Complete String Quartets 5

1. String Quartet No 12, in D flat major, Op. 133
Composed by Dmitry Shostakovich

2. String Quartet No 13, in B flat Minor, Op. 138 Adagio - Doppio movimento - Tempo primo
Composed by Dmitry Shostakovich

3. String Quartet No 14, in F sharp major, Op. 142
Composed by Dmitry Shostakovich

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:

great musicians
An older recording, but still amazing
great recording
Very good!
stirring!

Brahms: Complete Piano Quartets

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000041EI
Release Date: 1996-04-09

Tracks:

Piano Quartet In G Minor, Op. 25: 1. Allegro - J. Brahms
Piano Quartet In G Minor, Op. 25: 2. Intermezzo. Allegro ma non troppo - J. Brahms
Piano Quartet In G Minor, Op. 25: 3. Andante con moto - J. Brahms
Piano Quartet In G Minor, Op. 25: 4. Rondo alla Zingarese. Presto - J. Brahms
Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 60: 1. Allegro ma non troppo - J. Brahms
Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 60: 2. Scherzo. Allegro - J. Brahms
Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 60: 3. Andante - J. Brahms
Piano Quartet in C minor, Op. 60: Finale. Allegro - J. Brahms

Tracks:

Piano Quartet in A, Op. 26: 1. Allegro non troppo - Brahms
Piano Quartet in A, Op. 26: 2. Poco adagio - Brahms
Piano Quartet in A, Op. 26: 3. Scherzo. Poco allegro - Brahms
Piano Quartet in A, Op. 26: 4. Finale. Allegro - Brahms
Piano Trio in A, Op. posth.: 1. Moderato - Brahms
Piano Trio in A, Op. posth.: 2. Vivace - Brahms
Piano Trio in A, Op. posth.: 3. Lento - Brahms
Piano Trio in A, Op. posth.: 4. Presto - Brahms

Customer Reviews:

great musicians.......2005-10-09

These are dense pieces and like a lot of Brahms could become overly heavy and plodding in the wrong hands. On this CD the Beaux Arts really bring out the romantic lyrical quality of this music unfailingly. The recording itself is just a hair distant but the detail is good. What fantastic piano one finds on these CDs! Strongly recommended.

An older recording, but still amazing.......2002-06-23

This collection of Brahms' piano quartets are a great listen all around. Every quartet has an enormous power and beauty to it.

I like to say about Brahms' music that it is airtight. There is never a wasted note. Every bit of melody, every nuance and texture in the harmony are masterfully crafted and serve a purpose. There is never a moment when you look at your watch and wonder when the composer is going to get around to wrapping this or that section up and get to the exciting stuff.

The Beaux Arts Trio along with Walter Trampler do a commendable job of bringing every moment of beauty and excitement out. They balance the sweetness of the slow movements and melodies well with the aggression and rhythmic complexities of the quicker movements. My current favorite quartet is the A Major. There is a singable melody or rhythmic puzzle in every movement. I listened to the final movement four times today (excessive I know, but it's just so much fun to try to figure out how Brahms manipulates those melodies within the time signatures)!

great recording.......2002-05-17

This is chamber music at its best played by the masters, the Beaux Arts Trio. All the pieces are played in a crisp, clean manner with the proper emotion and phrasing.

Very good!.......2001-04-01

I am an avid Brahms fan and just recently picked up this copy of the quartets. I love them! The rondo of the first quartet is fascinating and the pain in the C minor trio is unmistakable. As traditional as Brahms is, he is a definate romantic. I agree [...] about the last trio that is attributed to him. It isn't as good by far. The sound is very clear and the pianist on the recordings impressed me. If you don't own the quartets, go ahead and buy this set. You won't be dissapointed!

stirring!.......2000-01-10

I have only recently begun to love Brahms and these recordings make me question why it's taken so long! The music is incredibly rich and colorful, especially the C minor, Werther's Ballad, which you can just feel Brahms pain at losing his friend Robert Schumann! The Beaux Arts Trio is a sure winner! You will enjoy this!

Mendelssohn: The Complete String Quartets / Emerson String Quartet

Average customer rating:

First Rate Performances
Fantastic
Beautiful Performances
LIKE WATER FROM A PUBLIC FOUNTAIN

Mendelssohn: The Complete String Quartets / Emerson String Quartet
Felix Mendelssohn , and Emerson String Quartet
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0006TN9G2
Release Date: 2005-01-11

Tracks:

I. Adagio - Allegro Vivace
II. Adagio Non Lento
III. Intermezzo: Allegretto Con Moto
IV. Presto
A Tempo Ordinario
I. Adaigo Non Troppo - Allegro Non Tardante
II. Canzonetta: Allegretto
III. Andante Espressivo
IV. Molto Allegro E Vivace

Tracks:

I. Allegro Assai Appassionato
II. Scherzo: Allegro Di Molto
III. Andante
IV. Presto Agitato
I. Allegro Vivace
II. Scherzo: Assai Leggiero Vivace
III. Adagio Non Troppo
IV. Molto Allegro Con Fuoco

Tracks:

I. Molto Allegro Vivace
II. Menuetto: Un Poco Allegretto
III. Andante Espressivo Ma Con Moto
IV. Presto Con Brio
Andante con Moto - Allegro Fugato, Assai Vivace
I. Allegro Vivace Assai
II. Allegro Assai
III. Adagio
IV. Finale: Allegro Molto
Andante Sostenuto
Allegro Leggiero

Tracks:

I. Allegro Moderato, Ma Con Fuoco
II. Andante
III. Scherzo: Allegro Leggierissimo
IV. Presto
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio Non Troppo
III. Minuetto
IV. Fuga

Amazon.com

Trust the Emerson Quartet to do nothing by halves. This 4-CD set presents all of Mendelssohn's quartets, including one written at 14, the five pieces Op. 81, as well as the Octet. This set should disprove the assertion that Mendelssohn, a sensational prodigy, blossomed young and never developed further. The difference in compositional skill and emotional depth between the early and late quartets is unmistakable; the miracle is that he could write the Octet at 16. The quartets are of uneven quality: Op. 44 No. 3 is distinctly inferior to the more-familiar Nos. 1 and 2; of the two Fugues Op. 81, the later one is far better. The quartets Op. 12 and 13 (written in reverse order) pay homage to Beethoven in Mendelssohn's very own romantic voice. Op. 80 is masterful although perhaps less disciplined: written just after his beloved sister Fanny's death and shortly before his own, it is a turbulent, heart-rending outcry of anguish. Some of the most-magical moments occur in the inimitable Scherzi and Intermezzi. The performances are vintage Emerson: impeccable individually and together, beautiful in sound, clear, carefully worked out. Although generally a little cool, they can rise to considerable warmth and passion. Not surprisingly, the best pieces elicit the most involved, exciting playing. As always, the violinists switch parts, but the whole group also alternates old Italian and modern American instruments, for the players have a surprise in store: they give the Octet a new twist by "doubling" on all eight parts through a complicated process of over-dubbing (a documentary video of the recording process is included). Here, using the different instruments is intended to combine the old and the new and to give the voices more-distinct timbres. However, the differences throughout are imperceptible. The idea of playing the Octet with themselves, so to speak, is intriguing, but the result is disappointing. Hearing four rather than eight individual voices is disconcerting, and worse, the balance is completely awry, especially in the corner movements. The busy tremolo accompaniment makes the middle register thick and heavy, the tone gets rough, important lines are obscured, and the Quartet's customary admirable textural transparency is lost. And even a cellist as splendid as David Finckel cannot save the opening of the Fugue from sounding like a growl. This may be a triumph of recording technology, but it adds nothing to the music or the performance. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

First Rate Performances.......2006-09-18

This is a series of first rate performances by the outstanding Emerson String Quartet. They include all the Mendelssohn quartets, including rarely heard juvenile work, and as a bonus, the very enjoyable Octet. This is a good deal of lovely music. The Mendelssohn quartets, however, are generally excellent as opposed to outstanding chamber music. Well worth owning and listening to but a step below the pinnacles of the chamber literature.

Fantastic.......2006-07-01

I never have cared much for Mendelssohn, nor have I cared much for String Quartets, but after listening to the Emerson String Quartet's Shostakovich cycle and finding that I enjoyed it immensely, I undertook listening to the Mendelssohn cycle.

In the privacy of my living room, on several occasions I stood up and cheered! Absolutely magnificent. Enough said.

Highly recommended.

Beautiful Performances.......2005-09-10

Mendelssohn's string quartets are very appealing, tuneful works that engage the listener completely. Chamber music was an important part of Mendelssohn's output and one does not gain a full picture of his growth as a composer by only being familiar with his orchestral works. This 4-CD set by the Emerson String Quartet brilliantly explores not only the six numbered quartets but includes the shorter Op. 81 works (published after Mendelssohn's death), the student quartet (written when the composer was 14) and the stunning Octet for strings.

Naturally, the early quartets (written in 1827 and 1829 but published in reverse order in 1830) reflect the influence of other composers, most notably Beethoven. The movements of these quartets were linked by thematic ideas. The quartet in A minor uses Mendelssohn's song Frage (Question) as the musical link. The quartet in E-Flat (Op. 12) was composed during Mendelssohn's trip to the British Isles, which also inspired his Scottish Symphony and Hebrides Overture.

When Mendelssohn next turned to the form he was the director of the Gewandhaus and a famous composer. The composition of the three quartets Op. 44 (number 3, 4 and 5) occurred after his marriage to Cecile Jeanrenaud in 1837 and were composed during his two month long honeymoon. These quartets reflect the composer's maturity and accessible style. The sixth quartet was published after Mendelssohn's death and was written following the sudden death of his sister Fanny in May 1847. It follows that the quartet is darker than the others and is agitated and dissonant in tone; the first movement begins with dark tones from the cello then proceeds with a beautiful melody punctuated with tremolos. The scherzo is characterized by an unusual tempo that has a frantic quality to it. The Adagio allows Mendelssohn to fully express his grief and the Finale has the syncopated rhythm of the scherzo.

The five pieces collected as Op. 81 contain what probably are two movements for an unfinished quartet - a Theme and Variations in E major and Scherzo in A minor. It was reported by the composer Ignaz Moschelles that Mendelssohn was at work on a new string quartet before his death and of these two pieces the Theme and Variations is closest to the description of the work. The earliest of Mendelssohn's quartets appears last on the CDs and is a pleasant work written under the influence of Mozart and Haydn.
The Octet receives a marvelous performance with the Emerson playing all of the parts with each member playing different instruments and seated in different positions during the recording sessions.

The performances are impeccable with beautiful and clear sound. I purchased the set anticipating a performance of three of the quartets by the Emerson. As I have listened to the set the warmth and sensitivity of the playing makes this the Mendelssohn quartets to own. I have only become interested in chamber music in recent years and Mendelssohn was a natural choice for me because of his gift of melody. I think this music would appeal to someone getting to know chamber music.

LIKE WATER FROM A PUBLIC FOUNTAIN.......2005-05-12

That was Wagner's dismissive description of the music of Mendelssohn. In the later 19th century there was a critical reaction against both of the great Germans who had dominated English music for a century and a half overall, Handel and Mendelssohn. As is usual with such debunking, much of it was trivial and petulant. However Handel has recovered strongly over the last 50 years and by now is probably almost as familiar as Bach is, whereas Mendelssohn has not. The popular favourites among his compositions have never ceased to be that, but opportunities to hear most of his chamber music and songs are still rare. I am myself in the happy position of having attended two years ago a festival dedicated to those sides of his output, and consequently I know the works on this distinguished set fairly well.

The performers are the Emerson Quartet, and the quality of their work is well known. In every imaginable respect it is superlatively good. Technically these accounts are flawless, and in terms of comprehension of the music and insight into the spirit of the composer I prefer to learn from them rather than to pass otiose comment. There are 7 complete quartets here, plus 5 isolated movements. Being moderately familiar with the music I would advise newcomers that the approach taken throughout is `normal' in the best sense and free from idiosyncrasies - if you are looking for `model' performances of these works this would be where to look. Mendelssohn's tempo markings, unlike those of greater composers such as Beethoven Schubert and Brahms, are almost invariably clear and unambiguous. In the one case where a bit of interpretation is called for, the central two movements of the D major quartet op44/1, I am convinced and delighted by the solution adopted. The Emersons take the minuet slowly and the following `andante con moto' at a very flowing pace, almost like an andante in Handel, so that the minuet seems like the slow movement and the andante like an intermezzo in moderate tempo.

I love Mendelssohn and I love these quartets. However I can't get it out of my mind that Wagner had a bit of a point. Shaw complains of Mendelssohn's `kid-glove gentility' and he is uncomfortably near the bone. Mendelssohn is truly unique, and what he does best he does better than anybody. At the age of 16 or 17 he turned out the octet, the rondo capriccioso for piano and the Midsummer Night's Dream overture, all of them truly astounding. However by age 20 he was only one precocious prodigy among a larger number who had caught up by then and went on to surpass him. There is a definite sense of development as between the quartet he wrote at age 14 (contemporary with the string symphonies, which I commend strongly to those unfamiliar with them) where the unmistakable personal idiom has not yet quite emerged and the op12/13 quartets and then the op44's and later in which it has. However it's development within a narrow range of expression, and his early death means we can never know whether he had it in him to raise his game drastically, as Wagner and Verdi so spectacularly did when older than Mendelssohn lived to be.

The Emersons have also taken it into their heads to record the octet played by themselves only. People with their amount of talent must be tempted to such brilliant but completely dotty schemes at times. There is an enthusiastic contribution to the liner-note by Eugene Drucker, and the disc will run on a pc to show the process of recording. I can confirm that it actually does this, but I have no sound-card nor any wish for one, so all I can attest is the visual aspect, and only a little of that. I must also warn that I had difficulty in getting the exit-button to obey me. As a performance it is really very good, with the finale fully up to speed as I like it, and I would never have known what nonsense they were getting up to. However something goes wrong with the recording, which is very bottom-heavy in the first movement in particular.

Otherwise the recording is excellent. The main liner-note is fine if a little lengthy. When I began to think it didn't really say a lot, that brought me back to the question - how much, really, is there to say?

Average customer rating:

A superb Haydn benchmark
Perfect Dinner Music
Delightful Background Music
He truly is the father of string quartets!
A matter of taste?

Haydn: Complete String Quartets
Angeles String Quartet
Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000501PC
Release Date: 2001-05-22

Tracks:

Str Qt in E flat, Op.0: I. Presto
Str Qt in E flat, Op.0: II. Menuetto
Str Qt in E flat, Op.0: III. Adagio
Str Qt in E flat, Op.0: IV. Menuetto
Str Qt in E flat, Op.0: V. Finale: Presto
Str Qt in B flat, Op.1 No.1: I. Presto
Str Qt in B flat, Op.1 No.1: II. Menuetto
Str Qt in B flat, Op.1 No.1: III. Adagio
Str Qt in B flat, Op.1 No.1: IV. Menuetto
Str Qt in B flat, Op.1 No.1: V. Presto
Str Qt in E flat, Op.1 No.2: I. Allegro
Str Qt in E flat, Op.1 No.2: II. Menuetto
Str Qt in E flat, Op.1 No.2: III. Adagio
Str Qt in E flat, Op.1 No.2: IV. Menuetto
Str Qt in E flat, Op.1 No.2: V. Presto
Str Qt in D, Op.1 No.3: I. Adagio
Str Qt in D, Op.1 No.3: II. Menuetto
Str Qt in D, Op.1 No.3: III. Presto
Str Qt in D, Op.1 No.3: IV. Menuetto
Str Qt in D, Op.1 No.3: V. Finale: Presto

Tracks:

Str Qt in G, Op.1 No.4: I. Presto
Str Qt in G, Op.1 No.4: II. Menuetto
Str Qt in G, Op.1 No.4: III. Adagio Ma Non Tanto
Str Qt in G, Op.1 No.4: IV. Menuetto
Str Qt in G, Op.1 No.4: V. Presto
Str Qt in C, Op.1 No.6: I. Presto Assai
Str Qt in C, Op.1 No.6: II. Menuetto
Str Qt in C, Op.1 No.6: III. Adagio
Str Qt in C, Op.1 No.6: IV. Menuetto
Str Qt in C, Op.1 No.6: V. Finale: Presto
Str Qt in A, Op.2 No.1: I. Allegro
Str Qt in A, Op.2 No.1: II. Menuetto
Str Qt in A, Op.2 No.1: III. Adagio
Str Qt in A, Op.2 No.1: IV. Menuetto
Str Qt in A, Op.2 No.1: V. Allegro Molto

Tracks:

Str Qt in E, Op.2 No.2: I. Allegro Molto
Str Qt in E, Op.2 No.2: II. Menuetto
Str Qt in E, Op.2 No.2: III. Adagio
Str Qt in E, Op.2 No.2: IV. Menuetto
Str Qt in E, Op.2 No.2: V. Finale: Presto
Str Qt in F, Op.2 No.4: I. Presto
Str Qt in F, Op.2 No.4: II. Menuetto
Str Qt in F, Op.2 No.4: III. Adagio
Str Qt in F, Op.2 No.4: IV Menuetto: Allegretto
Str Qt in F, Op.2 No.4: V. Allegro
Str Qt in B flat, Op.2 No.6: I. Adagio
Str Qt in B flat, Op.2 No.6: II. Menuetto
Str Qt in B flat, Op.2 No.6: III. Presto: Scherzo
Str Qt in B flat, Op.2 No.6: IV. Menuetto
Str Qt in B flat, Op.2 No.6: V. Presto

Tracks:

Str Qt in C, Op.9 No.1: I. Moderato
Str Qt in C, Op.9 No.1: II. Menuetto: Un Poco Allegretto
Str Qt in C, Op.9 No.1: III. Adagio
Str Qt in C, Op.9 No.1: IV. Finale: Presto
Str Qt in E flat, Op.9 No.2: I. Moderato
Str Qt in E flat, Op.9 No.2: II. Menuetto
Str Qt in E flat, Op.9 No.2: III. Adagio
Str Qt in E flat, Op.9 No.2: IV. Finale: Allegro Molto
Str Qt in G, Op.9 No.3: I. Allegro Moderato
Str Qt in G, Op.9 No.3: II. Menuetto
Str Qt in G, Op.9 No.3: III. Largo
Str Qt in G, Op.9 No.3: IV. Finale: Presto
Str Qt in d, Op.9 No.4: I. Moderato
Str Qt in d, Op.9 No.4: II. Menuetto
Str Qt in d, Op.9 No.4: III. Adagio Cantabile
Str Qt in d, Op.9 No.4: IV. Finale: Presto

Tracks:

Str Qt in B flat, Op.9 No.5: I. Poco Adagio: Theme And Vars
Str Qt in B flat, Op.9 No.5: II. Menuet: Allegretto
Str Qt in B flat, Op.9 No.5: III. Largo Cantabile
Str Qt in B flat, Op.9 No.5: IV. Finale: Presto
Str Qt in A, Op.9 No.6: I. Presto
Str Qt in A, Op.9 No.6: II. Menuetto
Str Qt in A, Op.9 No.6: III. Adagio
Str Qt in A, Op.9 No.6: IV. Finale: Presto
Str Qt in E, Op.17 No.1: I. Moderato
Str Qt in E, Op.17 No.1: II. Menuet
Str Qt in E, Op.17 No.1: III. Adagio
Str Qt in E, Op.17 No.1: IV. Finale: Presto
Str Qt in F, Op.17 No.2: I. Moderato
Str Qt in F, Op.17 No.2: II. Menuet: Poco Allegretto
Str Qt in F, Op.17 No.2: III. Adagio
Str Qt in F, Op.17 No.2: IV. Finale: Allegro Di Molto

Tracks:

Str Qt in E flat, Op.17 No.3: I. Andante Grazioso
Str Qt in E flat, Op.17 No.3: II. Menuet: Allegretto
Str Qt in E flat, Op.17 No.3: III. Adagio
Str Qt in E flat, Op.17 No.3: IV. Allegro Di Molto
Str Qt in c, Op.17 No.4: I. Moderato
Str Qt in c, Op.17 No.4: II. Menuet: Allegretto
Str Qt in c, Op.17 No.4: III. Adagio Cantabile
Str Qt in c, Op.17 No.4: IV. Finale: Allegro
Str Qt in G, Op.17 No.5: I. Moderato
Str Qt in G, Op.17 No.5: II. Menuet: Allegretto
Str Qt in G, Op.17 No.5: III. Adagio
Str Qt in G, Op.17 No.5: IV. Finale: Presto
Str Qt in D, Op.17 No.6: I. Presto
Str Qt in D, Op.17 No.6: II. Menuet
Str Qt in D, Op.17 No.6: III. Largo
Str Qt in D, Op.17 No.6: IV. Finale: Allegro

Tracks:

Str Qt in E flat, Op.20 No.1: I. Allegro Moderato
Str Qt in E flat, Op.20 No.1: II. Menuet: Un Poco Allegretto
Str Qt in E flat, Op.20 No.1: III. Affettuoso E Sostenuto
Str Qt in E flat, Op.20 No.1: IV. Finale: Presto
Str Qt in C, Op.20 No.2: I. Moderato
Str Qt in C, Op.20 No.2: II. Capriccio: Adagio
Str Qt in C, Op.20 No.2: III. Menuet: Allegretto
Str Qt in C, Op.20 No.2: IV. Fuga A Quattro Soggeti: Allegro
Str Qt in g, Op.20 No.3: I. Allegro Con Spirito
Str Qt in g, Op.20 No.3: II. Menuet: Allegretto
Str Qt in g, Op.20 No.3: III. Poco Adagio
Str Qt in g, Op.20 No.3: IV. Allegro Di Molto

Tracks:

Str Qt in D, Op.20 No.4: I. Allegro Di Molto
Str Qt in D, Op.20 No.4: II. Un Poco Adagio E Affettuoso
Str Qt in D, Op.20 No.4: II. Menuet Alla Zingarese
Str Qt in D, Op.20 No.4: IV. Presto E Scherzando
Str Qt in f, Op.20 No.5: I. Moderato
Str Qt in f, Op.20 No.5: II. Menuet
Str Qt in f, Op.20 No.5: III. Adagio
Str Qt in f, Op.20 No.5: IV. Fuga A Due Soggetti
Str Qt in A, Op.20 No.6: I. Allegro Di Molto E Scherzando
Str Qt in A, Op.20 No.6: II. Adagio
Str Qt in A, Op.20 No.6: III. Menuetto
Str Qt in A, Op.20 No.6: IV. Fuga A Tre Soggetti: Allegro

Tracks:

Str Qt in b, Op.33 No.1: I. Allegro Moderato
Str Qt in b, Op.33 No.1: II. Scherzo: Allegro
Str Qt in b, Op.33 No.1: III. Andante
Str Qt in b, Op.33 No.1: IV. Presto
Str Qt in E flat, Op.33 No.2 'The Joke': I. Allegro Moderato, Cantabile
Str Qt in E flat, Op.33 No.2 'The Joke': II. Scherzo: Allegro
Str Qt in E flat, Op.33 No.2 'The Joke': III. Largo Sostenuto
Str Qt in E flat, Op.33 No.2 'The Joke': IV. Finale: Presto
Str Qt in C, Op.33 No.3 'The Bird': I. Allegro Moderato
Str Qt in C, Op.33 No.3 'The Bird': II. Scherzo: Allegretto
Str Qt in C, Op.33 No.3 'The Bird': III. Adagio
Str Qt in C, Op.33 No.3 'The Bird': IV. Rondo: Presto

Tracks:

Str Qt in B flat, Op.33 No.4: I. Allegro Moderato
Str Qt in B flat, Op.33 No.4: II. Scherzo: Allegretto
Str Qt in B flat, Op.33 No.4: III. Largo
Str Qt in B flat, Op.33 No.4: IV. Presto
Str Qt in G, Op.33 No.5: I. Vivace Assai
Str Qt in G, Op.33 No.5: II. Largo E Cantabile
Str Qt in G, Op.33 No.5: III. Scherzo: Allegro
Str Qt in G, Op.33 No.5: IV. Finale: Allegretto
Str Qt in D, Op.33 No.6: I. Vivace Assai
Str Qt in D, Op.33 No.6: II. Andante
Str Qt in D, Op.33 No.6: III. Scherzo: Allegretto
Str Qt in D, Op.33 No.6: IV. Finale: Allegretto
Str Qt in d, Op.42: I. Andante Ed Innocentemente
Str Qt in d, Op.42: II. Menuet
Str Qt in d, Op.42: III. Adagio E Cantabile
Str Qt in d, Op.42: IV. Finale: Presto

Tracks:

Str Qt in B flat, Op.50 No.1: I. Allegro
Str Qt in B flat, Op.50 No.1: II. Adagio Non Lento
Str Qt in B flat, Op.50 No.1: III. Poco Allegretto
Str Qt in B flat, Op.50 No.1: IV. Finale: Vivace
Str Qt in C, Op.50 No.2: I. Vivace
Str Qt in C, Op.50 No.2: II. Adagio Cantabile
Str Qt in C, Op.50 No.2: III. Menuetto: Allegretto
Str Qt in C, Op.50 No.2: IV. Finale: Vivace Assai
Str Qt in E flat, Op.50 No.3: I. Allegro Con Brio
Str Qt in E flat, Op.50 No.3: II. Andante Piu Tosto Allegretto
Str Qt in E flat, Op.50 No.3: III. Menuetto: Allegretto
Str Qt in E flat, Op.50 No.3: IV. Finale: Presto

Tracks:

Str Qt in f#, Op.50 No.4: I. Allegro Spirito
Str Qt in f#, Op.50 No.4: II. Andante
Str Qt in f#, Op.50 No.4: III. Menuetto
Str Qt in f#, Op.50 No.4: IV. Fuga: Allegro Moderato
Str Qt in F, Op.50 No.5: I. Allegro Moderato
Str Qt in F, Op.50 No.5: II. Poco Adagio
Str Qt in F, Op.50 No.5: III. Menuetto
Str Qt in F, Op.50 No.5: IV. Finale: Vivace
Str Qt in D, Op.50 No.6 'The Frog': I. Allegro
Str Qt in D, Op.50 No.6 'The Frog': II. Poco Adagio
Str Qt in D, Op.50 No.6 'The Frog': III. Menuetto: Allegretto
Str Qt in D, Op.50 No.6 'The Frog': IV. Finale: Allegro Con Spirito

Tracks:

Str Qt inG, Op.54 No.1: I. Vivace Assai
Str Qt inG, Op.54 No.1: II. Allegretto
Str Qt inG, Op.54 No.1: III. Menuet
Str Qt inG, Op.54 No.1: IV. Vivace
Str Qt in C, Op.54 No.2: I. Vivace
Str Qt in C, Op.54 No.2: II. Adagio -
Str Qt in C, Op.54 No.2: III. Menuetto: Allegretto
Str Qt in C, Op.54 No.2: IV. Adagio
Str Qt in E, Op.54 No.3: I. Allegretto
Str Qt in E, Op.54 No.3: II. Largo
Str Qt in E, Op.54 No.3: III. Menuetto: Allegretto
Str Qt in E, Op.54 No.3: IV. Finale: Presto

Tracks:

Str Qt in A, Op.55 No.1: I. Allegro
Str Qt in A, Op.55 No.1: II. Adagio Cantabile
Str Qt in A, Op.55 No.1: III. Menuet
Str Qt in A, Op.55 No.1: IV. Finale: Vivace
Str Qt in f, Op.55 No.2 'The Razor': I. Andante
Str Qt in f, Op.55 No.2 'The Razor': II. Allegro
Str Qt in f, Op.55 No.2 'The Razor': III. Menuetto: Allegretto
Str Qt in f, Op.55 No.2 'The Razor': IV. Presto
Str Qt in B flat, Op.55 No.3: I. Vivace Assai
Str Qt in B flat, Op.55 No.3: II. Adagio Ma Non Troppo
Str Qt in B flat, Op.55 No.3: III. Menuetto
Str Qt in B flat, Op.55 No.3: IV. Presto

Tracks:

Str Qt in C, Op.64 No.1: I. Allegro Moderato
Str Qt in C, Op.64 No.1: II. Menuet: Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Str Qt in C, Op.64 No.1: III. Allegretto Scherzando
Str Qt in C, Op.64 No.1: IV. Finale: Presto
Str Qt in b, Op.64 No.3: I. Allegro Spirito
Str Qt in b, Op.64 No.3: II. Adagio Ma Non Troppo
Str Qt in b, Op.64 No.3: III. Menuet: Allegretto -

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

A massive set--67 string quartets on 21 discs in a budget-priced, shelf-friendly, compact box. So the obvious question is: do you need it? The equally obvious answer is a resounding "yes" if you love these endlessly inventive quartets and if you appreciate superbly played performances that capture both the letter and the spirit of Haydn's genius. The Angeles String Quartet isn't as well known as some ensembles that have recorded complete Haydn sets, but they are superior to all, with the arguable exception of the Tatrai Quartet. They demonstrate technical polish and rich, warm sound that's never cloying. And they give these works the forward-moving impetus they need within a classical framework, eschewing both anachronistic Romanticism and the mechanical astringency of period specialists.

The Angeles Quartet is unique in its mastery of early as well as late works, in tune with Haydn's stylistic development and sensitive to the attractions of each of these remarkable pieces. So they infuse the visionary slow movements of the late quartets with the appropriate depth and at the same time revel in the muscularity of the Opus 76 No.2's catchy Menuetto, the humor of the "Joke" Quartet, Opus 33 No.2, and the power of the Allegro con spirito of Opus 76 No.1. Most impressive is their way with the early quartets--no small matter when you consider that the contents of the first six discs precede the Opus 20 set generally considered as signaling the maturity of the form. The Angeles make even the earliest quartets, five-movement divertimentos for four strings, a habit-forming delight. Their playing here is full of exuberance, wittily playful and rough, peasantlike by turns. The sonics are outstanding, too, well-balanced, warm, and lifelike. An indispensable recording. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

A superb Haydn benchmark.......2007-06-28

It takes a lot of time to grasp Haydn's music, because there's much of everything: symphonies, piano sonatas, operas, piano trios, string quartets, choral works, songs, etc. - in sum, more than one thousand individual works. It will probably take more than a year listening to it all, and comprehend it as well (i.e., not as "background music"). Few, if any person, can have a complete grasp of everything he wrote.

But there are nonetheless good reasons trying to grasp Haydn's music, at least partly. This bargain set - 68 string quartets on 21 CDs - is a perfectly good reason. Haydn's string quartets contain some of his finest music. And the present recordings with Angeles Quartet are simply superb. Unlike many period instrument performers, Angeles Quartet avoids meticulous mannerism and plays this music with energy and passion, without loosing structural control. Furthermore, the recordings are excellent, with a rich, creamy and spacious sound. In short, great performances and excellent engineering. A benchmark recording, no less.

There are some rival complete sets: Aeolian Quartet (Decca), Festetics Quartet (period instrument performances, Arcana), Tátrai (Hungaroton), and Kodaly Quartet (Naxos). In terms of sound, the present set is clearly preferable. In terms of performances, the only serious rival is Tátrai Quartet's classic collection from the sixties. But Angeles Quartet is not a second choice. If you hesitate, you need both. Budget and shelf space minded collectors need not hesitate.

Perfect Dinner Music.......2007-05-14

Some might be offended at the idea that music be played in the background to accompany a fine meal, but in fact most of us listen to music in the background. This entire set of 15-CDs is (to my ears) the perfect music to accompany a delicious meal with someone you love. I have owned this CD set for years and never tire of it.

I have found that after listening to it hundreds of times that using iTunes in shuffle mode keeps it fresh.

Delightful Background Music.......2006-03-04

This music is a great buy, and wonderful to listen to while doing desk work or reading.

The Angeles String Quartet does an excellent job, and all of the works are so tuneful that I frequently found myself walking around the house humming the tunes after hearing a quartet for the first time.

He truly is the father of string quartets!.......2005-09-27

This may not be true as far as the instrumentation is concerned, but Haydn is one of the first to explore them as more than a solo violin with a trio accompaniment (second violin, viola and cello), thus giving the chamber music a new dimension.

If you've already explored Haydn's universe through some of his glorious symphonies, these string quartets are an excellent way of further expanding your appreciation of Haydn's music. There are very few dull moments in this lot (and almost all of them are to be found in his early quartets, while there are a few in his very latest works, where he seems to have lost the energy and brio that had established him as one of the best composers of his time). His first works have five movements and ressemble the divertimenti or serenatas. Later on, his quartets took a form which was to become standard, both for Haydn and other composers: four movements - a fast one, a slow one, a minuet and trio and a fast finale.

If one listens to Haydn's string quartes in chronological order, one can feel and appreciate his growth and maturity as a composer. The motives introduced during the first movement are developed over the entire work entity, the increasing use of first movements that are monothematic, the expansion of harmonic usage, the combination of serious with funny, intellectual with ridicule, etc.

Both Mozart and Beethoven wrote famous series of string quartets, but I've always liked Haydn's quartets the most. My personal favorites are op. 76 (especially no 3, which later on became the German National Anthem), op. 64 (especially no 5 called "The lark") and op. 33 (where Haydn introduced special effects, like a birdcall, which gave the third quartet its name).

A matter of taste?.......2005-05-31

It is something unpleasant about the sound here; it is resonant, yes, but not like the Takacs quartet. Comparing to the Takacs' take on op.76/1, 2 & 3, which I love, the Angeles' makes me think of a grey substance, sterile, antiseptic, of no life. Is it the sound quality? Or is it the way the quartet is playing? I think the latter, but it is difficult to figure out what is wrong; in fact I don't find any serious miscalculations. The problem is that the playing feels calculated; it is some kind of contrived perfection, it all feels too concious; I feel something wrong about the accent, the stress of the phrasings... but I give up: Suffice it to say that I regret I bought this collection of boring performances. Three stars for professional playing. If you like some human touch, go for the Aeolian quartet, less perfection, more life.

Average customer rating:

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

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Similar Items:

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

Mendelssohn: The Complete String Quartets / Pacifica Quartet

Average customer rating:

Be Certain to Preview Before Buying
Young Contenders

Mendelssohn: The Complete String Quartets / Pacifica Quartet
Felix Mendelssohn , and Pacifica Quartet
Manufacturer: Cedille
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Declarations: Music Between the Wars
Mendelssohn: Octet; Quintets Nos. 1 & 2; Quartet No. 2
String Quartet No 13 in G, Op 106 and String Quintet in E flat Op 97
Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 1; Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1
Scarlatti: Piano Sonatas

ASIN: B00082ZSIY
Release Date: 2005-04-26

Album Description

One of today's most dynamic and exciting ensembles, the Pacifica Quartet celebrates its 10th anniversary with a three-CD set of Mendelssohn's complete string quartet cycle. Known for its "stunningly expressive performances" (The Guardian) and "ideal balance" (Washington Post), the youthful Pacifica is a perfect match for this early Romantic composer's exuberant chamber music.

Customer Reviews:

Be Certain to Preview Before Buying.......2006-02-24

I had heard rave reviews for this box set so many times, that I decided to buy it and check it out. I hate being critical, but I also don't want others to just blindly go by other's opinions, which could possibly be biased. Classics Today gave this a 10 out of 10, but understand that Cedille Records is a major sponsor of theirs, and they always give high ratings to their records.

To sum up my impression of this CD, while they are very competent performances, they are far from excellent in my opinion. Perhaps it is just me, but I can swear the first violinist is SLIGHTLY off pitch in certain moments, noticeably the second movement in Op. 80. I am not fond of her technique either. She at times "feels" for the notes, rather than immediately hitting them right away, producing a glissando effect where none is called for. To me they draw attention to themselves performing the pieces. In other words, I can hear them in the process, not just the music itself being itself, which is overall the good mark of an excellent recording. This might be their youth, and I see this ensemble perhaps being one of the great ones down the road.

In sum, don't go by my word, or all the over-positive hype either. Listen to this recording before you purchase it. If you can't, then I personally would stick with the Talich Quartet's version (which Classics Today rightly praised), or for an older analogue version, the Melos Quartet on DG.

Young Contenders.......2005-08-03

When I first heard the Pacifica Quartet in New York last year, I was mightily impressed. Here was a young quartet that had the potential to take its place among the first ranks of quartets playing today. Listening to their complete Mendelssohn string quartets, I am more than confirmed in my initial enthusiasm. They have beautiful sound, refinement, energy - in short, a high quality quartet and a 3 CD set that I personally treasure.

Schubert Complete String Quartets Vol. 6: Quartet No. 15 (1826); Five German Dances with seven trios and a coda, D. 9

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Often expressive and dramatic, at times a little plodding and not too concerned with architectural coherence
A Fine Budget Version of Schubert's Last String Quartet
A Beautiful Conclusion to This Series

Schubert Complete String Quartets Vol. 6: Quartet No. 15 (1826); Five German Dances with seven trios and a coda, D. 9

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Schubert: String Quartets (Complete), Vol. 3
Schubert: String Quartets (Complete), Vol. 1
Complete String Quartets 4
Schubert: String Quartets (Complete), Vol. 2
Schubert: Complete Quartets, Vol. 5

ASIN: B0009JMEHY
Release Date: 2005-06-21

Tracks:

Allegro Molto Moderato
Andante Un Poco Moto
Scherzo: Allegro Vivace
Allegro Assai
No.1 In C Major
No.2 In G Major
No.3 In D Major
No.4 In F Major
No.5 In C Major

Customer Reviews:

Often expressive and dramatic, at times a little plodding and not too concerned with architectural coherence.......2006-08-14

In the 6th volume of its complete traversal of Schubert's compositions for string quartet on Naxos, the Kodaly Quartet brings together the great quartet opus 161, one of the last works of Schubert's desperately short life and one of his most poignant compositions, and an early rarity, written when he was 16, the 5 German Dances D. 90. The latter is written in a typically "gallant" style, with no great depth but full of charm. But the big nut on this CD is of course the 15th quartet.

In the first movement "Allegro molto moderato", the Kodaly Quartet is quite dramatic, very attentive to the movement diverse moods, from harrowing vehemence to hushed mystery, and nicely retains the dance-like lilt of the second theme; there is a price to pay, however, in the multiplication of tempo transitions, none of them prescribed by Schubert ; one senses musicians interested in immediate dramatic impact rather than architectural coherence. The second movement "Andante un poco moto" is taken by the Kodaly quartet at a very deliberate, not very "motorized" tempo (almost as slow as the Quartetto Italiano in their recording from 1976), making it sound more like an adagio in plaintive tone, almost a funeral march, with accents that evoke not so much cries of revolt or pain as moans; the approach is effective in its own way, but it is not exactly what Schubert wrote. And here again, in the more animated passages, the Kodalys do not hesitate to perceptibly accelerate tempo; Quartetto Italiano was more consistent in that respect.

Under the Kodaly's bows, the Scherzo's "Allegro vivace" (3rd movement) is not particularly vivacious, but nonetheless sufficiently light and full of bounce, as befits this musical invention which suggests the bumblebee's flight or the butterfly's flutter (and the elve's dance will do, too). The middle trio however is rather mawkish, and again the Kodalys imperceptibly speed up their tempo in the second part. Their Finale is somewhat disappointing, due to a tempo that is too deliberate to evoke the race to the abyss that others conjure (Gidon Kremer and friends on Sony take as much time to get through the movement - but with the repeat) and, while the ensemble's tone production until then had been not exceptional but unexceptionable, the 1st violin becomes a bit sour in its upper registers.

Not an exceptional version then, but at that price one that remains very acceptable.

A Fine Budget Version of Schubert's Last String Quartet.......2005-06-25

Schubert's 15th and last string quartet is one of his most important works. It was written between the 20th and the 30th of June 1826 (Schubert died in 1828, when he was only 31 years old). This quartet is an incredibly masterful display of emotional depth, extraordinary harmonic progressions, and sheer rhythmic impetus.

The first movement opens in a very direct fashion - it lacks the usual formal introduction. There are some ethereal soft echo effects here from the cello, accompanied by tremolos in the upper strings. Schubert knew he was dying at the time he wrote this music, and it is a very moving mixture of defiance, anguish and resignation. The second movement is a songful and serene night piece that is disturbed by two violent outbursts. Again the cello plays a very important part here, introducing the first plaintive motif and repeating the songful theme after each outburst. The scherzo, which is based on a quavering figure that is interspersed with some short spiccato themes, has been likened to a dance of elves. The finale was once described by writer J. A. Westrup as "a mad rondo, violent in rhythm and wild in harmony." Abrupt alternations between major and minor lead to some very unexpected harmonic progressions - this is Schubert at his most creative and audacious.

This budget stereo Naxos recording by the Kodaly Quartet concludes its survey of Schubert's string quartets. I feel this is the finest single-disc stereo version, and the inclusion of the lovely German Dances as a filler makes this CD a most attractive purchase. I certainly prefer the warm, mellow playing here by the Kodaly to the brash and rather hard-boiled Sony CD account by the Juilliard Quartet (I absolutely love the latter's Bartok & Schoenberg recordings, but they tend to be too assertive in Schubert). Likewise, I think the Kodaly's account is far better than the Lindsay Quartet's (ASV), which has some dreadfully out of tune playing (I have weeded both the Juilliard and the Lindsay recordings).

To my ears, the main stereo competition here is the extremely polished Quartetto Italiano (available in an inexpensive Philips "two-fer" of Schubert's four last quartets). While I prefer the latter, I'm also keeping the Kodaly (the German Dances, while brief, are pretty indispensable). If memory serves, an orchestrated version of the first Dance was used in a highly-effective way with other Schubert works (especially the Piano Trio #1) in Stanley Kubrick's brilliant film "Barry Lyndon."

However, this Vol. 6 of the Kodaly Quartet's Schubert is the only one in their series that I will be keeping. That's not to say that the series is in any way unattractive. But Schubert's first seven quartets are fairly early, immature works, and I can't see owning multiple versions of them. And there are simply better versions of the later quartets. All 15 quartets were once available on mono Westminster LPs from the early 1950's (in excellent sound). These were performed by the wonderful Vienna Konzerthaus Quartet (Kamper, Titze, Weiss and Kvarda), all of whose members were players in the Vienna Philharmonic under conductor Wilhelm Furtwangler. This remains my "desert island" version of the complete quartets (they have been issued on CDs in Japan on the MCA label).

The great Busch String Quartet (Adolf Busch, Gosta Andreassen, Karl Doktor, and Hermann Busch) recorded the "ne plus ultra" account of #8, a superb #14 (unfortunately, due to 78 rpm constraints, the latter is shorn of all the repeats), and #15. These are available, along with the Fantasie in C (Busch & Serkin) and the Piano Trio #1, on a Pearl CD set.

My personal favorites in the last three Schubert quartets:

#13. The Vienna Konzerthaus captures like no other ensemble the intensely Brucknerian span of this gorgeous work.

#14. In chronological order, my all-time favorites of this stunning masterpiece are the ORIGINAL 1927 Budapest Quartet (Emil Hauser, Joseph Roisman, Istvan Ipolyi, and Harry Son) on a hard to find Novello CD; the 1927/28 Capet Quartet (a reading of extraordinary spiritual purity on Biddulph); the heartbreakingly beautiful 1936 Busch Quartet (Pearl); the c. 1950 Vienna Konzerthaus (a uniquely warm and gemutlich account on Westminster LP and Japanese MCA CD); and the gloriously well-played c.1951 Hollywood Quartet (mine is on a Capitol LP).

#15. The Busch and the Vienna Konzerthaus are both supremely eloquent here, but my ultimate allegiance is to the latter's inimitable warmth and lyricism.

All of those versions are, of course, in monophonic sound. For a single CD version of #15 in good stereo sound, I feel this effort by the Kodaly Quartet is clearly the one to own.

Jeff Lipscomb

A Beautiful Conclusion to This Series.......2005-06-25

The Kodály Quartet has been slowly recording all of Schubert's string quartets and with this Volume 6 we come to the end. The CD contains Schubert's last finished quartet, No. 15 in G Major, D. 887, Op. 161, and the disc is filled out by Five German Dances, D. 90. The Kodály Quartet has more or less become the Naxos label's house quartet, having recorded large chunks of the central quartet literature for them. This is good, because not only are they a wonderful quartet, they are non-interventionist without being bland. String quartet playing is hard work and requires much slow, thoughtful study on the part of the players. It is to the Kodály's credit that they have taken a slow and steady course through the Schubert quartets, some of which they surely had never played before; the early apprentice works in particular are almost never played and yet the Kodály played them not only with musicianly respect but with love and admiration.

When we get to Schubert's last quartet, though, we have an undisputed masterpiece that every quartet worthy of the name plays. Its opening movement is one of the most marvelous (and harmonically complicated) works he ever composed. It takes fifteen minutes to play and works its magic in subtle ways. For instance, when it comes time for the recapitulation the first theme is changed from minor to major, and the second from major to minor. Had anyone ever thought to do that before? The minor key cello theme that opens the Andante is one of Schubert's patented melodies; it almost tears your heart out with its gentle pathos. In the Scherzo we are in familiar elfin Schubertian territory that evolves into ländlerisch folk dance rhythms in the Trio, gentle, not turbulent. And this prepares us for the high spirits of the Finale, a rowdy tarantella. The Kodály play this quartet with a maximum of relish, a minimum of gratuitous edge. They make this complex quartet what it is really meant to be, a thoroughly comprehensible compendium of 1826 quartet writing, easy on the ear and rewarding for the analytic mind. This is a beautiful performance worthy to stand beside any of the earlier treasured recordings (Busch, Alban Berg, Quartetto Italiano) this marvelous quartet has been afforded.

The disc is rounded out by five German Dances written when Schubert was sixteen. They are notable for their rough good humor. No. 4 lasts a mere 50 seconds but is infectious enough to have this listener up and stomping his feet in an enthusiastic approximation of dancing. The Kodály's approach is, fittingly, more rough and ready in these pieces than in the subtleties of the 15th Quartet, evidence that they are really entering into the spirit of the music itself rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach.

Although with a timing of only 59+ minutes, this CD is heartily recommended for its marvelous musicmaking.

Scott Morrison

Mozart: String Quartets (Complete Mozart Edition, Vol. 12)

Average customer rating:

Outstanding and a Remarkable Bargain
Nobilissima visione!
a remarkable set

Mozart: String Quartets (Complete Mozart Edition, Vol. 12)

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: String Quintets
Mozart: Complete String Trios & Duos
Mozart: Serenades for Orchestra
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ASIN: B00000410T
Release Date: 1991-04-05

Tracks:

String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.1In G - Adagio
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.1In G - Allegro
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.1In G - Menuetto
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.1In G - Rondeau
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.2 In D - Allegro
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.2 In D - Andante
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.2 In D - Molto allegro
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.3 In G - Presto
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.3 In G - Adagio
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.3 In G - Tempo Di Menuetto
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.3 In G - Adagio
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.4 In C - Allegro
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.4 In C - Andante
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.4 In C - Presto
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.5 In F - Allegro
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.5 In F - Andante Un Poco Allegretto
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.5 In F - Tempo Di Menuetto

Tracks:

String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.6 In B Flat - Andante
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.6 In B Flat - Allegro
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.6 In B Flat - Rondo, Allegro Grazioso
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.7 In E Flat - Allegro
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.7 In E Flat - Un Poco Adagio
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.7 In E Flat - Presto
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.8 In F - Allegro
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.8 In F - Andante
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.8 In F - Menuetto
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.8 In F - Allegro
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.9 In A - Molto Allegro
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.9 In A - Andante
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.9 In A - Menuetto
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.9 In A - Rondeaux, Allegro

Tracks:

String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.10 In C - Andante
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.10 In C - Menuetto
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.10 In C - Un Poco Adagio
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.10 In C - Rondeaux, Allegro
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.11 In E Flat - Adagio - Allegro Assai - Adagio
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.11 In E Flat - Menuetto
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.11 In E Flat - Andante
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.11 In E Flat - Allegro Assai
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.12 In B Flat - Allegro Spiritoso
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.12 In B Flat - Adagio
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.12 In B Flat - Menuetto
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.12 In B Flat - Allegro Assai
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.13 In D Minor - Allegro Ma Molto Moderato
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.13 In D Minor - Andantino Grazioso
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.13 In D Minor - Menuetto
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.13 In D Minor - Allegro

Tracks:

String Quartets Nos.1-15: The Six Haydn Quartets - Quartet No.14 In G - Allegro Vivace Assai
String Quartets Nos.1-15: The Six Haydn Quartets - Quartet No.14 In G - Allegretto
String Quartets Nos.1-15: The Six Haydn Quartets - Quartet No.14 In G - Andante Cantabile
String Quartets Nos.1-15: The Six Haydn Quartets - Quartet No.14 In G - Molto Allegro
String Quartets Nos.1-15: The Six Haydn Quartets - Quartet No.15 In D Minor - Allegro Moderato
String Quartets Nos.1-15: The Six Haydn Quartets - Quartet No.15 In D Minor - Andante
String Quartets Nos.1-15: The Six Haydn Quartets - Quartet No.15 In D Minor - Menuetto, Allegretto
String Quartets Nos.1-15: The Six Haydn Quartets - Quartet No.15 In D Minor - Allegretto Ma Non Troppo - Piu Allegro

Tracks:

String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.16 In E Flat - Adagio
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.16 In E Flat - Allegro
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.16 In E Flat - Minuetto
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.16 In E Flat - Rondeau
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.17 In B Flat - Allegro
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.17 In B Flat - Andante
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.17 In B Flat - Molto Allegro
String Quartets Nos.1-15: Quartet No.17 In B Flat - Presto

Tracks:

Quartet No.18 In A - Allegro
Quartet No.18 In A - Menuetto
Quartet No.18 In A - Andante
Quartet No.18 In A - Allegro Non Troppo
Quartet No.19 In C - Adagio - Allegro
2: Andante cantabile
Quartet No.19 In C - Allegretto
Quartet No.19 In C - Allegro Molto

Tracks:

String Quartets Nos. 16-23: Quartet No.20 In D - Allegretto
String Quartets Nos. 16-23: Quartet No.20 In D - Menuetto, Allegretto
String Quartets Nos. 16-23: Quartet No.20 In D - Adagio
String Quartets Nos. 16-23: Quartet No.20 In D - Allegro
String Quartets Nos. 16-23: The Three Prussian Quartets - Quartet No.21 In D - Allegretto
String Quartets Nos. 16-23: The Three Prussian Quartets - Quartet No.21 In D - Andante
String Quartets Nos. 16-23: The Three Prussian Quartets - Quartet No.21 In D - Menuetto, Allegro
String Quartets Nos. 16-23: The Three Prussian Quartets - Quartet No.21 In D - Allegretto

Tracks:

String Quartets Nos.16-23: Quartet No.22 In B Flat - Allegro
String Quartets Nos.16-23: Quartet No.22 In B Flat - Larghetto
String Quartets Nos.16-23: Quartet No.22 In B Flat - Menuetto, Moderato
String Quartets Nos.16-23: Quartet No.22 In B Flat - Allegro Assai
String Quartets Nos.16-23: Quartet No.23 In F - Allegro Moderato
String Quartets Nos.16-23: Quartet No.23 In F - Allegretto
String Quartets Nos.16-23: Quartet No.23 In F - Menuetto (Allegretto)
String Quartets Nos.16-23: Quartet No.23 In F - Allegro

Customer Reviews:

Outstanding and a Remarkable Bargain.......2005-08-11

Mozart's string quartets need no introduction. This collection is a compilation of recordings made by the famous Quartetto Italiano over a period of several years. The playing is excellent and it is very interesting to hear this range of quartets played by a single ensemble. At less than $14 per disk (Amazon list price plus shipping costs), this is an incredible bargain for so much rewarding music.

Nobilissima visione!.......2005-04-01

Since you listen the first bars of any of these memorable works, you feel the difference that makes the great difference. The approach given by these excellent musicians is unique in what sublime perfection, astonishing musicality and enrapturing commitment concerns. Paolo Borciani, the unforgettable leader of this ensemble sealed his name in the Holly Pantheon of the greatest with these unvaluable, prodigious and lavish recordings.
All the possible adjectives are not enough to describe the status of these performances.
Don't miss these golden recordings under no pretext!

a remarkable set.......2002-11-08

This box set is a fantastic addition to anyone's Mozart collection. Performances are passionate and simply beautiful.
It is fascinating to listen to the quartets chronologically and hear Mozart's development as a composer (even the earliest quartets have many fine moments). While the sound quality of the quartets recorded in 1966 are not as crisp as those recorded in the 70s, every disc has acceptable sound and is a treasure in itself.
Highest of recommendations!

Average customer rating:

Musical Must Have
Powerful, sometimes devastating
a shame!
Could not be a better 8th
Fitzwilliam versus Ermerson -- which to choose?

Complete String Quartets
Dmitry Shostakovich , and Emerson String Quartet
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 | R&B | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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Shostakovich/Tchaikovsky: Piano Trios
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Mendelssohn: The Complete String Quartets / Emerson String Quartet
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Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5

ASIN: B00003XAGO
Release Date: 2000-01-11

Tracks:

Quartet No. 1 In C Major Op. 49: 1. Moderato
Quartet No. 1 In C Major Op. 49: 2. Moderato
Quartet No. 1 In C Major Op. 49: 3. Allegro molto
Quartet No. 1 In C Major Op. 49: 4. Allegro
Quartet No. 2 In A Major Op. 68: 1. Overture: Moderato con moto
Quartet No. 2 In A Major Op. 68: 2. Recitative And Romance: Adagio
Quartet No. 2 In A Major Op. 68: 3. Waltz: Allegro
Quartet No. 2 In A Major Op. 68: 4. Theme With Variations: Adagio - Moderato con moto - Allegretto - Piu mosso - Allegro non troppo - Allegro - Adagio
Quartet No. 3 In F Major Op. 73: 1. Allegretto
Quartet No. 3 In F Major Op. 73: 2. Moderato con moto
Quartet No. 3 In F Major Op. 73: 3. Allegro non troppo
Quartet No. 3 In F Major Op. 73: 4. Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 3 In F Major Op. 73: 5. Moderato - Adagio

Tracks:

Quartet No. 4 In D Major Op. 83: 1. Allegretto
Quartet No. 4 In D Major Op. 83: 2. Andante
Quartet No. 4 In D Major Op. 83: 3. Allegretto - attacca:
Quartet No. 4 In D Major Op. 83: 4. Allegretto
Quartet No. 5 In B Flat Major Op. 92: 1. Allegro non troppo - attacca:
Quartet No. 5 In B Flat Major Op. 92: 2. Andante - Andantino - Andante - Andantino - Andante - attacca:
Quartet No. 5 In B Flat Major Op. 92: 3. Moderato - Allegretto - Andante
Quartet No. 6 In G Major Op. 101: 1. Allegretto
Quartet No. 6 In G Major Op. 101: 2. Moderato con moto
Quartet No. 6 In G Major Op. 101: 3. Lento - attacca:
Quartet No. 6 In G Major Op. 101: 4. Lento - Allegretto - Andante - Lento

Tracks:

Quartet No. 7 In F Sharp Minor Op. 108: 1. Allegretto - attacca:
Quartet No. 7 In F Sharp Minor Op. 108: 2. Lento - attacca:
Quartet No. 7 In F Sharp Minor Op. 108: 3. Allegro - Allegretto - Andante - Lento
Quartet No. 8 In C Minor Op. 110: 1. Largo - attacca:
Quartet No. 8 In C Minor Op. 110: 2. Allegro molto - attacca:
Quartet No. 8 In C Minor Op. 110: 3. Allegretto - attacca:
Quartet No. 8 In C Minor Op. 110: 4. Largo - attacca:
Quartet No. 8 In C Minor Op. 110: 5. Largo
Quartet No. 9 In E Flat Major Op. 117: 1. Moderato con moto - attacca:
Quartet No. 9 In E Flat Major Op. 117: 2. Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 9 In E Flat Major Op. 117: 3. Allegretto - attacca:
Quartet No. 9 In E Flat Major Op. 117: 4. Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 9 In E Flat Major Op. 117: 5. Allegro
Quartet No. 10 In A Flat Major Op. 118: 1. Andante
Quartet No. 10 In A Flat Major Op. 118: 2. Allegretto furioso
Quartet No. 10 In A Flat Major Op. 118: 3. Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 10 In A Flat Major Op. 118: 4. Allegretto - Andante

Tracks:

'Lady Macbeth Of The Mtsensk District', Op. 29: Adagio (Elegy) For String Quartet
'The Age Of Gold', Op. 22: Allegretto (Polka) For String Quartet
Quartet No. 11 In F Minor Op. 122: 1. Introduction: Andantino - attacca:
Quartet No. 11 In F Minor Op. 122: 2. Scherzo: Allegretto - attacca:
Quartet No. 11 In F Minor Op. 122: 3. Recitative: Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 11 In F Minor Op. 122: 4. Etude: Allegro - attacca:
Quartet No. 11 In F Minor Op. 122: 5. Humoresque: Allegro - attacca:
Quartet No. 11 In F Minor Op. 122: 6. Elegy: Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 11 In F Minor Op. 122: 7. Finale: Moderato - Meno mosso - Moderato
Quartet No. 12 In D Flat Major Op. 133: 1. Moderato - Allegretto - Moderato - Allegretto - Moderato
Quartet No. 12 In D Flat Major Op. 133: 2. Allegretto - Adagio - Moderato - Adagio - Moderato - Allegretto
Quartet No. 13 In B Flat Minor Op. 138: Adagio - Doppio movimento - Tempo primo

Tracks:

Quartet No. 14 In F Sharp Major Op. 142: 1. Allegretto - Meno mosso - Allegretto - Meno mosso - Allegretto
Quartet No. 14 In F Sharp Major Op. 142: 2. Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 14 In F Sharp Major Op. 142: 3. Allegretto - Poco meno mosso - Adagio
Quartet No. 15 In E Flat Minor Op. 144: 1. Elegy: Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 15 In E Flat Minor Op. 144: 2. Serenade: Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 15 In E Flat Minor Op. 144: 3. Intermezzo: Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 15 In E Flat Minor Op. 144: 4. Nocturne: Adagio - attacca:
Quartet No. 15 In E Flat Minor Op. 144: 5. Funeral March: Adagio molto - attacca:
Quartet No. 15 In E Flat Minor Op. 144: 6. Epilogue: Adagio - Adagio molto

Amazon.com's Best of 2000

Can an American string quartet grasp the power of Shostakovich's 15 string quartets? By the sounds of this incredible cycle, the answer is a resounding Yes! Capturing every nuance of Shostakovich's emotionally gripping, sometimes humorous, often angst-filled compositions, the Emersons deliver very likely the finest performances of these works available. --Jason Verlinde

Customer Reviews:

Musical Must Have.......2007-06-01

These are wonderfully performed and spectacularly produced CDs. Other reviewers have commented about the applause. It does not detract from the listening experience. In fact, I feel that it adds to the live quality that these discs have. The energy and freshness of a live performance shine in each quartet. And, it has the sound quality of a studio recording. The sound is balanced and intimate. I cannot say enough about how fantastic this set is.

Powerful, sometimes devastating.......2006-11-10

This would be a bargain at almost any price, and the depth of emotional intensity that the Emerson brings to a live performance -- I saw them on a sticky evening at Ravinia in summer 2006, playing the last three quartets -- is evident in this stunning studio collection. In addition to the climactic quartets, don't miss the Eighth. Happy 100th birthday, Dmitri.

a shame!.......2006-09-25

These guys used to be decent players, but their playing have gotten worse over the years. They have no understanding of Shostakovich's music, but then again who does? These extraordinary works deserve extraordinary interpretations and nobody has yet offered definitve performances yet. Meanwhile, Fitwilliam and Debussy quartet offer very good performance of some of these works.

Could not be a better 8th.......2006-06-25

Just saw the Emerson do the 8th at the Amelia Island chamber music summer program. It is not possible that there is a better performance of this work. Moving beyond belief.

Fitzwilliam versus Ermerson -- which to choose?.......2006-03-09

For many buyers the choice for a complete cycle of the Shostakovich quartets will come down to three: the Borodin, Emerson, and Fitzwilliam quartets. I own the latter two and can offer a comparison.

Fitzwilliam: This set, made between 1975-77 in a church in Surrey, has the advantage of price. Although the 15 quartets are spread out over 6 CDs as compared to 5 for the Emersons, Decca offers this cycle at roughly half the cost of the DG cycle (it's even cheaper on the used market). The performances eschew Russian soul, grit, and emotional extremes such as one hears from the Borodin Quartet. The Fitzwilliam Quartet sounds soulful but stops short of impassioned. As much as it is possible, they make this music friendly and easy to listen to without sacrificing all of its bite and sarcasm. They are not a virtuoso group (English critics actually praise them for this lack, as if the Emersons' technical mastery was a sign of glibness), so individual solo lines, of which there are many in these quartets, sound medium well played, not dazzling. Decca's sound as transfered to CD can be a bit shrill and congested but is certainly good enough. One large missing ingredient is tonal variation--the Fitzwilliam doesn't search out the peculiar tonalities that are implied in Shostakovich's string writing, which can be eerie, ghostly, brutal, and caustic by turns.

Emerson: Recorded in Aspen at intervals between 1994 and 1999, these are live performances from the music festival and are thus not ideal sonically. What's sometimes lacking is solidity and warmth. Even so, the recorded sound is considerably more detailed than in the Fitzwilliam set, or any other of the four I listened to. When this cycle was first issued in 1999 it swept the field for good reason. The Emersons are head and shoulders above any other quartet for sheer virtuosity in this music. Not that virtuosity is required very often, but the many solo lines are rendered with exquisite technique, and the Emersons pay very close attention to changes in tonality. As a result, these performances are more varied and interesting to listen to than any competitor that I sampled (including the Fitzwilliam, Brodsky, Borodin, St. Petersburg, and Shostakovich quartets on various labels).

The drawbacks are price (it's hard to find even a used set for under $70) and the prevalent accusation, from some quarters, that the Emersons lack Russian soul--they are supposedly too cool, detached, and efficient. Yet this charge can be turned around to say that the Emersons make Shostakovich sound more modern by removing a layer of sentiment. It's really up to the listener to decide, yet I found that cool detachment is not prevalent here--not by any means--and the reviewer below who thinks that the tempos are uniformly too fast is not aware of the field; the Emersons are not extreme in their allegros, at least not very often, and when they paly a movement for virtuosic speed, it's almost alwaays to good effect.

I bbught this set because I heard the Emersons play Shostakovich in concert on two occasions, and I was deeply struck by how much better these quartets sound when they are given superlative musicianship. I am not one to believe that Shostakovich was a great master of quartet writing, not compared to Bartok, Schoenberg, and Janacek among moderns. But he found an idiom, often spare and therefore one-dimenisonal, that is easy to absorb. The Emersons go a step further and give that idiom all kinds of shading and colors that often make it sound better than it is.

In sum, I did what many collectors befoe me have done. I gave away the Fitzwilliam set, which was a good stop gap for many years, and relish the Emerson set as a great achievement, especially for a non-Russian ensemble.

Shostakovich: String Quartets Complete (Box Set)

Average customer rating:

Affordable modern Digital Shostakovich...
Very Good Shostakovich Cycle
Shostakovich on a Shoestring

Shostakovich: String Quartets Complete (Box Set)

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Brahms: Complete String Quartets, Quintets & Sextets

ASIN: B000092Q5V
Release Date: 2003-04-29

Customer Reviews:

Affordable modern Digital Shostakovich..........2007-04-03

and worth every penny and more.
Everyone lucky enough to have picked up a copy of the Borodin Quartets cycle when it was list price, will already have all the Shostakovich String Quartets they'll ever need.
The Rubio Quartet doesn't carry the emotional depth or angst of The Borodin's in this music, but NO ONE else does either.
But this performance DOES belong at the Top of a short list of modern Digital recordings.
Beautifully played, with wonderful warm tone and the requisite fire when appropriate.
Their phrasing is impeccable and the unified ensemble sound is as good as it gets.
If there was ever a complaint about The Borodin Quartet's recording it would be the sound quality.
While it is still Excellent sound, it is a bit dry and maybe a slight bit compressed at the bottom end.
And CDs have made many advances since the Early 80s when it was recorded by (Russian) Meloydia.
On the other hand this Rubio recording on Brilliant Classics is just that-BRILLIANT-.
Wide open to allow air between each note creating a greater transparency and clarity than almost all the competition.
The sound is SUPERB.
So, unless you are willing to lay out $75+ for the Borodin cycle, that's if you can find it, this is an affordable alternative and would still be at a higher price.
If the Borodin's had never recorded this cycle, I dare say The Rubio performance would make a top first choice.
This is the best "bargain" out there.
And we're talking FIVE, 60+ minute CDs.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Very Good Shostakovich Cycle.......2006-03-17

I want to thank the other reviewer for leading me to this set; cash-strapped teenager maybe, but he knows quality when he hears it! The Rubio Quartet is Flemish and its full, warm sound (very handsomely recorded on these ridiculously inexpensive CDs)is a joy to hear .... and very recognizable to anyone who's heard marvelous Dutch/Belgian/Flemish string players like Anner Bylsma. The Rubio may not provide the kind of idiomatic Slavic 'grit' you hear on classic Shostakovich recordings by the Beethoven and Borodin quartets, but their performances are fully competitive with everybody else (including those by younger Russian ensembles like the St. Petersburg Quartet). According to the excellent liner notes, the Rubio recordings were made 'live' in a Flanders church over a few months in 2002. A small audience was present at each recital/session, but I heard almost no audience noise at all: the performances are so good the listeners must have been nearly mesmerized! Competition in this price range comes from classic 1970s British recordings by the Fitzwilliam Quartet, now available in a bargain box from Decca. The Fitzwilliam performances are certainly marvelous, but the Rubio's are just as accomplished and insightful and are also better recorded. One more word about the liner notes: I've rarely seen such detailed and insightful notes -- each quartet is discussed separately -- included with 'bargain box' sets. This is a first-rate production all around. If you don't know the Shostakovich quartets, it's just about a perfect introduction. And even if you do own other recordings this Brilliant Classics set is such a great bargain you just shouldn't pass it up.

Shostakovich on a Shoestring.......2004-09-12

As a teenage conneseiur of classical music, I can't exactly dish out the money that some other recordings of the complete Shostakovich String Quartets cost. This is the best you can get for the money, and worth much more! The sound quality is fantastic, and I find little wrong with the CDs. While I prefer the Kronos Quartet's phrasing (particularly on the 8th string quartet), the Rubio's mellower sound is a nice alternative, and adds a contrast to the otherwise pessimistic music of Dmitri Shostakovich. Named in honor of the late instrument maker Rubio, they all play on his instruments. In part due to this continuity of instrument, and part due to their extraordinary musicality, the recordings have a very unified sound. This is a great find!

Track Listings:

Track Listings

track listings

Track Listings

Great Rock N Roll Swindle

Kathleen Ferrier: Ovation 10

Live Wire/Blues Power [Live]

Music: Soft Lights

MK II [Import]

Live Series [Import]

It's a Wiggly Wiggly World

Piano Trio 1 Op 21 / Piano Trio 2 Op 26

Noise and Conversation

Memoria [Import]

Mangled Demos from 1983

Neutral Spirits

Ibiza Trance Club [Import]

Sibelius: Symphonies Nos. 6 & 7

This Mystery