penguin Guide says they are alongside the best.......2004-12-19

The Penguin guide, which seems to like the Lindsays (as do I) says this set ranks alongside the finest. Less mistakes than the Lindsays make. Slower in some parts than other first rate quartets. Depth of feeling as good or better than any other version. Great sound.

Also good are The Italian Quartet and the Talich - but they both are older recordings that aren't quite as good as the two quartets mentioned above. But some still claim them to be the best.

Average customer rating:

Beethoven: String Quartets [Box Set]

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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General | Classical | Styles | Music

Brilliant Classics | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000NJM6KK
Release Date: 2007-04-10

Tracks:

Allegro Con Brio
Adagio Affettuoso Ed Appassionato
Scherzo, Allegro Molto
Allegro
Allegro
Adgio Cantabile
Scherzo, Allegro
Allegro Molto Quasi Presto

Tracks:

Allegro
Andante Con Moto
Allegro
Presto
Allegro Ma Non Tanto
Scherzo, Andante Scherzoso
Menuetto, Allegretto
Allegro

Tracks:

Allegro
Menuetto
Andante Cantabile
Allegro
Allegro Con Brio
Adagio Ma Non Troppo
Scherzo, Allegro
La Malinconia, Adagio-Allegretto
Allegro Con Brio
Allegretto Ma Non Troppo
Allegro Assai Vivace Ma Serioso
Larghetto Espressivo - Allegretto Agitato

Tracks:

Allegro
Allegretto Vivace, Sempre Scherzando
Adagio Molto E Mesto
Theme Russe, Allegro
Allegro
Molto Adagio
Allegretto
Finale, Presto

Tracks:

Poco Adagio - Allegro
Adagio Ma Non Troppo
Presto - Piu Presto Quasi Prestissimo
Allegretto Con Variazioni
Adagio Ma Non Troppo E Molto Espressivo
Allegro Molto Vivace
Allegro Moderato
Andante Ma Non Troppo E Molto Cantabile
Presto
Adagio Quasi Un Poco Andante
Allegro

Tracks:

Maestoso - Allegro
Adagio, Ma Non Troppo E Molto Cantabile
Scherzando Vivace
Finale
Allegretto
Vivace
Lento Assai, Cantante E Tranquillo
Der Schwer Gefasste Entschluss, Grave - Allegro

Tracks:

Assai Sostenuto - Allegro
Allegro Ma Non Tanto
Heiliger Dankgesang Eines Genesenen An Die Gottheit, In Der Lydischen Tonart
Alla Marcia, Assai Vivace
Allegro Appassionato
Introduzione: Andante Con Moto - Allegro Vivace
Andante Con Moto Quasi Allegretto
Menuetto, Grazioso
Allegro Molto

Tracks:

Adagio Ma Non Troppo - Allegro
Presto
Andante Con Moto Ma Non Troppo, Poco Scherzando
Alla Tedesca, Allegro Assai
Cavatina, Adagio Molto Espressivo
Finale, Allegro
Overtura - Meno Mosso E Moderato - Allegro

Average customer rating:

A well chosen album title
Happy Birthday by Gidon Kremer
A perfect birthday gift
Jest with Zest
I want to play the variations myself!

Happy Birthday
Gidon Kremer , and Kremerata Baltica
Manufacturer: Nonesuch
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006JP2B
Release Date: 2003-01-28

Tracks:

Polka
Thema
Variation Nach Joseph Haydn
Variation Nach Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Variation Nach Ludwig Van Beethoven
Variation Nach Johannes Brahms
Variation Nach Robert Schumann
Variation Nach Antonin Dvorak
Polka/Valse
Variation Im Stil Von Filmmusik
Ragtime
Tango
Czardas
Adagio
Allegretto
Ad Libitum
Allegro. Presto
Variations Brillantes Et Concertantes Sur L'air 'God Save The King,' Op.38
Elegy
McMozart's Eine Kleine Bricht Moonlicht Nicht Musik
I. Eine Kleine Nichtmusik
II. Moonlight Concerto
III. Chaconne A Son Gout
IV. Hommage To Shostakofiev
Souvenir

Amazon.com

To celebrate its sixth anniversary as an ensemble, Kremerata Baltica presents a light, loving, and musically interesting confection. After an opening polka by Schnittke (who knew he could be so frothy?), we get 11 variations on the song "Happy Birthday" by Peter Heidrich, à la Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms, and some dance movements. Delightful. Elsewhere, Franz Waxman's Variations on "Auld lang syne" are as clever as they are unexpected and charming. More variations--this time on "God save the King" by the 19th century composers Ghys and Servais--afford Kremer and cellist Marta Sudraba a fine time, and Teddy Bor's brief riff on Mozart's omnipresent "Eine kleine nachtmusik" is a hoot. There's more, but the point is made: Classical music can be fun and sophisticated, and Kremer and his group remain virtuosi, one and all. --Robert Levine

Album Description

These young Baltic musicians possess a vivid spectrum of string color, thoroughly polished execution, and a direction of effort in service to the composer... There is no violinist with greater versatility and commitment to musical truth than Kremer. Slipcase. Nonesuch. 2003.

Customer Reviews:

A well chosen album title.......2007-01-10

I was desperately looking through the internet for a tango "happy birthday" and the tune was there, in this album. After I purchased the cd, I read the booklet included and there I found mentioned that "the album's title is not merely a reference to the popular tune, but a celebration of the ensemble's anniversary". So, I was happy to have finally found a tango "happy birthday" but I was also disappointed because this was not the playful album I was looking forward to listen to.
But this is a bit unfair for this excellent orchestra.
If what you are looking for is innovations on the romantic classicals... well this could be it. The point is that this is an album for listeners who know their way into classical music.
Other than that I should suggest that innovation regarding any classical music "playful" album would be to capture the listener's interest with more daring ways than that.

Happy Birthday by Gidon Kremer.......2007-01-09

This is a nice "classic" touch for any birthday celebration--great musical treatment of a most familiar tune!

A perfect birthday gift.......2006-01-26

I bought it out of my own devotion to Gidon Kremer and another one for a food friend's birthday. Kremer never let me down. This is another outstanding CD and a perfect birthday gift, even for non-classical lovers. However, to be very honest, I am not totally satisfied with all the tracks but still it's highly recommended. I would say it is an almost-must-have for your CD shelf. The variation of the traditional 'Happy Birthday' is fantastic if not too commercial.

Jest with Zest.......2005-11-26

If you enjoy parodies, this will be the perfect album for you. The jokes played on the various composers are amusing and refreshing, especially for music students who bore their brains out analysing these composers. Take a fresh view and enjoy! Even though they may seem meaningless initially, they grow onto you soon enough; and you will start asking - why not?

I want to play the variations myself!.......2004-07-22

My God...I will be too grateful to anyone who can show me where I can get the printed music of the "Happy Birthday" variation ....

Average customer rating:

Beethoven Mastery
An excellent collection for the Beethoven aficionado
Trying to understand what the Emersons want to achieve
Where's the Beef? It's a Great Cut
GETTING THERE

Beethoven: The String Quartets

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000041KV
Release Date: 1997-03-11

Tracks:

6 String Quartet Op. 18 No. 3 In D Major: Allegro
6 String Quartet Op. 18 No. 3 In D Major: Andante con moto
6 String Quartet Op. 18 No. 3 In D Major: Allegro
6 String Quartet Op18. No. 3 In D Major: Presto
6 String Quartet Op18. No. 1 In F Major: Allegro con brio
6 String Quartet Op. 18 No. 1 In F Major: Adagio affettuoso ed appassionato
6 String Quartet Op. 18 No. 1 In F Major: Scherzo: Allegro molto
6 String Quartet Op. 18 No. 1 In F Major: Allegro
6 String Quartet Op. 18 No. 2 In G Major: Allegro
6 String Quartet Op. 18 No. 2 In G Major: Adagio cantabile - Allegro - Tempo I
6 String Quartet Op. 18 No. 2 In G Major: Scherzo: Allegro
6 String Quartet Op. 18 No. 2 In G Major: Allegro molto, quasi Presto

Tracks:

6 String Quartet Op. 18 No. 4 In C Minor: Allegro ma non tanto
6 String Quartet Op. 18 No. 4 In C Minor: Andante scherzoso quasi Allegretto
6 String Quartet Op. 18 No. 4 In C Minor: Menuetto: Allegretto
6 String Quartet Op. 18 No. 4 In C Minor: Allegro: Prestissimo
6 String Quartets Op. 18 No. 5 In A Major: Allegro
6 String Quartets Op. 18 No. 5 In A Major: Menuetto
6 String Quartets Op. 18 No. 5 In A Major: Andante cantabile
6 String Quartets Op. 18 No. 5 In A Major: Allegro
6 String Quartet Op. 18 No. 6 In B Flat Major: Allegro con brio
6 String Quartet Op. 18 No. 6 In B Flat Major: Adagio ma non Troppo
6 String Quartet Op. 18 No. 6 In B Flat Major: Scherzo: Allegro
6 String Quartet Op. 18 No. 6 In B Flat Major: La Malincolia: Adagio - Allegretto quasi Allegro

Tracks:

3 String Quartets Op. 59 ('Razumovsky') No. 1 In F Major: Allegro
3 String Quartets Op. 59 ('Razumovsky') No. 1 In F Major: Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando
3 String Quartets Op. 59 ('Razumovsky') No. 1 In F Major: Adagio molto e mesto--attacca:
3 String Quartets Op. 59 ('Razumovsky') No. 1 In F Major: Theme russe: Allegro
3 String Quartets Op. 59 ('Razumovsky') No. 2 In E Minor: Allegro
3 String Quartets Op. 59('Razumovsky') No. 2 In E Minor: Molto Adagio: Si tratta questo pezzo con molto di sentimento
3 String Quartets Op. 59('Razumovsky') No. 2 In E Minor: Allegretto -- Maggiore (Theme russe)
3 String Quartets Op. 59('Razumovsky') No. 2 In E Minor: Finale: Presto

Tracks:

3 String Quartet 0p. 59 ('Razumovsky') No. 3 In C Major: Introduzione: Andante con moto - Allegro vivace
3 String Quartet 0p. 59 ('Razumovsky') No. 3 In C Major: Andante con moto quasi Allegretto.
3 String Quartet 0p. 59 ('Razumovsky') No. 3 In C Major: Menuetto grazioso -- attaca:
3 String Quartet 0p. 59 ('Razumovsky') No. 3 In C Major: Allegro molto
Quartet In E Flat Major, Op. 74 ('Harp'): Poco Adagio -- Allegro
Quartet In E Flat Major, Op. 74 ('Harp'): Adagio ma non troppo
Quartet In E Flat Major, Op. 74 ('Harp'): Presto - Piu presto quasi pretissimo - attacca
Quartet In E Flat Major, Op. 74 ('Harp'): Allegretto con Variazioni
Quartet In F Minor, Op. 95 'Quartetto (O) serioso': Allegro con brio
Quartet In F Minor, Op. 95 'Quartetto (O) serioso': Allegretto ma non troppo: attaca
Quartet In F Minor, Op. 95 'Quartetto (O) serioso': Allegro assai vivace ma serioso
Quartet In F Minor, Op. 95 'Quartetto (O) serioso': Larghetto espressivo -- Allegretto agitato -- Allegro

Tracks:

Quartet In E Flat Major, Op. 127: Maestoso -- Allegro
Quartet In E Flat Major, Op. 127: Adagio, ma non troppo e molto cantabile - Andante con moto - Adagio molto espressivo - Tempo I
Quartet In E Flat Major, Op. 127: Scherzo: Vivace
Quartet In E Flat Major, Op. 127: Allegro -- Allegro comodo
Quartet In C Sharp Minor, Op. 131: Adagio, ma non troppe e molto espressivo - attaca
Quartet In C Sharp Minor, Op. 131: Allegro molto vivace - attaca
Quartet In C Sharp Minor, Op. 131: Allegro moderato - attaca
Quartet In C Sharp Minor, Op. 131: Andante, ma non troppo e molto cantabile - Piu mosso - Andante moderato e lusinghiero - Adagio - Allegretto - Adagio, ma non troppo e semplice - Allegretto - attacca
Quartet In C Sharp Minor, Op. 131: Presto - attaca
Quartet In C Sharp Minor, Op. 131: Adagio quasi un poco andante - attaca
Quartet In C Sharp Minor, Op. 131: Allegro

Tracks:

Quartet In A Minor Op. 132: Assai sostenuto - Allegro
Quartet In A Minor Op. 132: Allegro am non tanto
Quartet In A Minor Op. 132: Andante - Molto adagio - Andante - Molto adagi: Mit innigster Empfindung
Quartet In A Minor Op. 132: Alla marcia, assai vivace - Piu allegro - attaca
Quartet In A Minor Op. 132: Allegro appassionato - Presto
Quartet In F Major Op.135: Allegretto
Quartet In F Major Op.135: Vivace
Quartet In F Major Op.135: Lento assai, cantante e tranquillo
Quartet In F Major Op.135: Grave, ma non troppo tanto - Allegro

Tracks:

Quartet In B Flat Major, Op. 130: Adagio ma non troppo - Allegro
Quartet In B Flat Major, Op. 130: Presto
Quartet In B Flat Major, Op. 130: Andante con moto, ma non troppo
Quartet In B Flat Major, Op. 130: Alla danza tedesca: Allegro assai
Quartet In B Flat Major, Op. 130: Cavatina: Adagio molto espressivo
Quartet In B Flat Major, Op. 130: Grosse Fuge (Op. 133) Overtura: Allegro - Meno mosso e Moderato - Allegro - Fuga: (Allegro) - Mino mosso e moderato - Allegro molto e con brio - Allegro
Quartet In B Flat Major, Op. 130: Finale: Allegro

Customer Reviews:

Beethoven Mastery.......2007-04-20

A cornerstone of any comprehensive Beethoven recording collection, Deutsche Grammophon 's recording of the Emerson String Quartet performing Beethoven's string quartets not only possesses excellent sonic characteristics, but also proves to be a rich performance by one of the outstanding string quartets of this generation. The technical accuracy of the Emerson's performance, coupled with the recording mastery of DG, provides a rewarding listening experience for any Beethoven fan, and perhaps particularly so for those interested in studying Beethoven's efforts within the string quartet genre. If you are a student of string quartets in general and Beethoven in particular, or if you are just looking for a great recording of all of Beethoven's string quartets, this set will undoubtedly become a valuable addition to your collection. Like me, you'll also likely find that these recordings will bring you years of enjoyment as you work through each of these stunningly performed pieces by the Emerson String Quartet.

An excellent collection for the Beethoven aficionado.......2006-08-22

The Emerson String Quartet combine a strength of performance at the same time giving the listener subtle shades of color producing one of the supreme recordings of Beethovens string quartets ever. They've almost done the unattainable, by producing a new approach to this old musical literature, while maintaining integrity. They bring a level of thought to these performances that have rarely been matched. Enthusiastic and sensitive interpretations rolled into one.

This box set (autographed by each member, thank you very much) is my favorite interpretation. The Budapest, Busch, Guarneri, Talich and Vegh quartets are also very good, but these provide technical brilliance and are faithful to the score, while being heartwarming and intellectually inspiring. Also, these are definitely not cold readings, but ecstatic one's. I found them refreshing and different, and still deeply moving and of course, thrill with excitement.

The main reason I recommend these recordings is because they're carefully edited performances, so well edited in fact, that I never heard a single edit, and I'm a headphone listener. They recorded many takes (versions) so that they (the Emersons & producer Max Wilcox) could cherry pick the best parts within each movement, creating "the magic take" or at least something very close. I also read that they'd like to enjoy hearing these recordings someday, without worrying...could we have done it better? Sure, they could have done the "one take" perfectly (I've seen them live), but perfect doesn't necessarily mean...magical. They utilized the recording studio for all it's worth. Bravo!

These musicians have obviously polished their form to a high level of refinement, and anyone interested in the string quartets of Beethoven would likely rate this set as a valuable addition to their collection.

Highly recommended.

Trying to understand what the Emersons want to achieve.......2006-07-30

There's a new intent behind the Emerson's fast, unromantic readings of Beethoven. I don't know the status of Beethoven's metronome markings in the quartets (there were many works for which he left no exact metronome readings), but those for the symphonies are very fast--to the point that their speed seemed impossible for generations. It took a complete change of style, one that discards romantic lingering, nuance, and "deep" phrasing, before the music sounds right at extreme velocity.

The Emersons don't go all the way into period style. They employ vibrato, and they don't use hairpin dynamics, for example. Even so, they achieve their fleet readings by substituting different expressive techniques in place of romanticism: sharp attacks, springy rhythms that often dance in cut time, and a strong emphasis on counterpoint. At times we get a virtual x-ray of Beethoven's complex part writing.

All this seems terribly wrong if you can't adjust to their perspective. To a traditionalist, the Emerson's approach is like Beethoven without the Beethoven, a stylistic non-entity disguised with ear-catching virtuosity and precision. Yet in a world where we already have dozens of traditional Beethoven quartet cycles, the Emerson's set can be listened to as an experiment or a new hypothesis waiting for others to react. My rason for giving only three stars, frankly, is that I don't find enough variety here. Even if you decide to be novel, each quartet desdrves its own personality. Here, only personality fits all. Early, middle, or late, we hear one style of music-making, which ignores the evolution that Beethoven went thourgh over a lifteimte of struggle and innovation.

Where's the Beef? It's a Great Cut.......2006-06-27

After listening to the Beethoven String Quartet cycle I wonder from where most of the negative comments regarding the Emersons come. These are both exciting to listen to and are technically and artistically sound. I won't say, however, that this Emerson String Quartet's production will be to everyone's liking. It is as usual a virtuoso performance performed a bit faster than others.

The quibble over tempo is just that. Some prefer a more upbeat tempo to a slower syrupy one. Both, however, can be well within the tempo markings of the piece. I do not find any of these quartets overly fast but I do find many other versions to be performed overly slow. If your "preferred style" is to have each note stretched out in order to savor the experience then I suggest you look elsewhere. At the price, most of us cannot afford to have several renditions sitting in our libraries.

Because of the vitrium displayed by some reviewers over this set as well as nearly every other Emerson CD sold by Amazon, I obtained copies of several versions of specific late quartets that other reviewers have recommended. I did like the Quartetto Italiano and Takacs as well. Putting this version below The Lindsays, however, may only show that the vitrium against the Emersons is actually most likely directed toward Deutschegrammophone and their high priced offerings.

For me, this album brings back the Beethoven I imagined. Fierce, fiery, tempestuous, and in your face.

I highly recommend this album even at the relatively steep price here. I also highly recommend that you listen to some of these side by side with other interpretations if possible. You may prefer the other more traditional interpretations. But if you have listened to other Emerson recordings and found you like their style, you won't be disappointed with these.

GETTING THERE.......2005-10-21

This set divides opinion sharply, and I expect to satisfy nobody by sitting on the fence, as I honestly must. One criticism I have not noticed is that the Emersons take anything too slowly. My own impression, after taking my time over this set and playing a selection of alternatives, is that while they are generally fairly swift in allegros and prestos and don't dawdle over andantes and allegrettos, there are only 3 cases where their velocity seems likely to raise many eyebrows, namely the fugue in the 3rd Razumovsky and the outer movements of the F minor. I find them more or less exemplary in the first 10 quartets, Razumovsky fugue perhaps excepted. That accounts for 10 out of 16 (or 17 if the Grosse Fuge counts separately), which is not bad going at all. There is even one movement, the danza tedesca from op130, which is actually too slow for me.

One touchstone for how you are going to like or dislike this set comes with the very first phrase of the very first quartet. For some reason the first 3 quartets are given in the order 3,1,2, but I played them in their numeric sequence. The florid ornamental phrase at the start of the first quartet gave Beethoven trouble, and the Emersons despatch it with a gliding offhand ease that sets the scene for much else. Their technique is no doubt exceptional, but no quartet of technical slouches gets near a recording studio these days nor has done since the war, and the difference is only marginal. In the 60's there were a number of east European quartets with a particular affinity for Beethoven, and I own a selection of these. In the late quartets I have the Busches on vinyl, in remarkably good sound except for the F major; I have recently acquired the Razumovskys and the `Harp' from the Lindsays to mark their impending retirement, and these are the comparisons I have used. In the Razumovsky fugue the Emersons are unquestionably showing off, but the movement is marked `allegro molto', they are faster than the Lindsays (who should be a safe bet for anyone) by 17% or 18%, and I have no problem, although I expect to play the Lindsays more often. I have in mind readings by Richter of the finale of the Appassionata hurtled through by that great player in contempt of Beethoven's instruction not to do this, to my own disgust but to the obvious delight of many. In the circumstances I would not expect complaints when Beethoven says `allegro molto'. Otherwise tempi in the first 10 works seem unexceptional to me. Both the first movement and the adagio of the first Razumovsky are taken significantly faster than by the Lindsays, but the difference is only of the kind one finds between performances of similar movements by the major exponents of the sonatas.

Things turn more problematical from the F minor onwards. The first phrase of that is abrupt to the point of violence. I'm accustomed to greater decorum from the Hungarian Quartet, but Beethoven had a rough side to say the least and so far I can't make up my mind about the Emersons' approach. The last movement of this quartet was admired by Mendelssohn, and no wonder - he could almost have written it. The Emersons seem outstanding to me in Mendelssohn's quartets, and they seem outstanding to me here. I love the fast tempo, and the conclusion is a wonderful piece of Mendelssohnian gossamer. In the late quartets the Emersons do only one thing wrong for me - the danza tedesca in the B flat should ideally be a whirling waltz as the Busches give it, or if the players didn't want to do that they could have taken a hint from the Hungarians and flipped up the last beat of the first bar in each phrase. In the skeletal and awesome Grosse Fuge, where beauty is not part of the deal, the Emersons are as good as absolutely anyone, but I don't go along with sequencing this movement after the cavatina and stranding Beethoven's new finale after he changed his mind as an extra. This quartet is to a 6-movement format recalling the concerti grossi of Beethoven's revered Handel, and for all the Beethovenishness of the expression the shadow of Handel lies over it. Beethoven's original plan was to append a blockbuster finale, as Bach appended the chaconne to his D minor violin partita, but he decided to keep to a more Handelian model, as in any case the Grosse Fuge is viable as a freestanding work, and I see no reason to dispute his opinion.

The other late quartets are built round long slow movements containing some of the deepest and most beautiful music that any man ever wrote. There's absolutely nothing wrong with the way the Emersons express these, but I feel they perhaps have a little more living to do to allow music like this to sink into the depths of their souls, which is where it must penetrate before they can convey its real significance. Never let anyone tell you that the late quartets are obscure. They are clarity itself, and the roughness that is a barrier against coherence in some of Beethoven's middle-period works makes only one partial reappearance in the scherzo of the final quartet. The C# minor is an extended fantasia in 7 continuous movements or sections, although Professor Tovey, for whom the sonata form possessed a sacramental significance that would have made Beethoven laugh, tries to argue that the opening slow fugue and the pastorale following equate in some way to the function of his sonata form, that apparently increasing the significance of the music. The others are to the standard 4-movement format, although there is an introduction in the form of a short and very characteristic march to the finale of the A minor, as such a powerful piece should not be juxtaposed with the Lydian Song. All perfectly clear and perfectly wonderful. To hear what the Emersons have still to rise to, listen to the Lydian Song from the Busches. The main sections are absolutely immobile, and the ecstatic climax is beyond words. Again, the Emersons do very well with the andante of the C# minor, but the final variation with its `glory of trills' in Tovey's great phrase is not a patch on the Vlach Quartet's performance, nor is the finale, where the Vlachs surpass anyone I've ever heard. The lento of the last quartet doesn't have to be taken as slowly as the Busches do it, as the Janacek Quartet prove to me, but it would have done no harm either. And the climactic phrase in the cavatina of the B flat, again well and thoughtfully done by the Emersons, does not hit me in the solar plexus as it does from Adolf Busch.

The recording is excellent, and there is a lengthy and affectionate commentary. With the few exceptions I've mentioned, there is not much to criticise in this set in terms of taste or sense for the composer's style. The smooth glistening tone perhaps lacks a little in the way of variety, but I think that will come when they have internalised this great music in a few years' time. I shall make a point of living long enough to purchase their next set of the Beethoven quartets.

Average customer rating:

Supreme recordings of Beethovens late string quartets

Beethoven: The Late String Quartets

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

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Debussy, Ravel: Streichquartette

ASIN: B0000942LM
Release Date: 2003-07-01

Tracks:

Maestoso-Allegro
Adagio, Ma Non Troppo E Molto Cantabile-Andante Con Moto-Adagio Molto Espressivo-Tempo I
Scherzo: Vivace
Allegro-Allegro Comodo
Adagio, Ma Non Troppo E Molto Espressivo-Attacca
Allegro Molto Vivace-Attacca
Allegro Moderato-Attacca
Andante, Ma Non Troppo E Molto Cantabile-Piu Mosso-Andante Moderato E Lusinghiero-Adagio-Allegretto-Adagio, Ma Non Troppo E Semplice-Allegretto-Attacca
Presto-Attacca
Adagio Quasi Un Poco Andante-Attacca
Allegro

Tracks:

Assai Sostenuto-Allegro
Allegro Ma Non Tanto
A Convalescent's Holy SOng Of Thanksgiving To The Deity, In The Lydian Mode-Molto Adagio-Feeling New Strength: Andante-Molto Adagio-Andante-Molto Adagio
Alla Marcia, Assai Vivace-Piu Allegro-Attacca
Allegro Appasionato-Presto
Allegretto
Vivace
Lento Assai, Cantante E Tranquillo
The Difficult Decision: Grave Ma Non Troppo Tanto (Must It Be?) Allegro (It Must Be!)-Grave, Ma Non Troppo Tratto-Allegro

Tracks:

Adagio Ma Non Troppo-Allegro
Presto
Andante Con Moto, Ma Non Troppo
Alla Danza Tedesca: Allegro Assai
Cavatina: Adagio Molto Espressivo
Overtura: Allegro-Meno Mosso E Moderato-Allegro-Fuga: (Allegro)-Meno Mosso E Moderato-Allegro Molto E Con Brio-Allegro
Finale: Allegro (Alternative Finale)

Customer Reviews:

Supreme recordings of Beethovens late string quartets.......2006-12-15

The Emerson String Quartet combine a strength of performance at the same time giving the listener subtle shades of color producing one of the supreme recordings of Beethovens late string quartets ever. They've almost done the unattainable, by producing a new approach to this old musical literature, while maintaining integrity. They bring a level of thought to these performances that have rarely been matched. Enthusiastic and sensitive interpretations rolled into one. Their approach to the late quartets is perhaps my favorite interpretation. The Budapest, Busch, Guarneri, Talich and Vegh quartets are also very good, but these provide technical brilliance and are faithful to the score, while being heartwarming and intellectually inspiring. Also, these are definitely not cold readings, but ecstatic one's. I found them refreshing and different, and still deeply moving and of course, thrill with excitement.

The main reason I recommend these recordings is because they're carefully edited performances, so well done in fact, that I never heard a single edit and I'm a headphone listener. They did a lot of takes (versions) so that they (the Emersons & producer Max Wilcox) could cherry pick the best parts within each movement, creating "the magic take" or at least something very close. I also read that they'd like to enjoy hearing these recordings someday, without worrying...could we have done it better? Sure, they could have done the "one take" perfectly (I've seen them live), but perfect doesn't necessarily mean...magical. They utilized the recording studio for all it's worth. Bravo!

These musicians have obviously polished their form to a high level of refinement, and anyone interested in the late string quartets of Beethoven would likely rate this set as a valuable addition to their collection.

Highly recommended.

Average customer rating:

Beethoven: Complete String Quartets
Juilliard String Quartet
Manufacturer: Sbme Import
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Beethoven Quartet Companion
Beethoven: The String Quartets
Mahler: The Symphonies
Beethoven: Symphonies Nos. 1-9; Overtures; Violin Concerto (Limited Edition)
Complete String Quartets

ASIN: B00006OA6A
Release Date: 2002-11-11

Tracks:

1-4 String Quartet No.1 In F Major, Op. 18 No.1
5-8 String Quartet No.2 In G Major, Op.18 No.2
9-12 String Quartet No.3 In D Major, Op.18 No.3
1-4 String Quartet No.4 In D Minor, Op. 18 No.3
5-8 String Quartet No.5 In A Major, Op.18 No.5
9-12 String Quartet No.6 In B-Flat Major, Op.18 No.6
1-4 String Quartet No.7 In F Major, Op.59 No.1
1-4 String Quartet No.8 In E Minor, Op.59 No.2
5-8 String Quartet No.9 In C Major, Op.59 No.3
1-4 String Quartet No.10 In E-Flat Major, Op. 74 "Harp"
5-8 String Quartet No.11 In F Minor Op.95
1-4 String Quartet No.12 In E-Flat Major, Op.127
5-11 String Quartet No.13 In C-Sharp Minor, Op. 131
1-7 String Quartet No.14 In B-Flat Major, Op. 130
1-5 String Quartet No.15 In A Minor, Op.132
6-9 String Quartet No.16 In F Major, Op. 135

Average customer rating:

Great music given it's due.
The Best

Beethoven: The Late Quartets, Vol. 1

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Beethoven: Late Quartets, Vol. 2
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ASIN: B0000041FL
Release Date: 1997-01-28

Tracks:

String Quartet Op. 127 in E flat: 1. Maestoso - Allegro - L.V. Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 127 in E flat: 2. Adagio, ma non troppo e molto cantabile - L.V. Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 127 in E flat: 3. Scherzando vivace - L.V. Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 127 in E flat: 4. Finale - L.V. Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 135 in F: 1. Allegretto - L.V. Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 135 in F: 2. Vivace - L.V. Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 135 in F: 3. Lento assai, cantante e tranquillo - L.V. Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 135 in F: 4. Der schwer gefasste Entschluss. Grave - Allegro - Grave ma non troppo tratto - Allegro - L.V. Beethoven

Tracks:

String Quartet Op. 130 in B flat: 1. Adagio ma non troppo - Allegro - Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 130 in B flat: 2. Presto - Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 130 in B flat: 3. Andante con moto ma non troppo. Poco scherzando - Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 130 in B flat: 4. Alla danza tedesca. Allegro assai - Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 130 in B flat: 5. Cavatina. Adagio molto espressivo - Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 130 in B flat: 6. Finale. Allegro - Beethoven
'Grosse Fuge' Op. 133 in B flat: Overtura. Allegro - Meno mosso e moderato - Allegro - Fuga - Beethoven

Customer Reviews:

Great music given it's due........2005-04-04

In the late quartets Beethoven continued to evolve many of his compositional techniques: he manages to add to the harmonic rules of before and does new things in the way of tonality and form. These quartets have a sound world all of their own, and create a small-scale effect quite different from the massive-sounding works that came before, such as the "Hammerklavier" sonata and the 9th Symphony. It would be fair to say that no other artist has ever mangaged to reach such spiritual heights. The Quartetto Italiano give superbly polished performances which are able to express the refined tones of these works. Compare their well-rehearsed renditions that come close to perfection with the more ruffled recordings of the Vegh Quartet, for example, and one really appreciates the way in which they are able to sustain the superhuman requirements of these pieces. With the Vegh team we hear 4 human beings, with these recordings we hear Beethoven's unique vision.

The Best.......2003-08-09

This may very well be the best recording of the late quartets I've ever heard. The highlight, of course, is the massive Grosse Fuge, which is the most far-sighted piece of music ever written. In it, Beethoven predicted trends of early 20th century music. Stravinsky said that it sounded modern to his ears. This performance is exceptional in that it brings out the revolutionary quality of the music without ever sounding like an exercise in 20th century performance. Instead, the dissonances and syncopation are emphasized in a manner that elicits the most emotional and technically perfect performance imaginable. And of course, the other quartets aren't just fillers. No way. The playing on these masterpieces is just as incredible as it is in the Fuge. The incredible detail and perfection demanded by Beethoven is difficult to meet, but the Quarteto Italiano manage to step up to the challenge and surpass anybody's expectations. This is a recording to grab and hold onto forever. It's just exceptional!

Average customer rating:

Beautiful
Revolutionary Music Played To The Extreme
Excellent recordings
Superb
The way Beethoven would have wanted it

Beethoven: Late Quartets, Vol. 2
Ludwig van Beethoven , and Quartetto Italiano
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Beethoven: The Late Quartets, Vol. 1
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ASIN: B0000041FM
Release Date: 1996-11-19

Tracks:

String Quartet Op. 131 in C sharp minor: 1. Adagio ma non tropp e molto espressivo - Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 131 in C sharp minor: 2. Allegro molto vivace - Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 131 in C sharp minor: 3. Allegro moderato - Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 131 in C sharp minor: 4. Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile - Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 131 in C sharp minor: 5. Presto - Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 131 in C sharp minor: 6. Adagio quasi un poco andante - Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 131 in C sharp minor: 7. Allegro - Beethoven

Tracks:

String Quartet Op. 132 in A minor: 1. Assai sostenuto - Allegro - L.V. Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 132 in A minor: 2. Allegro ma non tanto - L.V. Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 132 in A minor: 3. Canzona di ringraziamento. Molto adagio - Sentendo nuova forza. Andante - L.V. Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 132 in A minor: 4. Alla marcia, assai vivace - Piu allegro - Presto - L.V. Beethoven
String Quartet Op. 132 in A minor: 5. Allegro appassionato - L.V. Beethoven

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful.......2005-01-20

A Great performance of these truly beautiful string quartets, I simply love this CD. These two string quartets that Beethoven composed in his latter years are stunning and though every track on this CD is amazing the one track that stuck out to me the most was the third movement of the string quartet in A minor (op.132) the first time I heard this piece of music I was mesmerized.

Revolutionary Music Played To The Extreme.......2003-08-09

The late quartets are undoubtedly the most revolutionary works Beethoven ever penned. Not only do they totally break the structural mold by having more than just four movements, they also introduce new harmonic, melodic, and contrapuntal techniques which Beethoven uses to elicit extremes in emotion, the likes of which music had previously never experienced. Beethoven said of his late quartets that they were not meant for his time but rather another time. Perhaps now is that time. We have come to an age where we can finally begin to understand the emotion and sentiment that this music is infused with, and we can finally appreciate these masterpieces that his contemporaries viewed as nothing more than the last attempts of a deaf man to keep his legacy alive. These quartets are simply spectacular, and the Quarteto Italiano do an incredible job of playing these masterpieces. They play the music immaculately and they bring for the emotional extremes that Beethoven intended. The playing is really just perfect. I guess the one issue with these recordings is that they're from the 1970s, which means that there is a slight balance issue (as with all recordings of the era) in that the treble is slightly more emphasized than the ever important bass. However, this is a minor blemish and is not enough to detract from the overall good sound quality and the exceptional playing. This is a recommended CD, as is its sister CD, which features the incredible Grosse Fuge.

Excellent recordings.......2002-12-06

I agree with the other reviewers. These are exceptional performances and the sound quality is quite good. Just listen to the excerpts and you will hear how beautiful they sound. Beethoven would be proud of these performers.

Superb.......2002-06-18

I first purchased these performances of the late quartets on vinyl back in the early to mid 1970's. I have listened to these wonderful performances many times over the years, and I just don't get tired of them. I have four of five other versions of the Beethoven quartets, and certainly, there are other great recordings of these works, but for clarity, precsion, attack, pesuasive power, sheer beauty of sound, I just keep coming back to the QI. At a cost of two CD's for the price of one, this is a terrific deal on arguably the best version of these quartets ever recorded. I can't think of any reason not to purchase this -- except that you can buy a boxed set of all the quartets for about [price].

The way Beethoven would have wanted it.......2002-03-08

One of the truly amazing recordings of one of Beethoven's greatest works. The quartet plays with simplicity, eloquence and with a lyrical tone that few can hope to match. Each of the movements is carefully crafted, and the playing is a window into the composer's soul, as also the wonderful interplay between the members of the quartets. I especially love the adagio, where each theme is a shining gem; these players imbue it with a brilliance that makes me breathless for more.

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