# Beethoven String Quarets



## opus67

If you were asked to recommend one set of Beethoven's string quartets (a set of recordings of all the quartets by one ensemble), which one would it be?


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## ChamberNut

Navneeth,

You already know my answer to this one!  The Quartetto Italiano......you just can't go wrong there.

However, I've also heard that the Alban Berg Quartet and Talich Quartet recordings are also considered top notch.

My Quartetto Italiano set of Beethoven's String Quartets are my most listened to CD's, my prized possession of all of my classical music CD's. Every listen to them makes me discover even more so how beautiful the music really is.


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## opus67

ChamberNut said:


> Navneeth,
> 
> You already know my answer to this one!  The Quartetto Italiano......you just can't go wrong there.


hehe...yes, I knew that.


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## Amade Van Haydn

Hi, ChamberNut!



ChamberNut said:


> Navneeth,
> 
> You already know my answer to this one!  The Quartetto Italiano......you just can't go wrong there.
> 
> However, I've also heard that the Alban Berg Quartet and Talich Quartet recordings are also considered top notch.
> 
> My Quartetto Italiano set of Beethoven's String Quartets are my most listened to CD's, my prized possession of all of my classical music CD's. Every listen to them makes me discover even more so how beautiful the music really is.


Sorry, but I disagree totally. 
The Quartetto Italiano is only able to do one thing: play beautiful - as you said it.
But the pure celebration of beauty doesn't satisfy the ambitions of Beethovens quartets.
They have a broad spectrum of emotions and tone colour.
In the Quatetto-Italiano-recording I miss the depth of emotion, the venture to "play against the human ear" (it's IMO necessary in the late quartets), the dionysiadic aspects,...

I recommend recordings like the ones of the Emerson Quartet (DGG) or the Takacs Quartet (Decca).
If these are too agressive and "wild" for you, try the Juilliard Quartet (Sony).
Recently a good and very cheap recording of the Guarneri Quartet is available (Brilliant Classics), which I would recommend to someone who isn't familiar with string quartets at all and doesn't want to invest much.

Regards,
AVH.


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## zlya

Emerson Quartet. Such energy, and yet such taste.


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## ChamberNut

Amade Van Haydn said:


> Hi, ChamberNut!
> 
> Sorry, but I disagree totally.
> The Quartetto Italiano is only able to do one thing: play beautiful - as you said it.
> But the pure celebration of beauty doesn't satisfy the ambitions of Beethovens quartets.
> They have a broad spectrum of emotions and tone colour.
> In the Quatetto-Italiano-recording I miss the depth of emotion, the venture to "play against the human ear" (it's IMO necessary in the late quartets), the dionysiadic aspects,...
> 
> I recommend recordings like the ones of the Emerson Quartet (DGG) or the Takacs Quartet (Decca).
> If these are too agressive and "wild" for you, try the Juilliard Quartet (Sony).
> Recently a good and very cheap recording of the Guarneri Quartet is available (Brilliant Classics), which I would recommend to someone who isn't familiar with string quartets at all and doesn't want to invest much.
> 
> Regards,
> AVH.




Mr Amade Van Haydn (by the way, cool moniker ),

Now it is over to me to strongly disgree with you. Although I have not heard complete alternative recordings of the Beethoven quartets by other than Q.Italiano, I have heard several movement and single string quartets of various other artists, and I have yet to hear one that appealed to me more than the Italiano, and......especially in the late quartets and the Razumovsky quartets.

Perhaps I am tone deaf and "color" blind. 

I will say I have the Emerson String Quartet recordings of Schumann's Piano Quartet and Piano Quintet, and Mendelssohn's Quartets and Octet, and they are superb! I'm also condering Emerson SQ when I will be ready to obtain Bartok's quartets.


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## opus67

ChamberNut said:


> Mr Amade Van Haydn (by the way, cool moniker ),


"Oh...," he said, as the significance of the username hit him.

P.S.(He = opsu67)


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## World Violist

I'm sorry for bringing this up, but--whatever happened to the Budapest!?


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## JohnM

ChamberNut said:


> I've also heard that the Alban Berg Quartet and Talich Quartet recordings are also considered top notch.


I can personally vouch for the Alban Berg set!


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## Handel

And people, how do you compare Beethoven's string quartets to his piano trios? Which are the better?

Personnally, I like the mix of strings and piano. It meshes all well.


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## ChamberNut

Handel said:


> And people, how do you compare Beethoven's string quartets to his piano trios? Which are the better?
> 
> Personnally, I like the mix of strings and piano. It meshes all well.


Glad you asked Handel  They are top notch! But, I would not say they are better. I personally enjoy and listen to them as much as I do the string quartets. And I am with you Handel, I really enjoy the mix of strings and piano. For Piano Trios, I have the set with Beaux Arts Trio for Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart and Schubert.  Yes, I love piano trios


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## Handel

ChamberNut said:


> For Piano Trios, I have the set with Beaux Arts Trio for Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart and Schubert.


Not Haydn?


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## opus67

And I second Handel and ChamberNut. I like chamber music with a piano at the focus, too!


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## Woodley6453

zlya said:


> Emerson Quartet. Such energy, and yet such taste.


I agree entirely! I have their album of the late quartets - just amazing.


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## Rondo

*Opus 95 (!!)*...._and basically anything later_


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## cougarbluehen

*Takacs quartet Beethoven*

I've only heard a few different recordings of the Beethoven quartets: Medici (1-16), Quartetto Italiano (12-16), and Takacs (7-16).

The Medici was my first foray into string quartets and was a cheap yet good way to become familiar with all of Beethoven's quartets. The Quartetto Italiano recordings were better, and they began to bring out the true depth. Then came Takacs. I've stopped looking for other recordings because I love these so much.

I have heard a few played by the Emerson Quartet as well, but I don't own any. They seemed fine, but didn't affect me the same as the Takacs quartet.

Takacs recordings tend to be rather expensive, but there are very affordable (and legal) ways to purchase them, including mp3 downloads or yourmusic.com.


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## jurianbai

having recently come across the recording of Beethoven "Forgotten Works for String quartet" by Covington String Quartet.









here the link that only have the sample to listen (amazon didn't have)
and a note to the piece with MIDI file.
partially completed by other composers, a very interesting one.


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## Vaneyes

opus67 said:


> If you were asked to recommend one set of Beethoven's string quartets (a set of recordings of all the quartets by one ensemble), which one would it be?


Four years later, trusting the OP found a set.

Emerson or Takacs.


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## Ukko

Vaneyes said:


> Four years later, trusting the OP found a set.
> 
> Emerson or Takacs.


Vermeer, for what I can only describe as a 'richness' of ensemble, _and_ Guarneri (have to have an and), because of Marlboro.


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## GKC

Tokyo RCA (early 90's) for all. 

GKC


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## Saturnus

Takacs, by far. There was a period when I was really obsessed with the late ("Serioso" and later) Beethoven quartets and at the time I worked at a library with a huge classical CD collection. There I compared a lot of recordings of the quartets. 
I no longer remember the name of the other performers (there were collections from all the big labels, DC, Philipps, Decca & more) but I remember that Takacs was by far the best, they are extremely expressive *but* also very very tasteful and understand the music perfectly.


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## kv466

I've got both the Quartetto and the Alban Berg boxes and while I haven't heard these in a while, I remember liking the latter more...gonna have to give them a listen again!
Oh, wow...I just went through my stuff and realized I have pristine vinyl versions of the complete quartets by The Budapest String Quartet...I think I shall slooshy these first...thanks for the remind, tc


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## scytheavatar

Emerson is pretty much the epitome of cold, overly fast playing. Exciting at times but often leave you as cold as their playing. The same can be said about Alban Berg.
Quartetto is the epitome of warm, slow, leisure playing. Not bad but when you need some drama and passion I find them lacking.
I prefer the ones that have a balance between these 2. Takacs is great although I found the breathing noises in it to be annoying. Amadeus and Guarneri are solid options too.


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## haydnfan

scytheavatar said:


> Emerson is pretty much the epitome of cold, overly fast playing. Exciting at times but often leave you as cold as their playing. The same can be said about Alban Berg.
> Quartetto is the epitome of warm, slow, leisure playing. Not bad but when you need some drama and passion I find them lacking.
> I prefer the ones that have a balance between these 2. Takacs is great although I found the breathing noises in it to be annoying. Amadeus and Guarneri are solid options too.


I disagree the Italians are not warm, they're highly polished, a little on the slow side but not warm at all. You want slow but with feeling try Vegh instead.


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## Saturnus

scytheavatar said:


> Takacs is great although I found the breathing noises in it to be annoying.



I had never noticed them before. If you call this noises I do not recommend for you to go to a concert. 
I have loads of recordings where this is much worse and even then it's nothing compared to all live performances I've been to.


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## jurianbai

to add in, the Vemeer String quartet cycle is what I familiar with.


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## misterjones

jurianbai said:


> having recently come across the recording of Beethoven "Forgotten Works for String quartet" by Covington String Quartet.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> here the link that only have the sample to listen (amazon didn't have)
> and a note to the piece with MIDI file.
> partially completed by other composers, a very interesting one.


Thanks for the recommendation. I did not know these existed. I love Beethoven's late quartets (not too keen on the others), so I'm hoping these sound more like the former.

By the way, I bought the Tokyo String Quartet's late quartets back in the early 1990s, mostly because I saw them perform somewhere (probably Lincoln Center). The playing sounds good to me. Clear and sharp. And I know what the poster means about heavy breathing. Some is to be expected sometimes (especially if you are listening with headphones), but I've heard recordings where it sounds like one of the performers has emphysema. Very distracting.


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## Curiosity

I'd say the Endellion from what I've heard.


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## thehadi

I think Takács Quartet perform is one of the best one.


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## jalex

Vegh / Takacs are top choices. Can't go wring with the Lindsays, Quartetto Italiano or the Alban Bergs either.


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## jurianbai

Artemis String quartet just released their scattered Beethoven cycle into one package CD. I've listen to their excerpts and found it plenty of fresh interpretation. Worth mentioned here.










amazon link http://amzn.to/w903lD


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## Taneyev

My vote is:

Erlier: Italiano
Medium: Fine Arts
Last: Hungarian and Yale


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## Itullian

jurianbai said:


> Artemis String quartet just released their scattered Beethoven cycle into one package CD. I've listen to their excerpts and found it plenty of fresh interpretation. Worth mentioned here.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> amazon link http://amzn.to/w903lD


was wondering about these. i hope the cello is well recorded for a change


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## Polyphemus

Have to agree with 'Jalex' The Lindsay's are what I usually listen to though I also have Emerson's and Alban Berg sets. The Lindsay's seem to have an affinity with Beethoven the man as opposed to the creation of beautiful recordings.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

I haven't got this but I've heard that this is an AMAZING live recording of the complete quartets. Possibly one of the best there is from the reviews I have read.


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## Itullian

the new Alexander Quartet cycle on Foghorn records has gotten quite the buzz.

http://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Com...=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1327925326&sr=1-1


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## GrosseFugue

I'm surprised the Busch Quartet hasn't been mentioned: http://www.angel.org/busch/ Aren't they the ULTIMATE? Particularly for the Late Quartets. I'm dying to get this set in a good remaster. (If any one can make a suggestion I'm all ears! )


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## ksargent

I have had the Julliard set from 1964-70 for years (the gray box) and like it. I am fortunate to have it - I got it for next to nothing from the old BMG classical club and now it's selling used on Amazon for $250. I also just bought a cd set of 4 (including Op. 131) by the Vegh recorded in the early 70's. Kind of excited about that one given what I've read of their reputation - but it is coming from the U.K., so I'll have to wait a bit.


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## muxamed

My favorite recordings of Beethoven's quartets are Lindsays on ASV (from the 80's), Takacs quartet on Decca, Talich quartet on Calliope and Vegh quartet on Naive.


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## Vaneyes

Takacs for the front half, and Emerson for the back half.


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## Guest

The new series from the Tokyo Qt on Harmonia Mundi is excellent. Wonderful SACD sound, too.


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## realdealblues

I have always been happy with my Amadeus Quartet set of Beethoven's String Quartets on Deutsche Grammophon. For whatever reason I've never had any interest to look elsewhere.


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## Pestouille

jurianbai said:


> Artemis String quartet just released their scattered Beethoven cycle into one package CD. I've listen to their excerpts and found it plenty of fresh interpretation. Worth mentioned here.
> 
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> 
> 
> amazon link http://amzn.to/w903lD


This the best I heard... waiting for a second cycle, may be...:devil:


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## StlukesguildOhio

Vegh / Takacs are top choices. Can't go wring with the Lindsays, Quartetto Italiano or the Alban Bergs either.

Ultimately... among the top choices, it comes down to personal preference. I have a couple Lindsey's discs... and while I love them for Haydn, they strike me as too fluid or light for the later works of Beethoven. I've heard examples from the Quartetto Italiano, the Takacs, and Alban Berg... and I have the late quartets by the Emerson's. Ultimately, the classic Busch Quartet rekindled my interest in Beethoven's quartets and I have been picking up all that I can find by them. At the same time... I have been quite impressed with the recent Alexander String Quartet who I am looking at for a complete recent cycle.


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## jalex

StlukesguildOhio said:


> Vegh / Takacs are top choices. Can't go wring with the Lindsays, Quartetto Italiano or the Alban Bergs either.
> 
> Ultimately... among the top choices, it comes down to personal preference. I have a couple Lindsey's discs... and while I love them for Haydn, they strike me as too fluid or light for the later works of Beethoven. I've heard examples from the Quartetto Italiano, the Takacs, and Alban Berg... and I have the late quartets by the Emerson's. Ultimately, the classic Busch Quartet rekindled my interest in Beethoven's quartets and I have been picking up all that I can find by them. At the same time... I have been quite impressed with the recent Alexander String Quartet who I am looking at for a complete recent cycle.


I thought the implicit (my) was quite obvious. I'll be sure to spell it out in future.


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