# Mozart's Prussian Quartets.



## silentio

What are you favorite recordings?

I'm a bit surprised that they are a bit overshadowed by his Haydn quartets. IMO, the Prussian are much more well-crafted and mature. Mozart's last, String Quartet No. 23, is probably his peak in this genre. The last movement never failed to lift my spirit. Here are the breakdown of its awesomeness:


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## Animal the Drummer

The Prussian Quartets are very fine, but I don't agree with your comparative valuation of the two sets. The Haydn Quartets are perhaps more immediately accessible but IMHO that does not equate to even a relative lack of craft or maturity in them. I wouldn't like to be without either set, but if it came to a desert island choice I'd go with the Haydn Quartets for sure.

I have the Chilingirian Quartet playing the Prussian set and they seem to me to do it full justice.


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## Pugg

For me : Alban Berg Quartet, Quartetto Italiano and Amadeus Quartet , essential.


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## Quartetfore

The Leipzig Quartet on the MDG label is a very fine set, you can`t go wrong with it.


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## Mandryka

silentio said:


> What are you favorite recordings?
> 
> I'm a bit surprised that they are a bit overshadowed by his Haydn quartets. IMO, the Prussian are much more well-crafted and mature. Mozart's last, String Quartet No. 23, is probably his peak in this genre. The last movement never failed to lift my spirit. Here are the breakdown of its awesomeness:


The music's not as dense as in the quartets for Haydn. There's a tendency in Mozart to write more naive sounding music in the final period of his life. I like these quartets by the way, but not as much as the 6 for Haydn and the Hoffmeister.


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## hpowders

I have the Suske Quartet and the Emerson Quartet.

The Suske performances are better, but the recording seemed to have been made in a cavernous, empty church. The reverberation is ridiculous.

The Emerson performances aren't as fine, but they are more listenable.

Frustrating!


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## Quartetfore

I was down in your neck of the woods the last two weeks (Tampa area)--Great Weather!


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## Pugg

Quartetfore said:


> I was down in your neck of the woods the last two weeks (Tampa area)--Great Weather!


Just as great as what O.P asked?


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## Heliogabo

The Hagen quartet set is outstanding, I recommend it for the Prussian SQ's too.


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## Quartetfore

Pugg said:


> Just as great as what O.P asked?[/QUOTE
> 
> San Diego California in May


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## Pugg

Quartetfore said:


> Pugg said:
> 
> 
> 
> Just as great as what O.P asked?[/QUOTE
> 
> San Diego California in May
> 
> 
> 
> I was kidding you a bit, Mozart's Prussian Quartets, is the question
Click to expand...


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## Quartetfore

Pugg said:


> Quartetfore said:
> 
> 
> 
> I was kidding you a bit, Mozart's Prussian Quartets, is the question
> 
> 
> 
> So was I. By the way it is a beautiful city, and is thought to have the best weather in the USA. I have been there twice, and enjoyed each visit.
Click to expand...


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## PeterF

I have the Prussian quartets by Quartetto Italiano and by the Chilingarian Quartet. Both groups do a very good job.

My preference is for the Haydn quartets, though the ones that come after them kare delightful as well.


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## TurnaboutVox

I waver between the Haydn quartets and the Prussians as my favourite Mozart quartets. Both sets are very fine, as is the Hoffmeister quartet KV.499.

I also have the Leipzig Quartet's recordings on MD&G and whilst I like their interpretations, the excessive reverberation has always bothered me a bit. I haven't heard the Quartetto Italiano in this repertoire, and might give them a try if I can pick up a FLAC download inexpensively.


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## Brahmsian Colors

My favorite groups here are Quartetto Italiano and The Tokyo String Quartet.


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## Tchaikov6

Pugg said:


> For me : Alban Berg Quartet, Quartetto Italiano and Amadeus Quartet , essential.


My favorite as well.


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## Manxfeeder

Pugg said:


> For me : Alban Berg Quartet . . .


Their first or second cycle, or both?


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## Pugg

Manxfeeder said:


> Their first or second cycle, or both?


The EMI recording .


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## Tchaikov6

Pugg said:


> The EMI recording .


That is also my favorite!


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## Manxfeeder

Pugg said:


> The EMI recording .


Great! That's the one I have.


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## Pugg

Tchaikov6 said:


> That is also my favorite!





Manxfeeder said:


> Great! That's the one I have.


That make at least 3 of us.


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## Animal the Drummer

Four actually.


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## Pugg

Pugg said:


> That make at least 3 of us.





Animal the Drummer said:


> Four actually.


As mentioned at least 4


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## Kieran

silentio said:


> What are you favorite recordings?
> 
> I'm a bit surprised that they are a bit overshadowed by his Haydn quartets. IMO, the Prussian are much more well-crafted and mature. Mozart's last, String Quartet No. 23, is probably his peak in this genre. The last movement never failed to lift my spirit. Here are the breakdown of its awesomeness:


I really enjoyed that video - thanks! Looking at more of his now...


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## hpowders

I have the Emerson Quartet and their playing is disturbingly unstylish with excessive vibrato and a few anachronistic slides.

What's up with this disappointing group?


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## Brahmsian Colors

Other than my previous recommendations--Quartetto Italiano and the Tokyo String Quartet--I want to add one more. It is by the Vienna Philharmonic Quartet, and includes K.589 (No.22), though it is coupled with the non Prussian but marvelous "Hoffmeister", K.499 (No. 20). The group plays with wonderfully musical warmth and golden tone. Unfortunately, it seems they did not record No.21 (K.575) or No.23 (K.590). At least, I have not seen any evidence of that.


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## Vaneyes

silentio said:


> What are you favorite recordings?
> ....


Recorded 1986. :tiphat:


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## Ras

My favorite is *The Emerson SQ on Sony *- I see that scholars like h powders dislike them - I guess I'm just happy in my ignorance.


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## Triplets

I am not sure that I have ever heard a bad recording, although the only one that I currently have on CD is the Quartetto Italiano


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