String Quartets 1 & 3

1. String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op.44/1
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
with Bartok Quartet , Geza Hargitai , Peter Komlos , Laszlo Mezo

2. String Quartet No. 1 in E flat major, Op. 12
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
with Bartok Quartet , Geza Hargitai , Peter Komlos , Laszlo Mezo

String Quartets 1 & 3,Mendelssohn,Bartok Quartet,Hungaroton,Classical

Average customer rating: A wonderful Beethoven cycle A LONG TIME COMING AT THIS PRICE What more can be said? With the Best of the Best What sound problems????

Beethoven - The Complete String Quartets / Alban Berg Quartet Ludwig van Beethoven , Alban Berg Quartet , and Gerhard Schulz, Hatto Beyerle, Thomas Kakuska, Valentin Erben Günther Pichler Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Beethoven | Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Alban Berg String Quartet | ( A ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Bargain Box Sets | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Beethoven, Ludwig van | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Alban Berg String Quartet | ( A ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Beethoven: Complete Piano Sonatas / Daniel Barenboim Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos Mozart: String Quartets Nos. 14 - 23 Shostakovich: The String Quartets Complete String Quartets ASIN: B000026D4J Release Date: 1999-11-16

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

1. Op. 74 In E Flat Major 'Harp': I Poco adagio - Allegro - Beethoven
2. Op. 74 In E Flat Major 'Harp': II. Adagio ma non troppo - Beethoven
3. Op. 74 In E Flat Major 'Harp': III. Presto - Beethoven
4. Op. 74 In E Flat Major 'Harp': IV: Allegretto con Variazioni - Beethoven
5. Op.132 In A Minor: I: Allegro sostenuto - Allegro - Beethoven
6. Op.132 In A Minor: II: Allegro ma non tanto - Beethoven
7. Op.132 In A Minor: III: Molto adagio - Beethoven
8. 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: Brahms' Bonus Bargan... A very fine digital recording of the quartets Best Recording of the Brahms Piano Quintet & Superb Brahms String Quartets Too Overproduced The Piano Quintet becomes an instant classic--Fleisher is incomparable

Piano Quintet in F Min / Complete String Quartets (1, 2, 3) Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Emerson String Quartet | ( E ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Classical | Styles | Blowout Music | Stores | Music All Blowout Music | Blowout Music | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 25% Off | Blowout Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Haydn: Piano Sonatas Volodos Plays Liszt Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 4 Chopin, Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1 Intimate Voices ASIN: B000MGB3DK Release Date: 2007-05-08

Tracks:

1. Allegro
2. Romanze: Poco Adagio
3. Allegro Molto Moderato E Comodo-Un Poco Piu Animato
4. Allegro
5. Allegro Non Troppo
6. Andante Moderato
7. Quasi Minuetto, Moderato-Allegretto Vivace
8. Finale: Allegro Non Assai

Tracks:

1. Vivace
2. Andante
3. Agitato (Allegretto Non Troppo)-Trio
4. Poco Allegretto Con Variazioni-Doppio Movimento
5. Allegro Non Troppo
6. Andante, Un Poco Adagio
7. Scherzo: Allegro-Trio
8. Finale: Poco Sostenuto-Allegro Non Troppo-Presto, Non Troppo

Amazon.com

This handsome set of Brahms's chamber music features the stunning Emerson Quartet, and in the Piano Quintet, the pianist Leon Fleischer, happily recovered from a very lengthy crippling illness. The Quintet is singingly, lyrically played, with Brahms's long melodies the focal point. It's a beautiful performance, with the Emerson seemingly listening to and following Fleischer. The Quartets are performed with lush tone, with the Op. 51, no. 2, sounding particularly intense, with each dynamic change pointedly underlined. Op. 51's second movement (Romanze) makes the listener wish Brahms had set a text to the music -- it is played with exquisite lyricism. The B-flat major Quartet is vibrant, with the final movement's variations, colored by the viola, so clearly played that one can hear the echoes of the Quartet's first movement. A fine pair of CDs. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Brahms' Bonus Bargan..........2007-07-25

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What can one say?--for the price of a pack of cigarettes (nearly!), you can now obtain what are probably the finest Brahms' string quartet realizations available.

I find it strange that Brahms' string quartets have never really been "popular." Possibly this popular ambivalence is due to his running away from Beethoven and towards Schoenberg. Anyway, I've always loved them for this reason, and I have long preferred the old Amadeus reading Brahms: The String Quartets/Dvorak: Quartet, Op. 96 for its Schoenbergian razor-sharpness.

Fleisher--sorry for his trouble; glad he's back; definitely NOT the star of this disc. The Quartets are.

By the way, if you want the finest realization of Brahms' Piano Quintet, look no further than Glenn Gould's Glenn Gould Edition: Schumann & Brahms What he does with the inner two movements is absolutely astounding, while taking the whole work as a gestalt: now, that is Art.
.

A very fine digital recording of the quartets.......2007-06-25

Leon Fleisher and the Emerson Quartet had a chance to make a fabulous digital recording of the Brahms F minor Piano Quintet--but they blew it. Instead we get an okay performance that features an overly thoughtful interpretation and frustratingly slow tempos in some spots. This is not an autumnal work, and the attempt by the players to do it that way doesn't work for me. I am not a total fan of the Emerson quartet--I personally prefer the more urgent and less lyrical sound of the Juilliard or Tokyo Quartets. However there is some exceptional playing in the 3 Brahms Quartets. Given the low price and the scarcity of recordings of the Brahms Quartets, I would recommend this 2-disc set.

Best Recording of the Brahms Piano Quintet & Superb Brahms String Quartets Too.......2007-06-21

I have long been a fan of Murray Perahia's great recording of the Brahms Piano Quartet with the Amadeus String Quartet, but now, Deutsche Grammophon has released what ought to be regarded as the definitive recording of this work. The great American pianist Leon Fleischer - who has thankfully recovered the use of his right hand due to some rather intriguing, innovative treatment - leads the Emerson String Quartet in a stunning, quite rhapsodic performance of one of the great works in the Piano Quintet repertoire, and indeed, of chamber music itself. I should add too that "lead" is the correct verb to describe this admirable performance by all five musicians in this truly incandescent recording, which is replete with ample distinguished, lyrical playing from cellist David Finckel and his Emerson String Quartet colleagues (Their playing is truly distinguished, at a technical and interpretative level which is unquestionably at a higher level than the Amadeus String Quartet's.). As for the three Brahms String Quartets, these are inspiring, vibrant performances in their own right, with ample exqusite lyrical playing from all four string players. Recorded over the course of several years in the venerable American Academy of Arts and Letters auditorium in Washington Heights, Manhattan (New York, NY) Deutsche Grammophon's sound engineers have done an exemplary job in capturing with exqusite detail ever note played by these five superb musicians, in an acoustical setting that should be regarded as quite ambiently warm. Needless to say this two-CD set is one of the finest recordings released by both pianist Leon Fleischer and the Emerson String Quartet. Devout fans of these musicians, Johannes Brahms' chamber music, and of great classical chamber music in general, will want to add this fine recording to their collections.

Overproduced.......2007-05-22

I never thought I would apply this adjective to a classical recording, but somehow it perfectly describes the cultured detachment of these performances, especially the Op 51, No. 1 C Minor Quartet. There is not a note out of place, the phrasing is precise and musicianly, the execution of its architecture is flawless, but... the sum of the parts is bloodless.

It's not the recording I would have expected given their full blooded Beethoven cycle. In fact, the Brahms production has more in common with their Mendelssohn cycle than the Beethoven. Their Mendelssohn too, was beautiful, but leaning toward the beauty of a still life. There are other performances, in both the Mendelssohn and the Brahms, that better capture the pathos of the music. Compare Emerson's performance of the C Minor Quartet with that of the Alban Berg Quartet, a superior performance. What the Berg may lack in refinement and polish, only in comparison to the Emerson Quartet, they more than make up for in sheer vitality.

And that's the nub of it. The desire, impetuosity, fear, triumph and pathos is missing -- in short, youthfulness. I just read a review, in the New York Review of Books, of some new translations of Casanova's autobiography and one of his statements reminds me of the Emerson. Casanova wrote that throughout his thirties, his vigor faded. I can't help wondering if the same thing hasn't happened to the Emerson quartet. They are more polished than ever, but the vigor has faded. The sexual rush of the great music is missing.

The Piano Quintet becomes an instant classic--Fleisher is incomparable.......2007-05-09

One could say that this DG 2-CD set is unmissable even before the first track begins. At two-for-one price we get to hear the great Leon Fleisher, miraculously recovered from his decades-long muscle affliciton (thanks to neurology and botox) and now capable of performing Brhams's most difficult works. Fleisher is, along with Rudolf Serkin, the greatest Brahms player among Americans. Here he doesn't disappoint, in a reading of the Piano Quintet that's incredibly moving, full of mastery in every phrase.

At first I was worried that he wouldn't be a match for the strainless stel Emersons, but they adapt their style to his. In every way they are second to Fleisher's lead, and the microphone placement puts his every note front and center. Often that's a drawback, but here it's what I wanted to hear. The interpretation is more relaxed than the great one from Pollini and the Quartetto Italiano and more emotionally free than Gilels with the Amadeus Qt. (NOt to mention that the Emersons show more technical ability and polish than either ensemble.) Fleisher's touch isn't as rapid and scintillating as it was in youth, but he never drags or blurs the notes. He makes each movement one great expanse of song, and in my experience there has never been a performance to equal his. rahms's broad sweeps of lyric beauty simply take off.

Oh yes, and there are three string quartets in addition. I have never warmed to Brahms's quartet writing, much as I love his other chamber music. The Emersons play with their usual amazing unanimity, and they capture Brahms's full-scale romanticism without reserve. This isn't one of their attempts to redo a classic composer in modern style. As in the Quntet, DG's sonics are wonderful, giving us the best string sonority I've heard in a long time. I'll leave it to other reviewers to detail the individual performances here. For me, the glory of this set will always be Fleisher and his amazing autumnal rebirth.

Average customer rating: Buy This! Here we go again trying words Unique Music Haydn at his most enjoyable and approachable wonderful recordings but be warned...

Haydn: String Quartets Op. 76, Nos. 1-3 Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Franz Joseph Haydn | Haydn, Franz Joseph | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music CDs Under $7 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music $6.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Haydn, Franz Joseph | ( H ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Haydn: String Quartets, Op. 76, Nos. 4, 5 and 6 Haydn: String Quartets, Op. 33 "Russian", No. 1, No. 2 "The Joke", No. 5 "How do you do?" Haydn: String Quartets, Op. 20 "Sun", Nos. 4-6 Haydn: String Quartets, Op. 71, Nos. 1-3 "Apponyi Quartets" Haydn: String Quartets, Op. 33 "Russian", No. 3 "The Bird", 4 and 6 ASIN: B0000013OP Release Date: 1992-09-04

Tracks:

1. String quartet in G major, op.76 no.1: Allegro con spirito
2. String quartet in G major, op.76 no.1: Adagio sostenuto
3. String quartet in G major, op.76 no.1: Menuetto: Presto
4. String quartet in G major, op.76 no.1: Finale: Allegro ma non troppo
5. String quartet in D minor, op.76 no.2: Allegro
6. String quartet in D minor, op.76 no.2: Andante o piu tosto allegretto
7. String quartet in D minor, op.76 no.2: Allegro ma non troppo
8. String quartet in D minor, op.76 no.2: Vivace assai
9. String quartet in C major, op.76 no.3: : Allegro
10. String quartet in C major, op.76 no.3: Poco adagio, cantabile
11. String quartet in C major, op.76 no.3: Menuetto: Allegro
12. String quartet in C major, op.76 no.3: Finale: Presto

Customer Reviews:

Buy This!.......2007-05-20

Whether you are a Haydn connosieur, or even a newbie curious in regard to this work (perhaps the greatest achievement in String Quartet history), this recording is outstanding. Although I might put the historically performed rendition of these works by the Quatuor Mosaique on a higher level of preference, it's simply my own personal taste (I often prefer performances of these works on period instruments...you might not). You can't go wrong with this cd. All the music is brought out in striking fashion by the Kodaly Q.

Don't even consider this one too much: GET it.

Here we go again trying words.......2006-06-04

Well, it is not often in my music collection of several hundred "classical" CD's that I find music that still moves me to tears. The quartets are so interesting for me on all levels and how could you find them better played? Many of Haydn's quartets are worth purchase but opus 76 has a special place in this genre. Every composer has a special area where he (not many she's unfortunately) has mastered. One thinks of Mozart and the operas or Beethoven and the symphonies. Well here is where Haydn has never been surpassed.

Unique Music.......2006-03-08

I don't really have add anything about this CD. The performances are excellent as is the recorded sound. I would like to say that new classical music lovers who have yet to advance to chamber music, should really enjoy this great music. The two named quartets are especially good with the finale of the 3rd quartet being one of my favorite movements in all of music.

Haydn at his most enjoyable and approachable.......2005-10-28

Do the recordings on this CD rank at the greatest of Haydn's work? IMHO, no (I reserve that for certain of his symphonies and masses); however, is everything you eat chock full of all of the nutrients you need with only the minimum amount of calories? The artists approach the music with style and delicacy. If you are or live with an aficionado of this musical era, I encourage you to add this CD to your/his/her collection.

wonderful recordings but be warned..........2005-09-22

if you are reading some of the other reviews saying that this music is as good as anything Mozart ever composed, beware. These quartets are excellent - and are worth owning if for no reason other than Haydn being an instrumental figure in the birth of the quartet as we know it. Haydn is credited with being a pioneer in developing independent voicing of all 4 instruments, and these mature late quartets show off his mastery of the form. However, these quartets are NOT Mozart. Haydn was an excellent composer, and while exceedingly original and inventive in his techniques and phrasings, his music does not resonate with the sheer genius of Mozart's late quartets (from K. 387 on). So if you are looking for something Mozartean here, you will not find it. If you are looking to discover more excellent music in the Classical style from the father of the Classical style, then you should definitely pick these discs up. Not only are the performances and recordings excellent, but at this price you cannot go wrong.

Average customer rating: Streamlined from Russia -- not for everyone What an artificial performance it is! Disappointing for the Emerson String Quartet A genuine surprise. Excellent music, excellent renditions

Dvorák, Tchaikovsky, Borodin: Quartets Antonin Dvorak , Alexander Borodin , Eugene Drucker , Lawrence Dutton , David Finckel , and Philip Setzer Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Borodin | Borodin, Alexander | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Dvorák, Antonín | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Emerson String Quartet | ( E ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music $7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Borodin, Alexander | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Dvorák, Antonín | ( D ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Emerson String Quartet | ( E ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Debussy, Ravel: Streichquartette Schubert: String Quintet in C, D. 956 Mozart: String quartets K. 465 "Dissonance", K. 458 "The Hunt" & K. 421 Antonin Dvorak: Quintet For Piano, 2 Violins, Viola And Cello, Op. 81/Quartet For Piano, Violin, Viola And Cello,Op. Bach: The Art of Fugue ASIN: B000001GO3 Release Date: 1995-10-17

Tracks:

1. String Quartet No. 12 In F Major, Op. 96 'American': I. Allegro ma non troppo
2. String Quartet No. 12 In F Major, Op. 96 'American': 2. Lento
3. String Quartet No. 12 In F Major, Op. 96 'American': 3. Molto vivace
4. String Quartet No. 12 In F Major, Op. 96 'American': 4. Finale: Vivace, ma non troppo
5. String Quartet No. 1 In D Major, Op. 11: 1. moderato e semplice
6. String Quartet No. 1 In D Major, Op. 11: 2. Andante cantabile
7. String Quartet No. 1 In D Major, Op. 11: 3. Scherzo: Allegro non tanto -- Trio
8. String Quartet No. 1 In D Major, Op. 11: 4. Finale: Allegro giusto - Allegro vivace
9. String Quartet No. 2 In D Major: 1. Allegro moderato
10. String Quartet No. 2 In D Major: 2. Scherzo: Allegro
11. String Quartet No. 2 In D Major: 3. Notturno: Andante
12. String Quartet No. 2 In D Major: 4. Finale: Andante - Vivace

Amazon.com

The Emersons offer one of the very best accounts of the popular American Quartet on disc. It is dramatic, exuberant, persuasive, and right to the point--a well-paced reading full of ravishing details (like the dueting of the violins in the slow movement) that has been beautifully recorded. Originally made for Book-of-the-Month Club in 1984, the recording was later picked up by DG and first released in the U.S. in 1990. For this reissue, it has been coupled with equally well-played accounts of quartets by Borodin and Tchaikovsky, which makes for an especially well-filled CD. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Streamlined from Russia -- not for everyone.......2007-07-01

The string quartets of Dvorak and Borodin are among the lushest and easy-to-listen music in the genre, romanticism for every ear. Because of the hummable tunes in the Borodin 2nd (lifted wholesale to become part of the Broadway musical, Kismet) and the folsy vigor of Dvorak's "American" Quartet #12, most performers emphasize this lushness. Not the Emersons, whose readings here are clean and streamlined. They don't dig deep into the wood the way the Alban berg Qt. do. Their is the patented Emerson virtuosity at work, though, with impeccable intonation and matched timbres.

For me, the effect was refreshing, particularly in the Borodin, which hwere gets a performance that never threatens to become gooey. The Dvorak is a mite too efficient and far removed form its folk inspiration, yet still impressive technically. Its buoyancy creates a great deal of enjoyment. I've never been able to warm up to Tchaikovsky's quartet writing, but here again the Emersons go for clean lines over Russian luxuriousness.

In all, a very appealing CD that groups three favorites in vintage Emerson Qt. performances. Very good sound, too.

What an artificial performance it is!.......2007-02-17

Dvorak is just okay. Not a superior performance to their rivals, but it's just about the average. Nothing special. Nothing to comment.
Tchaikovsky? Again, no noteworthy point to make here.
Borodin? This is certainly one of the poorest performance of this music on the CD that I've ever heard. The problem is the Notturno movent.
here we have something very unpleasant music making here. The Emersons probably think that the movement is to be played with full of emotion and involvement. They may be right. But, playing this popular movement with emotional involvement does not mean that it is to be played very slowly and dully. What are they aiming at? What are they "thinking" when they treat this movement in a totally no-brainer way?

They are probaly perfect in terms of their technical flawless. But I always witness thet they do not seem to have found the way to play certain music. In short words, no attachment, no careful studying of the score, no soul. There only remains an artificial performance of the music. Good pretenders, but single CD from them has never moved me.
Beethoven quartets set was another joke.

Well.... but I cannot live without their Schostakovich. Yes, they are all not that bad anyway.

BTW, if it comes down to Borodin's second quartet, the Cleveland Quartet is my first pick.

Disappointing for the Emerson String Quartet.......2006-07-19

The Emerson String Quartet, no matter what some believe, is technically and artistically one of the best quartets in the world. This album, however, is not one of their best. The playing is somewhat lethargic, and the quartets themselves, while being somewhat popular (particularly the Borodin), are not masterpieces within the genre.

The Dvorak is fine, a 4 star effort. The Tchaikovsky is only average. The Borodin is, well, something else. The Emerson plays it to appeal to a crowd who can only appreciate "pops classical styling."

When listening to the Borodin all I hear is the advertisement for the World's Most Beautiful Music" collection, (just send in your $ for some CD's containing classical music played by various studio orchestras.) This, I find, is perhaps the most distracting aspect of the music. I don't hear the quartet. I hear the advertisement instead. So perhaps I am being unfair to the Emerson String Quartet on this one. It might be the same as thinking about "A Clockwise Orange" when listening to Beethoven's ninth.

But even barring the Borodin, the other two quartets just don't quite measure up to what I expect to hear from this wonderful quartet.

A genuine surprise........2006-03-16

Though I'd heard of Borodin before, I hadn't realized what a wonderful composer he truly was. The second movement of his second quartet is revelatory, and this recording of it (compared to others I've heard since) is definitive for its clarity, tenderness, and directness of expression.

Excellent music, excellent renditions.......2005-06-28

Most people viewing this item probably haven't heard of Borodin before, and I must assure such people that the Borodin quartet on this recording is more than worth listening to! The star of these three compositions is, of course, the American quartet, which is legendary. Though I haven't listened to any other performers playing the quartet, the Emerson Quartet's sound is exquisite, with each detail executed to perfection. You can't expect much else - the Emerson Quartet is always great.

I usually don't like Tchaikovsky, but the quartet on this recording is wonderfully melodic. And together, these three quartets on one CD make for one great purchase.

Great sound, great performance, great music - at a great price. What else could you ask for?

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 General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Beaux Arts Trio | ( B ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Pressler, Menahem | ( P ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Beaux Arts Trio | ( B ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Pressler, Menahem | ( P ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Brahms: Complete Trios Schumann: Complete Piano Trios Brahms: The Complete Quintets Franz Schubert: Complete Trios Antonín Dvorák: Complete Piano Trios ASIN: B0000041EI Release Date: 1996-04-09

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

1. Piano Quartet in A, Op. 26: 1. Allegro non troppo - Brahms
2. Piano Quartet in A, Op. 26: 2. Poco adagio - Brahms
3. Piano Quartet in A, Op. 26: 3. Scherzo. Poco allegro - Brahms
4. Piano Quartet in A, Op. 26: 4. Finale. Allegro - Brahms
5. Piano Trio in A, Op. posth.: 1. Moderato - Brahms
6. Piano Trio in A, Op. posth.: 2. Vivace - Brahms
7. Piano Trio in A, Op. posth.: 3. Lento - Brahms
8. 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!

Average customer rating: Very Good, but beware technical problems This is how all Brahms should be played! Mastery and joy 9 CDs with THE AMADEUS: WHAT A BARGAN! Exquisite music performed with exquisite artistry

Brahms: Complete String Quartets, Quintets & Sextets Karl Leister , Johannes Brahms , Christoph Eschenbach , Cecil Aronowitz , Norbert Brainin , Siegmund Nissel , and Amadeus Quartet Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Sextets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Schubert: The String Quartets Brahms: Works for Solo Piano Mendelssohn: The Complete String Quartets / Emerson String Quartet Beethoven: The String Quartets Brahms: Complete Piano Quartets ASIN: B00008RWRG Release Date: 2003-10-14

Customer Reviews:

Very Good, but beware technical problems.......2007-05-26

Overall, I really enjoy these pieces. The playing is good, and the sound is quite live, which I enjoy. My favorite piece is the Quintet in G Major Op.111, though the sextet in Bb is a close second. I am a perfectionist, and my familiarity with these pieces led me to be a little dissapointed, which is why there is only 4 stars. My dissapointment stems from two facts:
1. In the first movement of the Brahms G Major Op.111, the string quintet elects not to take the repeat in m.56, so you will never hear the first ending on this recording and thus only get one shot at the awesome cello opening. I haven't listened closely enough to the other pieces on this set to discern if they avoided other repeats or not, but for the most part, they appear to be there.

2. There are technical printing problems. Though the recording is so live that you can hear the breath of the musicians and their fingers fall on the strings, there are some actual technical pops in the recording. Perhaps it was a transfer problem from analog to digital, as the recordings are old. Most of these pops are minor, but they are dissapointing for an audiophile such as myself. My CDs are pristine (no scratches at all), and even the first time playing them these pops were there. So, here's the list of what I've found thus far:

CD 3:
Track 6: Pops & clicks at 1:19 & 1:22.

CD 5:
Track 1: Pops at 6:01.
Track 2: Pops & clicks at 0:13, 3:56, & 6:16.
Track 5: Pop at 12:07.
Track 7: Pop & clicks at 6:11, 7:45, 7:51-7:52 (these are quite noticable), 7:59, 8:03, 8:11.
Track 8: Pop at 7:34.

It is a well-played set; hopefully they will get the printing correct on the next batch.

This is how all Brahms should be played!.......2007-02-14

There isn't much to say about this set, but I'll say what there is to say: These players play the Brahms chamber music here with such emotion, musical understanding, and overall perfection that this set should be made into a must for all Brahms chamber music lovers. The Amadeus quartet, along with all of the other performers, including Eschenbach on the piano and Leister on the clarinet, really know what they're doing and play it so beautifully that the listener will want to hear the pieces again and again until the CD player is practically worn out. These Brahms works are some of the most sublime works of the later 19th century. For such quality music and great sound, especially for having been recorded in the 1960's, the price is also great. I recommend this set very highly, and hope you decide to get and enjoy it as much as I do.

Mastery and joy.......2006-12-12

Because they lasted such a long time and toward the end didn't play at their best, I found reasons to overlook the Madeus Qt. But in this 9-CD set of the complete chamber music of Brahms, there are some sublime performances--I would especially point to both String Sextets, for example. In every instance the style of the Amadeus is full of vibrancy and joy, and their ensemble isn't baased on technical perfection but rather a kinship of musical taste and feeling (this puts them poles apart from the Emerson Qt., for me at least). I also love the Brahms chamber performances on Sony with Yo-Yo Ma, Isaac Stern, emanuel Ax, and friends, but this DG set is altogether sweeter and more lyrical.

Since Amazon neglects to list the additional players who join the Amadeus for the works that aren't soely for a string quartet, here's the run-down from Tower:

1. Quartet for Strings no 1 in C minor, Op. 51 no 1
Ensemble: Amadeus String Quartet

2. Quartet for Strings no 2 in A minor, Op. 51 no 2
Ensemble: Amadeus String Quartet

3. Quartet for Strings no 3 in B flat major, Op. 67
Ensemble: Amadeus String Quartet

4. Quintet for Piano and Strings in F minor, Op. 34
Ensemble: Amadeus String Quartet
Performer: Eschenbach, Christoph

5. Quintet for Strings no 1 in F major, Op. 88
Ensemble: Amadeus String Quartet
Performer: Aronowitz, Cecil

6. Quintet for Strings no 2 in G major, Op. 111
Ensemble: Amadeus String Quartet
Performer: Aronowitz, Cecil

7. Trio for Clarinet, Cello and Piano in A minor, Op. 114
Performer: Leister, Karl; Eschenbach, Christoph; Donderer, Georg

8. Quintet for Clarinet and Strings in B minor, Op. 115
Ensemble: Amadeus String Quartet
Performer: Leister, Karl

9. Sextet for Strings no 1 in B flat major, Op. 18
Ensemble: Amadeus String Quartet
Performer: Aronowitz, Cecil; Pleeth, William

10. Sextet for Strings no 2 in G major, Op. 36
Ensemble: Amadeus String Quartet
Performer: Aronowitz, Cecil; Pleeth, William

9 CDs with THE AMADEUS: WHAT A BARGAN!.......2005-10-04

This is a really nice set at a bargan price.

Exquisite music performed with exquisite artistry.......2005-05-20

All the passion, majesty, pathos, and soul of his symphonies is in these 10 works of chamber music by Brahms:

3 string quartets;
2 string quintets;
2 string sextets;
a quintet for piano, 2 violins, viola, and violoncello;
a trio for piano, clarinet, and violoncello;
and a quintet for clarinet, 2 violins, viola, and violoncello.

All this wealth of extraordinary music is in a 5 CD set, performed by one of the finest chamber music ensembles in the world, with the added artistry of Christoph Eschenbach (piano), Cecil Aronowitz (viola), and Karl Leister (clarinet).

One CD is 50' 36 in length, 2 are in the low 60's, and 2 are in the low 70's.

I have an inexpensive CD player, but this music emerges from it with the sharpness of etched glass, the smoothness of warmed honey, and the softness of rivers of silver in moonlight.

This is music to celebrate the joy and the pathos of life, played with soul, sensitivity, and power. Buy it and treasure this gift to yourself.

Average customer rating: Important, but not as interesting as the vocal works. Not really my style... String works, includes his must-have glorious Second Quartet Great Recordings of Modern String Quartets you must listen to Ligeti.

György Ligeti Edition 1: String Quartets and Duets - Arditti String Quartet Gyorgy Ligeti , David Alberman , Irvine Arditti , Garth Knox , Rohan deSaram , and Arditti String Quartet Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Ligeti, György | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music $7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Ligeti, György | ( L ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: György Ligeti Edition 3: Works for Piano (Etudes, Musica Ricercata) - Pierre-Laurent Aimard György Ligeti Edition 2: A Cappella Choral Works - London Sinfonietta Voices Ligeti: Mechanical Music György Ligeti Edition 4: Vocal Works (Madrigals, Mysteries, Aventures, Songs) - The King's Singers / Philharmonia Orchestra / Esa-Pekka Salonen György Ligeti Edition 6: Keyboard Works (Piano, Harpsichord, Organ) - Irina Kataeva / Pierre-Laurent Aimard / Elisabeth Chojnacka / Zsigmond Szathmáry ASIN: B0000029OY Release Date: 1997-01-21

Tracks:

1. String Quartet No. 1 'Metamorphoses Nocturnes': Allegro Grazioso
2. String Quartet No. 1 'Metamorphoses Nocturnes': Vivace, Capriccioso
3. String Quartet No. 1 'Metamorphoses Nocturnes': Adagio, Mesto
4. String Quartet No. 1 'Metamorphoses Nocturnes': Presto
5. String Quartet No. 1 'Metamorphoses Nocturnes': Andante Tranquillo
6. String Quartet No. 1 'Metamorphoses Nocturnes': Tempo Di Valse, Moderato, Con Eleganza, Un Poco Capriccioso
7. String Quartet No. 1 'Metamorphoses Nocturnes': Allegretto, Un Poco Gioviale
8. String Quartet No. 1 'Metamorphoses Nocturnes': Prestissimo
9. String Quartet No. 2: Allegro Nervoso
10. String Quartet No. 2: Sostenuto, Molto Calmo
11. String Quartet No. 2: Come Un Meccanismo Di Precisione
12. String Quartet No. 2: Presto Furioso, Brutale, Tumultuoso
13. String Quartet No. 2: Allegro Con Delicatezza
14. Hommage A Hilding Rosenberg
15. Balada Si Joc: Balada Andante
16. Balada Si Joc: Allegro Vivace
17. Andante And Allegretto: Andante Cantabile
18. Andante And Allegretto: Allegretto Poco Capriccioso

Amazon.com essential recording

This is a fine collection of moving, muscular performances by this seminal postwar composer. Surely the best known of the works on this disc is the Second String Quartet, one of the masterpieces of 20th-century music--although you might not know it's a masterpiece until the heartbreaking last movement. But the First String Quartet, written before Ligeti emigrated from Hungary to the West, is fascinating: it shows Ligeti working through the influence of Bartók, particularly Bartók's Third and Fourth Quartets--music Ligeti knew only silently, from the score, since performances of Bartók's music were banned by the Hungarian communist regime. This excellent recording provides a complete overview of Ligeti's compositional career through the medium of string chamber music, from homages to Bartók to the achievement of Ligeti's own groundbreaking style. --Joshua Cody

Customer Reviews:

Important, but not as interesting as the vocal works........2006-08-30

Sony's "Gyorgy Ligeti Edition 1: String Quartets and Duos" is the first in this series of, I believe, complete works by Ligeti, but it is always the third or fourth disk I go to whenever I get around to listening to Ligeti once again, about once every year.

To me, the average amateur 'classical music' consumer, it is interesting, imaginative, and certainly 'new' when compared to 19th and early 20th century music, but it just doesn't seem to have the same cachet as the vocal works. While I would sooner listen to Ligeti's vocal works than most other modern music, I actually prefer Bartok, Berg, and Schoenberg for their instrumental works.

I agree with the top reviewer that the String Quartet No. 2 is the hit of the disk, but it doesn't blow me away in the same way that 'Lux Aeterna' does. That may be just the '2001' factor at work, but there you have it.

Still excellent and still evocative of other modernists, not the least of whom is Frank Zappa.

Not really my style..........2006-08-23

This is a little too avant garde for me. I like my classical music to be just that: classical.

I bought the CD but I am returning it. Ligeti is very talented but his music (to me) is only tolerable in short bursts. I couldn't see myself listening to the whole CD time and again.

String works, includes his must-have glorious Second Quartet.......2004-12-07

Sony's "Gyorgy Ligeti Edition 1: String Quartets and Duos" is the first disc of the 13-volume series--continued after the 8th installment by Teldec's "The Ligeti Project"---of Gyorgy Ligeti's collected works in performances overseen by the composer itself. It collects his impressive two strings quartets, a brief birthday greeting to another composer, a work inspired by an ethnomusical stint in Romania, and another early work. The works are performed by the Arditti Quartet, who have done so much to provide satisfying and lasting performances of modern string repetoire.

String Quartet No. 1 ("Metamorphoses nocturnes") was written between 1953 and 1954, as the composer was struggling to express himself creatively in Stalinist Hungary. The work shows clear inspiration from Bartok's third and fourth quartets, which Ligeti knew only from their score as they had been suppressed. Similarly, Ligeti had no hope his own work would be performed, and it was written essentially "for his desk drawer". Ironically, when Ligeti submitted the piece to a Western competition, it was deemed too traditional for recognition. This first string quartet is a study in the juxtaposition of unlike sections; under a thin verneer of normality, the music is heterogenous. I think this is a fine work, and it is one of the composer's few pre-emigration pieces that do not sound like juvenalia in comparison with his later works.

String Quartet No. 2 (1968) was composed long after Ligeti's move to the West and so is entirely avant-garde, linked with the techniques of his other works of the 1960's. Ligeti was quite proud of this piece, claiming it as his favourite of his works of the time, and feeling that he had made a permanent contribution to the string quartet tradition. The work is indeed a part of his micropolyphonic style of the 1960's, but there is a great deal more here. It is a twitching, paranoid, nervous, neurotic piece with a grimy, constantly shifting texture, like the soundtrack to a Kafka story. It really must be heard to be believed, and this second quartet is the high point of this disc.

"Hommage a Hilding Rosenburg" for violin and cello (1982) is a short birthday greeting to that Swedish composer. It is the least important work on the disc and is really nothing more than something of a fanfare.

"Balada si joc" for two violins (Romanian "Ballad and dance", 1950) is a short string duet inspired by Ligeti's time spent in Romania collecting folk music during his music studies. The result uses no actual folk material, but is an authentic imitation of the music Ligeti encountered both in his boyhood and in his return to Transylvania at this later time. When it was later expanded to use an orchestra, it became the first two movements of his "Concert Romanesc" (found on "The Ligeti Project II"). The string duet, however, manages to create with but two instruments nearly the same moving passion as the later orchestration. The following "Andante and Allegretto" for string quartet (1950) is another early work, again inspired by folk music. It is not as successful as "Balada si joc", indeed even forgettable.

While there are other recordings of these works available, such as the recent recordings reissued in Deutsche Grammaphon's "Echo 20/21" series, this performance by the Arditti Quartet can certainly be seen as definitive. It takes a lot of talent to please Ligeti, one of the most demanding composers, especially in a crushingly difficult work like the second string quartet.

While I think "Gyorgy Ligeti Edition 3: Piano Works" or "The Ligeti Project IV" are better places to begin on this series of Ligeti's collected works, this set of string works should be one of the first Ligeti works you buy, especially for the String Quartet No. 2.

Great Recordings of Modern String Quartets.......2004-08-07

For those of you who haven't experienced Ligeti, this is the CD to purchase, especially if you like string quartets. If you're not accustomed to 20th century music, keep an opened mind and I promise you'll really enjoy his music.

The recording of the 2nd quartet is, as usual with the Arditti Quartet, phenomenal, but what makes this recording is their production of his 1st quartet. The performance is very clean and precise, yet still very musical. Most impressive of all, Arditti stays true to Ligeti's tempi, including the blistering tempo of the end!

As an added bonus, there are two very delightful duets for violins, which are very tonal and based on Hungarian folk tunes (these were written as part of graduation from the Budapest Academy of Music).

you must listen to Ligeti........2004-03-06

Listening to Ligeti has been invaluable, for his music has brought me to a higher level of musical understanding. Just listen to these string quartets, for example. The aggressive, chromatic Bartokian first string quartet is incredible by itself. But then the ever-transforming second quartet is ever better, musically enlightening and original and yet still a work of passion. Ligeti describes the piece's nature as something where "there is no longer any motivic writing in this music, no contours, only sound textures, which are sometimes frayed and almost fluid (as in the first and last movements) and at other times grainy and machine-like (as in the middle pizzicato movement)." The performances and recording are mind-blowing. "Add to cart."

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 Octets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Emerson String Quartet | ( E ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Mendelssohn | Mendelssohn, Felix | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music Similar Items: Brahms: Complete String Quartets, Quintets & Sextets Intimate Voices Haydn: The Seven Last Words Schubert: The String Quartets Bela Bartok: The 6 String Quartets - Emerson String Quartet ASIN: B0006TN9G2 Release Date: 2005-01-11

Tracks:

1. I. Adagio - Allegro Vivace
2. II. Adagio Non Lento
3. III. Intermezzo: Allegretto Con Moto
4. IV. Presto
5. A Tempo Ordinario
6. I. Adaigo Non Troppo - Allegro Non Tardante
7. II. Canzonetta: Allegretto
8. III. Andante Espressivo
9. IV. Molto Allegro E Vivace

Tracks:

1. I. Allegro Assai Appassionato
2. II. Scherzo: Allegro Di Molto
3. III. Andante
4. IV. Presto Agitato
5. I. Allegro Vivace
6. II. Scherzo: Assai Leggiero Vivace
7. III. Adagio Non Troppo
8. IV. Molto Allegro Con Fuoco

Tracks:

1. I. Molto Allegro Vivace
2. II. Menuetto: Un Poco Allegretto
3. III. Andante Espressivo Ma Con Moto
4. IV. Presto Con Brio
5. Andante con Moto - Allegro Fugato, Assai Vivace
6. I. Allegro Vivace Assai
7. II. Allegro Assai
8. III. Adagio
9. IV. Finale: Allegro Molto
10. Andante Sostenuto
11. Allegro Leggiero

Tracks:

1. I. Allegro Moderato, Ma Con Fuoco
2. II. Andante
3. III. Scherzo: Allegro Leggierissimo
4. IV. Presto
5. I. Allegro Moderato
6. II. Adagio Non Troppo
7. III. Minuetto
8. 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: Lush & Exalted A superb recording of the Borodin quartets Priceless. Run out now and buy! (Or e-mail now and buy...) No. 1 is number one!

Borodin: String Quartets Nos 1 & 2 Borodin String Quartet , and Alexander Borodin Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Borodin | Borodin, Alexander | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music $9.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Borodin, Alexander | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Borodin: Symphony No.2/In The Steppes Of Central Asia/Prince Igor Dmitry Shostakovich: String Quartet Nos. 2,3,7,8 & 12 Debussy, Ravel: Streichquartette Dvorák, Tchaikovsky, Borodin: Quartets Tchaikovsky: String Quartets Nos. 1 - 3/Souvenir De Florence ASIN: B000002ROX Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. String Quartet No. 1 In A: First Movement: Moderato - Allegro
2. String Quartet No. 1 In A: Second Movement: Andante con moto
3. String Quartet No. 1 In A: Third Movement: Scherzo (Prestissimo)
4. String Quartet No. 1 In A: Fourth Movement: Andante - Allegro risoluto
5. String Quartet No. 2 In D: First Movement: Allegro moderato
6. String Quartet No. 2 In D: Second Movement: Scherzo (Allegro)
7. String Quartet No. 2 In D: Third Movement: Notturno (Andante)
8. String Quartet No. 2 In D: Fourth Movement: Finale (Andante - Vivace)

Amazon.com

The Borodin Quartet plays the music of its namesake as to the manner born. Theirs is a beautiful, lush realization of this lyrical work, polished and full of nuance, and well-served by the 1980 analog recording. The coupling with Borodin's First Quartet is especially attractive. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

Lush & Exalted.......2007-02-11

How else can one describe this incredibly soulful, beautiful recording of Borodin's string quartets (A & D Major)? In this case, Borodin (and the similarly-named quartet) proved the experts wrong in the common saying that the minor is richer than the major. Every movement is a gem played with heartfelt devoltion to the music and the man. The melodic lines are stunning, almost bitter sweet in their mournful rise and fall. The sheer inventiveness of the composer is apparent throughout. In other words, run (don't walk) to your nearest store and purchase this CD or but it off Amazon.

This is not a cerebral (think Emerson Quartet) but a soulful performace, straight from the Grand Age of Composers when performers were called gentlemen and the audience had a knowledge of the music. As in all good quartets, there are no "standout" performances, just a seamless cohesion between the members. If anyone thinks this is recording is an exception they are mistaken. The Shoshtakovitch has as much heart (if not soul). An old tale circulates (confirmation?) that the artist (Shoshtakovitch) worked with the quartet during the process of composition, experimenting for the right sound(s). Beethoven is given a rich Romantic treatment (particularly the Große Fuge) and that is the way I always think of this group - an aristocratic, ensemble specializing in the type of music that they love - Brahms, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Rachmoninov.

My Grade: A+

A superb recording of the Borodin quartets.......2007-01-09

Everyone here (a large family gathering)who has heard this recording over the Christmas period has been very impressed with its quality. I would strongly recommend it.
John Fothergill

Priceless........2006-12-29

Borodin requires emotion, strength, and an understanding of both joy and melancholy. Originally recorded in 1980 by MELODIYA, the musicians and the recording quality go far beyond expectations. This is truly music for the heart.

Run out now and buy! (Or e-mail now and buy...).......2006-11-01

This is one of those discs that is just so incredible that all classical music lovers must own it.

The writing is very intense and beautiful (and from a part-timer, at that!) and the playing by the BSQ is peerless. The sound quality is also excellent.

No. 1 is number one!.......2006-03-02

Does this recording live up to the rave reviews here on Amazon and elsewhere?
The answer, quite simply put, is yes.
BUT, am I the only person on this planet who believes the 1st string quartet to be the equal of, or superior to the 2nd? Sure, the 2nd has the sublime 3rd movement that we have all heard a million times, but just listen to the 3rd movement of the 1st quartet. You will not believe your ears upon hearing what appears to be an organ and glass harmonica, only to realize that it is in fact a STRING QUARTET!!!
This effect, achieved by Borodin, is one of the most surreal, ethereal, and novel sections of music ever conceived.
Why these quartets, especially the 1st, are not more popular is beyond me.
My life has been greatly enriched by this recording, and it's one of those rare musical experiences that makes you think "How did I survive all those years without this music in my head?"
Anyone whose music collection lacks this wonderful recording is not living life to its fullest.
Highly recommended.
Enjoy!

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 Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Takács String Quartet | ( T ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Beethoven: String Quartets Op. 18 Beethoven: The Late String Quartets Béla Bartók: The 6 String Quartets - Takács Quartet Mozart: String Quartets Nos. 14 - 23 Schubert: String Quartets Nos. 13 & 14 ASIN: B000063WRQ Release Date: 2002-05-14

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

1. Quartet in E minor, op. 59: Allegro
2. Quartet in E minor, op. 59: Molto adagio
3. Quartet in E minor, op. 59: Allegretto-Maggiore (Theme russe)
4. Quartet in E minor, op. 59: Finale: Presto
5. Quartet in C major, op. 59: Introduzione: Andante con moto-Allegro vivace
6. Quartet in C major, op. 59: Andanto con moro. Quasi allegretto
7. Quartet in C major, op. 59: Menuetto (grazioso)
8. 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.

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

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.

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