# Beethoven string quartets sets, How many do you own?



## Itullian

I love the Beethoven string quartets.
Which ones do you own?
And which are your favorites?
Thanks :tiphat:


----------



## Barbebleu

Complete Quartets by the Amadeus, Quartetto Italiano and Alban Berg Quartets.

Late String Quartets by the Busch Quartet.

Like them all for different reasons, but gun to head, probably the Quartetto Italiano.


----------



## Merl

I'll have to check but I've got a lot of LvB SQ cycles. The Vegh and Takacs sets take some beating for me. I'll list what I have later, when I've checked.


----------



## Art Rock

The early quartets by the Kodaly on Naxos, the middle and late quartets by Quartetto Italiano on Philips. Satisfied with this combination.


----------



## Triplets

We are truly spoiled for choice here. It seems like there is a new Quartet cycle is released every month. I own several and some were not the greatest purchases, but none are truly bad. I learned these works from the Stereo cycle by the Hungarian Quartet, which is hard to find but I was able to pick up as a French import. Other favorites are the QI and the Guarneri. Dissapointments include the Emerson’s and the Third cycle from the Tokyo Quartet-both well played but missing the drama and humor of the works.


----------



## CnC Bartok

About fifteen complete sets? I'll have to check and Put in a list later.

I dislike absolutely none of them. There are three sets I am less inclined to listen to, and they are the Medici, the Amadeus, and, very surprisingly, the Takacs.

Favourites? Too many!! But my go-to set is probably the wonderful Talich Quartet set (originally on Calliope, later label incarnation). Also of course the Vegh, Italiano, and the reference for the late Quartets, the Busch.

However, my favourite at the moment has to be the Gewandhaus set. Perfect recording, a wonderful sense of pace and poise throughout, intensely satisfying.


----------



## flamencosketches

Just the Italiano. Seems to be the benchmark for a lot of people. I'm not left wanting more, their account is great (moreover, I haven't really come to appreciate all of the quartets yet - really love the middle quartets, but that's about it). Though I will say that I like what I've heard of the Alban Berg Quartet set and the Takács.


----------



## wkasimer

Juilliard 1960's
Melos (DG)
Alexander (the second one on Foghorn)
Orford 
Vegh (both sets)
Takacs
Alban Berg (both sets)
Tokyo (the first one on RCA)
Budapest (early 1950's)
Italiano
Hungarian (mono)
Emerson
Barylli
Pascal
Fine Arts
Artemis
Belcea
Suske
Smetana
Lindsays (the earlier set)
Guarneri (both)
plus the almost complete traversals by the Petersen and Hagen Quartets

A few other sets have passed through my collection (Cleveland, Vermeer, Leipzig Gewandhaus, late Budapest), and I may be forgetting one or two. Needless to say, I listen to these a lot


----------



## D Smith

Complete sets:
Quartetto Italiano
Tokyo (RCA)
Belcea
Guarneri
Takacs
Emerson

I’ve listened to QI and Tokyo the most but all have their strengths; usually I just pick and choose from these or individual albums by other quartets.


----------



## joen_cph

Of bigger sets, I own the Hungarian4/stereo EMI set, and the Suske4/Brilliant. 

As regards the Late Quartets, I also have the Italian4, and the Yale4.
EDIT: Oh yes, and the Tønnesen/BIS string orchestra versions.


Also, a few further, individual recordings. 

There's no doubt I could invest in more, very different ones, but I chose to set the limit there so far, & then to have a big quartet repertoire generally.

The Yale set is probably the favourite among those records.


----------



## Itullian

So far wkasimer has me beat 
Here are mine, in no order just yet:

Italiano
Vegh (mono) I'm dying to get the stereo too
Leipzig
Emerson
Belcea
Borodon (Chandos)
Hungarian mono
Tokyo RCA
Artemis
Prazak
Budapest mono
Guarneri the DDD cycle originally on Philips now on Brilliant
Quartetto di Cremona
Takacs
Cypress just ordered 
Orford just ordered 
Gewandhaus just ordered
Smetana Denon just ordered
Alban Berg first set just reissued
Cuartetto Casals first 2 volumes


I'll list my favorites later, but I like them all


----------



## KenOC

These are my Beethoven quartets that I could easily locate. There may be a few others.

Complete cycles:
Alban Berg
Belcea
Budapest (stereo)
Cleveland
Colorado
Elias
Italiano
Petersen (well, _almost _complete)
Suske
Takacs
Tokyo (RCA)
Vegh (stereo)

Cycle segments:
Camerata Nordic (late, orchestrated)
Emerson (late)
Fina Arts (late)
Jerusalem (early)
LaSalle (late)
Melos (late)
Smithson (early)
Tokyo (Harmonia Mundi, early)
Yale (late)

Misc. quartet selections:
Brentano
Hagen
Quatour Voce
Smetana


----------



## Manxfeeder

Complete sets, Lindsay SQ (first cycle), Takacs. Partial sets, Vegh, Guarnari, Quartetto Italiano, Busch, Berg.


----------



## RockyIII

My favorite set of Beethoven's string quartets is by the Takács Quartet. Coincidentally, it is the only set I own.


----------



## Merl

OK, just looked and here goes. I have.....

Complete Sets:
Colorado
Amadeus
Lindsays
Quartetto Italiano
Di Cremona
Emerson
Vegh 2
Alban Berg
Elias 
Belcea
Medici
Tokyo
Julliard
Artemis
Budapest
Endellion
Takacs
Cleveland
Artemis
Gewandhaus Leipzig
Alexander
Guarneri
Talich
Borodin
Melos
Prazak

Part sets
Jerusalem (early qrtts) 
Fitzwilliam
Casals (only missing one) 
Quatuor Mosaiques (no middles)
Quatuor Voce
Hagen (various) 
Hollywood (late) 
Turner (early) 
Fine Arts (late) 
Yale (late)

I have other partials too but my HD needs a drastic reorganise and I haven't checked all my mp3s for lossy sets yet so probably a few more on there. I'll update later when I've checked.


----------



## Mandryka

Merl said:


> Jerusalem
> .


Has this been commercially released?


----------



## Merl

Mandryka said:


> Has this been commercially released?


Whoops..... Only got first 6. Apologies, I didn't check properly. Edited my post.


----------



## CnC Bartok

Here we go, in no particular order...

Amadeus Quartet
Vegh Quartet mono
Vegh Quartet stereo
Talich Quartet
Quartetto Italiano
Alban Berg Quartet
Kodaly Quartet
Leipzig Quartet
Gewandhaus Quartet
Suske Quartet
Endellion Quartet
Lindsay Quartet
Belcea Quartet
Takacs Quartet
Medici Quartet
Bartok Quartet
Hungarian Quartet (60s)
Hungarian Quartet (1953)
Budapest Quartet (1952)
Tokyo Quartet

Alban Berg Quartet (live) E only
Vlach Quartet E only
Busch Quartet L only
Yale Quartet L only
Smetana Quartet L only


----------



## Judith

Own only one. Endellion String Quartet and love it


----------



## Itullian

I recently received the Cypress Quartet's Beethoven cycle.
It is magnificent and has right to my top 3 recordings of these works.
Sound AND performance.
I stake my Beethoven quartet rep on this 
Get them!!!!!


----------



## flamencosketches

Just downloaded this one:









It's really good.


----------



## Itullian

flamencosketches said:


> Just downloaded this one:
> 
> View attachment 116110
> 
> 
> It's really good.


jmho, I didn't really like it.
I have the cd's.
The recordings are uneven and I felt the violin was recorded too close.
Plus , I don't think the playing is of the first rank.
There are many better ones available.
Great deal for a dollar upload though!


----------



## flamencosketches

Fair enough! I haven't heard all of them yet, but the ones I have heard are in very clear, good sound. I like the close micing for the most part. As for the playing, it's a little dry compared to my usual favorite, Italiano. But not bad at all for the most part.

Note that I am still new to the quartets in general, so probably best not to trust my judgment on any of this :lol:


----------



## Blancrocher

As an alternative to some of the classic recordings mentioned (my favorites are Takacs and Emerson), I'd recommend the Auryn Quartet on the Tacet label for the distinctive and impressive recorded sound.


----------



## KenOC

Itullian said:


> jmho, I didn't really like it.
> I have the cd's.
> The recordings are uneven and I felt the violin was recorded too close.
> Plus , I don't think the playing is of the first rank.
> There are many better ones available.


Sir, I deeply regret having to inform you that our opinions are at variance!


----------



## Itullian

I can't resist another cycle.  Samples sounded excellent.
Last volume is due later this year.


----------



## Merl

Found another couple of sets so added them to my list. Hey, Itullian, that new Arianna ^ set sounds interesting. 

Complete Sets:
Colorado
Amadeus
Lindsays
Quartetto Italiano
Di Cremona
Emerson
Vegh 1
Vegh 2
Alban Berg
Elias 
Belcea
Medici
Tokyo
Julliard
Artemis
Budapest
Endellion
Takacs
Cleveland
Artemis
Gewandhaus Leipzig
Alexander
Guarneri
Talich
Borodin
Melos
Prazak
Barylli
Auryn

Part sets
Jerusalem (early qrtts) 
Fitzwilliam
Casals (only missing a few) 
Quatuor Mosaiques (no middles)
Quatuor Voce
Hagen (various) 
Hollywood (late) 
Turner (early) 
Fine Arts (late) 
Yale (late)

I have other partials too but my HD needs a drastic reorganise and I haven't checked all my mp3s for lossy sets yet so probably a few more on there. I'll update later when I've checked.


----------



## joen_cph

............ Quite nice.


----------



## Itullian

Merl said:


> Found another couple of sets so added them to my list. Hey, Itullian, that new Arianna ^ set sounds interesting.
> 
> Complete Sets:
> Colorado
> Amadeus
> Lindsays
> Quartetto Italiano
> Di Cremona
> Emerson
> Vegh 1
> Vegh 2
> Alban Berg
> Elias
> Belcea
> Medici
> Tokyo
> Julliard
> Artemis
> Budapest
> Endellion
> Takacs
> Cleveland
> Artemis
> Gewandhaus Leipzig
> Alexander
> Guarneri
> Talich
> Borodin
> Melos
> Prazak
> Barylli
> Auryn
> 
> Part sets
> Jerusalem (early qrtts)
> Fitzwilliam
> Casals (only missing a few)
> Quatuor Mosaiques (no middles)
> Quatuor Voce
> Hagen (various)
> Hollywood (late)
> Turner (early)
> Fine Arts (late)
> Yale (late)
> 
> I have other partials too but my HD needs a drastic reorganise and I haven't checked all my mp3s for lossy sets yet so probably a few more on there. I'll update later when I've checked.


What? No Cypress? Check it out


----------



## flamencosketches

What do you think of the Colorado, Merl? I got the dirt cheap digital download and it's the one I've been listening to lately. 

I say it's quite nice but has its faults.


----------



## Heliogabo

My collection:

Alban Berg (first cycle, my first love of this works).
Tokyo (RCA)
Emerson
Prazak (a great underrated cycle, superb sound too)
Tákacs
Vegh (mono)
Suske
Hungarian

Late quartets:

Italiano
La salle
Alban Berg (live)
Yale 
Mosaiques (the only one in HIP, very interesting)
Hagen
Busch
Melos

Middle quartets by Juilliard
Early quartets by Borodin

I'm interested to buy Amadeus and Endellion cycles, but resisting to buy any more... by now.

Being my favorite complete cycles : Alban Berg, Tákacs and Tokyo.


----------



## Merl

flamencosketches said:


> What do you think of the Colorado, Merl? I got the dirt cheap digital download and it's the one I've been listening to lately.
> 
> I say it's quite nice but has its faults.


As I said on another thread I think it's a good, solid set. It's very well played, well recorded (if a bit on the dry side) and the Colorados can dig in deep when required. However, I think their middle quartets are not as strong as many others I have and their early ones don't touch the Turners and many others. I dig their later quartets the most and think they excel in these. There's just a little bit of fire missing across the board. Performances are gritty enough but they're not in the league of the Takacs for me, who can go from the swinging rhythms of the early set to the emotional weight of the middles and the precision of the late quartets and treat them as totally different beasts. But as I've also said, for $1 they're an absolute steal. To have this much good music for a dollar is great. BTW, if the Morris Beethoven Symphonies set is still available for a dollar grab that too. That's a steal as well.

And no Itullian, I haven't got the Cypress set yet. Lol


----------



## flamencosketches

Looks like the Morris is still available! I'm not familiar with this conductor at all, what should I expect?


----------



## Merl

flamencosketches said:


> Looks like the Morris is still available! I'm not familiar with this conductor at all, what should I expect?


I reviewed it with this lot, below. flamencosketches. I was probably a little harsher on it than I should have been. It's a good set and well worth that dollar.

Merl's Beethoven Symphony Cycle Reviews Pt4


----------



## flamencosketches

The only thing dissuading me is that my hard drive is rapidly filling up. I'm debating a couple other Beethoven cycles (Immerseel, Gardiner, Chailly, Toscanini... so many out there...), and I'm not sure I'll have the space for this one on top if it all... Hmm...


----------



## Merl

flamencosketches said:


> The only thing dissuading me is that my hard drive is rapidly filling up. I'm debating a couple other Beethoven cycles (Immerseel, Gardiner, Chailly, Toscanini... so many out there...), and I'm not sure I'll have the space for this one on top if it all... Hmm...


Theres only one answer..... Buy a bigger HD. :lol:


----------



## WildThing

Alban Berg Quartett
Quartetto Italiano
Takács Quartet
Végh Quartet (stereo)

Late Quartets:

Busch Quartet

I tend to lean towards the Alban Berg set as my favorite overall.


----------



## Merl

Itullian said:


> I recently received the Cypress Quartet's Beethoven cycle.
> It is magnificent and has right to my top 3 recordings of these works.
> Sound AND performance.
> I stake my Beethoven quartet rep on this
> Get them!!!!!


I finally bit the bullet on this set, Itullian, and grabbed it so I can add it to my list. Now I'm skint but I have some new recordings to enjoy.


----------



## Agamenon

Italiano, a real gem!

For the late quartets, I´d like to buy Alban Berg or Lasalle. May you help me?.


----------



## Vasistha

Wow, this is an impressive list. What do you keep coming back to, or do you always like to mix it up (which I would completely understand). 

I grew up on the Budapest as they lived in my home town and I used to go their rehearsals. This is when I discovered how different the works can sound depending on the mood on any given rehearsal day, and it did cause me to collect multiple versions of most of what I like, a habit which I don't regret years later. I usually try to hear the quartets live if possible, but of course, I don't get to do that as often as I'd like. And I do have a few I come back to more often than others, though it could just be that some of the digital recordings sound terrible (sound wise). 

The two I seem to play most commonly (though have a bunch on your list) are the Takacs and the Quartetto Di Cremona (Audite Label which can be downloaded in 24bit)

Again, are there are few you that return to most often?


----------



## jegreenwood

Vegh (stereo)
Takacs
Quartetto Italiano
Emerson
Tokyo (on SACD)
ABQ Middle and Late (EMI/now Warner)
Smithson Early

The last two made up my first "cycle" on CD - when each disc cost about $14. There's been plenty of discussion here about ABQ. The Smithson set has great playing and great sound. Maybe my favoriet set of the early quartets.


----------



## Merl

Current faves are Suske and Cypress. Thanks for the heads up on the Cypress, Itullian. Tbf, there's so many very good sets it's hard to go wrong.


----------



## wkasimer

Vasistha said:


> Again, are there are few you that return to most often?


Usually the one that I've purchased most recently, but at the moment, the ones I play most often are probably the Quartetto di Cremona (just bought a lightly used copy on eBay), Takacs, and Hungarian monaural.


----------



## Itullian

Lately Cypress, Juilliard live, Artemis, Vermeer
But I have them all in rotation.


----------



## Merl

Updated list....found a few more on the HD and bought a few more.

Complete Sets:
Colorado
Amadeus
Lindsay Quartet
Quartetto Italiano
Di Cremona
Emerson
Vegh 1&2
Alban Berg
Elias
Belcea
Medici
Tokyo (RCA)
Julliard
Artemis
Budapest 1&2
Endellion
Takacs
Cleveland
Artemis
Gewandhaus Leipzig
Alexander (1&2)
Guarneri
Talich
Borodin
Melos
Prazak
Suske
Cypress
Auryn

Part sets
Jerusalem (early qrtts)
Fitzwilliam
Casals (only missing one)
Quatuor Mosaiques (no middles)
Quatuor Voce
Hagen (various)
Hollywood (late)
Turner (early)
Fine Arts (late)
Yale (late)
Orford (half of all those released)
Brentano (random)
Busch (late)

I have found some other partials too that are on my backup HD and I'm still finding random recordings in other folders and gathering them together. I'll have a proper check in the Summer but that looks about right for now.


----------



## flamencosketches

^You and Itullian have a serious problem...


----------



## Itullian

And another cycle is added to the fold.


----------



## Merl

Itullian said:


> And another cycle is added to the fold.


You must be reading my mind, Itullian. This is the next one on my hit list. Hahaha


----------



## Itullian

Merl said:


> You must be reading my mind, Itullian. This is the next one on my hit list. Hahaha


It's very good.


----------



## Merl

Itullian said:


> It's very good.


Stop it! You know I'll end up buying it! I'm gonna find an uber rare set just to wind you up, now. Damn you Itullian!


----------



## Itullian

Merl said:


> Stop it! You know I'll end up buying it! I'm gonna find an uber rare set just to wind you up, now. Damn you Itullian!


I ordered the first volume to see what it was like.
Then ordered the other 2 volumes.
They are Quartet in residence at Trinity College of Music, London


----------



## Itullian

This set is fantastic!!!!!!


----------



## Merl

Itullian said:


> This set is fantastic!!!!!!


But so is this...........








and this.........








and this............








and this..........








and this.........................








Too many great sets.......not enough time to listen.


----------



## CnC Bartok

I'll look into that Wihan Quartet set, you lot have piqued my interest. The Mosaiques Late Quartets are on order!

Despite looking carefully - I might have missed something - through fellow fans' lists of owned sets, many of which are longer than mine (fnarr fnarr! Freud would have a field day with that comment!), I seem to be the only one who has the Kodaly Quartet's set on Naxos. Seriously? I reckon they're as good as most I have heard, and are very well recorded. The Raz Quartets are particularly exciting, and treated to some real fireworks. And if you are not averse to second-hand CDs, they can be bought pretty cheaply.

Merl - I like the Suske set very much. They are not showy-offy, but they have something of the Innigkeit I cherish so much in the Talichs.


----------



## Merl

CnC Bartok said:


> I seem to be the only one who has the Kodaly Quartet's set on Naxos. Seriously? .............
> 
> Merl - I like the Suske set very much. They are not showy-offy, but they have something of the Innigkeit I cherish so much in the Talichs.


I need to grab all the Kodaly set. I have a few and like them, but not the full set. Tbh, i havent listened to them for a while so Ill revisit them soon. Agreed about the Suske. Its an unpretentious set, beautifully recorded and with a warmth i find engaging. At the moment i have 4 sets playing in rotation in the car........Cypress, Suske, Borodin and Takacs (with the Quatuor Mosaiques early set thrown in for good measure). The Suske and Cypress sets are getting some serious stick this week. The Borodin is interesting but they're cold readings that I don't quite warm to them as much as others (id even say they're one of my least enjoyable sets - don't shoot me!). Competent but a bit stiff. The Cypress is much more dynamic and enjoyable but the Suske is going right to the top of the pile, currently. Im not playing the Takacs set much as im very familiar with it and its a consistently excellent set. I'm all about exploring the others at the moment. I like the Mosaiques early set but it lacks bite and is nowhere near as good as the Turners early set, for example. Someone needs to review this lot. Id be interested to hear what others think about all these recordings.


----------



## Merl

Itullian said:


> And another cycle is added to the fold.


Same here. Couldn't resist it in the end. I blame you, Itullian!


----------



## starthrower

Do you guys sit around in your pajamas all day listening to classical music? I have the Tokyo RCA box, and the late quartets by Yale. That's it.


----------



## CnC Bartok

starthrower said:


> Do you guys sit around in your pajamas all day listening to classical music? I have the Tokyo RCA box, and the late quartets by Yale. That's it.


Pyjamas? Of course not! Boxer shorts are more than sufficient....


----------



## Merl

starthrower said:


> Do you guys sit around in your pajamas all day listening to classical music? I have the Tokyo RCA box, and the late quartets by Yale. That's it.


Don't be silly, Starthrower! I run around the room naked, playing 'air' violin. You may need some mind-bleach to erase that particular image.


----------



## starthrower

Merl said:


> Don't be silly, Starthrower! I run around the room naked, playing 'air' violin. You may need some mind-bleach to erase that particular image.


Whoa! I prefer my wife gyrating to some funky R&B.


----------



## CnC Bartok

Mind Bleach???

Twenty sessions with Sigmund Freud wouldn't erase that image


----------



## Merl

CnC Bartok said:


> Mind Bleach???
> 
> Twenty sessions with Sigmund Freud wouldn't erase that image


That's the most hurtful thing you've ever said, CnC Bartok.


----------

