# Shostakovich string quartet cycles



## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

What is your favorite one? My collection is desperately missing a full set of his great quartets.

I like very much what I've heard of the Borodin Quartet. The Emerson Quartet is all right in these (their 8th is good IMO). I'm curious about the Beethoven Quartet recordings, seen in a box set here:

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-String-Quartets-Dmitry-Shostakovich/dp/B000J3FBJS/

It was this ensemble that most of the quartets were originally written for. Seems to be recorded in decent enough sound by mid-century Soviet standards. But is it still worth a listen now that dozens (? maybe) of others are out there?

What do you think?


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

I'd jump first for the Pacifica cycle. Great performances, very good sound, some extra quartets by DSCH's contemporaries, and an excellent price. I have several cycles and probably listen to this one the most.










BTW, I have:
Borodin (both cycles)
Brodsky (both cycles)
Emerson (I think, can't find it right now!)
Fitzwilliam
Pacifica
Quatuor Danel
Rubio
Shostakovich

I don't have the Beethoven SQ's cycle and haven't heard it.


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## D Smith (Sep 13, 2014)

Ditto for what KenOC said. I have the Pacifica and Emerson complete sets plus various individual albums by various quartets, and the Pacifica gets played the most. The Emersons are really great too, though. I got to hear them live doing Shostakovich and it was very intense and rewarding.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

This looks interesting, good call! I haven't heard any of this quartet's recordings of Shostakovich, or any other composers really. It looks somewhat affordable too. Going to check this out.


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## jimsumner (Jul 7, 2013)

KenOC said:


> I'd jump first for the Pacifica cycle. Great performances, very good sound, some extra quartets by DSCH's contemporaries, and an excellent price. I have several cycles and probably listen to this one the most.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Agree on the Pacifica. BTW, there is a new Borodin cycle, their third. Anyone heard it?


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Ignore post!xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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## Kiki (Aug 15, 2018)

Much as I like the Borodin (old and new), the Emerson and the Fitzwilliam, the wildness and the unpolished sonority of the Mandelring is my current favourite. There is a very addictive on-the-edge quality to it.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

The first set i got was the Rubio set on Brilliant Classics and it was a huge bargain (£3 in Superdrug in Stockport) and I really enjoy that cycle but the Pacifica set is tough to top, for me.









There's another TC thread about this in the link below.

Looking for a nice Shostakovich String Quartet cycle


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## NLAdriaan (Feb 6, 2019)

I think that there is one 'reference recording' of this cycle, which actually was released recently:









I purchased this one a few months ago and I already have the first cycle by the Borodins and some separate recordings. If you want to get to know the world of DSCH-4tets, this is your lonely planet.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Hmm, now I'm torn between two...

Leaning toward the Pacifica, as I like what I've sampled and like that it includes quartets by Schnittke, Myaskovsky, etc. Plus, it's cheaper. On the other hand, I love what I've heard of the Borodin (1960s recordings... I doubt anyone is still in that quartet from those days... but something to be said about tradition, I guess?)


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Get the new Borodin set! It's great!

That said, my loyalties remain with the Fitzwilliam set, with the 13/15 Borodin incomplete set and the Beethoven quartet (a recent and very worthy investment for me, btw) as historical references.


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## NLAdriaan (Feb 6, 2019)

flamencosketches said:


> Hmm, now I'm torn between two...
> 
> Leaning toward the Pacifica, as I like what I've sampled and like that it includes quartets by Schnittke, Myaskovsky, etc. Plus, it's cheaper. On the other hand, I love what I've heard of the Borodin (1960s recordings... I doubt anyone is still in that quartet from those days... but something to be said about tradition, I guess?)


Personally, I think the Pacifica misses the depth of the Russian soul. Listen to the first two parts of the 8th quartet by both quartets and you know what I mean.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

Do you possibly have a link to the Borodin? I can only find earlier recordings they've done of that quartet...


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

flamencosketches said:


> Do you possibly have a link to the Borodin? I can only find earlier recordings they've done of that quartet...


You can preview their #8 over at vimeo.com. Lots of clips of their recent performances in Australia.


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## flamencosketches (Jan 4, 2019)

KenOC said:


> You can preview their #8 over at vimeo.com. Lots of clips of their recent performances in Australia.


Found, thank you.


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