# Some chamber music classics II - your recordings?



## joen_cph

A baby of

http://www.talkclassical.com/41028-some-chamber-music-classics.html?highlight=

this thread continues the exploration of you TC people´s owned recordings of some core chamber repertoire …

What recordings do you have? And maybe: what were the criteria? Partial answers allowed .

*Bach: Cello Suite no.1
Beethoven: Violin Sonata "Kreutzer"
Mendelssohn: Octet
Brahms: Piano Quintet
Franck: Violin Sonata
Shostakovich: String Quartet no.8*


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## Mandryka

joen_cph said:


> A baby of
> 
> http://www.talkclassical.com/41028-some-chamber-music-classics.html?highlight=
> 
> this thread continues the exploration of you TC people´s owned recordings of some core chamber repertoire …
> 
> What recordings do you have? And maybe: what were the criteria? Partial answers allowed .
> 
> *Bach: Cello Suite no.1
> Beethoven: Violin Sonata "Kreutzer"
> Mendelssohn: Octet
> Brahms: Piano Quintet
> Franck: Violin Sonata
> Shostakovich: String Quartet no.8*


The one I've explored the most is the Kreutzer. I _hate_ bombastic virtuosic music so I've had a lot of fun trying to find a performance which is in touch with Beethoven's poised and aristocratic side. The result is that there's only one Kreutzer for me: the one with Kulenkampff and Kempff.

I would have to think hard to list the stand out versions of the Bach suite, the first isn't one I've given a whole lot of attention to.

Some of these things I've followed other people's recommendations and have been so happy that I've never bothered much with alternatives: Smetana/Janacek quartets in the Mendelssohn Octet, for example; Richter and Oistrakh in the Franck; Busch/Serkin in the Brahms.


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## D Smith

My favourite recordings from what I own:

Bach: Cello Suite no.1 - Ophélie Gaillard
Beethoven: Violin Sonata “Kreutzer” - Kremer Argerich
Mendelssohn: Octet - Hausmusik London
Brahms: Piano Quintet - Berlin Phil Soloists
Franck: Violin Sonata - Kyung Wha Chung & Radu Lupu
Shostakovich: String Quartet no.8 - Pacifica Quartet


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## Dr Johnson

Bach: Cello Suite no.1 - Rostropovich (EMI)
Beethoven: Violin Sonata “Kreutzer” - Takako Nishizaki/Jenö Jandó (Naxos)
Shostakovich: String Quartet no.8 - The Shostakovich Quartet (Regis)


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## joen_cph

*Bach: Cello Suite no.1* 
I haven´t heard that many soloists, but Zeuthen and Casals is pretty much enough for me; 
the Demenga was bought because it has some rarely recorded cello works.
_- Zeuthen/class 93 104-05 CD
- Demenga/ecm 93 1477 437440-2 CD
- Casals/emi mono 193x-xx 3lp 1c137 100892-3 LP_

*Beethoven: Violin Sonata "Kreutzer"*
_- Kremer,Argerich/dg 13cd 12 00289 4779524 CD
- Busch,Serkin/membran 41-05 222369 CD
- Kovacs,Bächer/hg slpx 11700-04 LP
- Grumiaux,Haskil/ph 4lp 6733 001 LP_

*Mendelssohn: Octet *
It´s been a long time, so this represents an occasion to listen to it again.
_- AmatiO/brill 40cd 92393 CD
- Gew4;Berl4/eter 88 725 130 LP
(+ BambSOSolister/vox mono pl 11 230; poor; due to cover by Tintori) LP_

*Brahms: Piano Quintet*
No definite favourite here.
_- Bocchese,Zordanazzo,soli/mond mus 97 3cd mfcn10074 CD
- Serkin,Busch2,Doktor,Andreasson/membran 38-05 222369 CD
- Pollini,Ital4/dg 80 2531 197 LP
- S.Richter,Bolshoi4/mel mono 05576-77 LP
- Szpielman,Gimpel,Warsz5/mms 65 "st" sms2466 (cover by Flavios) LP_

*Franck: Violin Sonata *
_- Hubeau,Charlier/era 88 3984-24234-2 CD
- Oistrakh,Richter/russ rev 66-96 rv 10048 CD
- F-Colombier,Langot/verany 96 pv 730068 CD
- Yashvili,Skanavy/mel 85 c10 22549 007 LP
- Grumiaux,Sebök/ph 78-x 6503 111 LP
- Heifetz,Smiths/cbs 84 mp 39550 LP
(+ Suk,Panenka/sup 68 st50879; mainly due to cover by Novy) LP
- arranged for cello: Maisky,Argerich/dg 13cd 12 00289 4779524 CD_

*Shostakovich: String Quartet no.8 *
Overall, the Fitzwilliam one is probably my favourite.
_- Fitzwilliam4/decca 81 d7d188 LP
- Shostak4/mel-regis cd rrc5001 CD
- Borodin4/mel 84-97 74321 40715-2 CD_


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## tortkis

*Bach: Cello Suite no.1* - Pablo Casals, Jaap Ter Linden, Peter Wispelwey, Hidemi Suzuki. Casals's the one I heard first and most often. I still love it, but I'm checking out HIP recordings.
*Beethoven: Violin Sonata "Kreutzer"* - Isabelle Faust & Alexander Melnikov. Excellent.
*Mendelssohn: Octet* - L'Archibudelli. I'm very satisfied with this. Crisp and beautiful.
*Brahms: Piano Quintet* - Glenn Gould & Montreal String Quartet; Leon Fleisher & Emerson String Quartet. I have not listened to this piece enough.
*Franck: Violin Sonata* - David Lively & Tatiana Samouil. Not a style I usually like (a bit too much vibrato), but I think their rendition fits the music very well. The violin sounds like weeping.
*Shostakovich: String Quartet no.8* - I have Borodin Quartet's complete set but I'm not very fond of it. I feel it too heavy. I'm trying out Quatour Danel's set.


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## TurnaboutVox

*Bach: Cello Suite no.1*
Maurice Gendron [Decca, 1994] CD

*Beethoven: Violin Sonata "Kreutzer"*
Perlman / Ashkenazy [Decca, 1988] Cassette(!) recorded from the record library's LP in the 70's.
Zukerman / Barenboim [EMI, 1973] CD
Kremer / Argerich [DG, 1995] CD
Faust / Melnikov [HM, 2009] CD
The Zukerman / Barenboim was an early CD mistake - this just isn't competitive. The recording is pretty rough. I like the Kremer / Argerich version, and the newly acquired Faust / Melnikov seems good too. But this isn't one of my favourite Beethoven chamber works.

*Mendelssohn: Octet*
I don't own a recording, and in fact I'm sorry to say that I have never listened to this work. 

*Brahms: Piano Quintet Op. 34*
Andsnes, Artemis Quartet [Virgin Classics, 2007] CD
Not an especially good recording, and a rather cool and uninvolving performance, to my mind. I have been thinking of finding another rendition.

*Franck: Violin Sonata*
Kyung-Wha Chung, Radu Lupu [Decca, 1977] LP
*
Shostakovich: String Quartet no.8*
Fitzwilliam Quartet [Decca L'Oiseau Lyre, 1977] LP & CD


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## brotagonist

I have recordings of all of those, except for Mendelssohn's Octet :tiphat:


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## Heliogabo

*Bach cello suite 1
*
Casals (the frist I heard), Janigro (the first I owned), Fournier (DG), Yo yo Ma (haven't heard it yet, came in a boxset), Tortelier (Emi, Warner, the most recent I get and I love it). I see that I don't have a HIP of this
*
Beethoven, violin sonata Kreutzer
*
Zukerman/Neikroug, I'm satisfied with this.

*Mendelssohn, octet
*
Camerata Berg. I like but I'm curious to explore Emerson's.
*
Brahms, piano quintet

*Gould/Montreal, and Takács/Schiff, love both of them.
*Franck, violin sonata

*Menuhin/ Kentner, Chung/Lupu, love both as well, but I listen most to the second for question of sound.

*Shostakovich, string quartet 8

*Kosice quartet, Pacifica quartet. I need more listening of this piece.


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## Ukko

joen_cph said:


> A baby of
> 
> http://www.talkclassical.com/41028-some-chamber-music-classics.html?highlight=
> 
> this thread continues the exploration of you TC people´s owned recordings of some core chamber repertoire …
> 
> What recordings do you have? And maybe: what were the criteria? Partial answers allowed .
> 
> *Bach: Cello Suite no.1
> Beethoven: Violin Sonata "Kreutzer"
> Mendelssohn: Octet
> Brahms: Piano Quintet
> Franck: Violin Sonata
> Shostakovich: String Quartet no.8*


The Bach: H. Schiff
The Mendelssohn: Smetana+Janacek (unless I'm "remembering" Schuman's octet - if he composed one.)
The Franck: Richter and somebody

Damned if I'm going to to go pawing through my CDs to adjust my memory. Short term memory might overpower and erase long term memory before it fades away itself. Getting old is wonderful of course, but there are drawbacks.


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## TurnaboutVox

brotagonist said:


> I have recordings of all of those, except for Mendelssohn's Octet :tiphat:


Care to share _which_ recordings, bro? :tiphat:


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## GKC

Bach: Ma (CBS), Starker (Mercury)

Mendelssohn: A St M F // Cleveland, Meliora quartets (Telarc)

Brahms: Pollini, Quartetto Italiano (Philips)// Klansky, Prazak Qt. (Praga)// Rubinstein, Guarneri Qt. (RCA)

Shostakovich: Borodin (Decca)// Fitzwilliam (L'oiseau-Lyre)// Prazak (Praga)


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## joen_cph

_Melnikov_ has been mentioned twice here as a pianist; I only heard a bit about him lately when sampling Shostakovich piano concertos, and indeed he seems remarkable and highly original.

Heard the Mendelssohn Octet in the_ Amati Orchestra _recording and its OK, but there must be more interesting ones.

And reheard _Serkin/Busch _in the Kreutzer Sonata. Very good. Sound also better than expected.


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## Balthazar

My current favorites...

*Bach: Cello Suite No.1* -- Steven Isserlis for contemporary; Pablo Casals for vintage.

*Beethoven: Violin Sonata "Kreutzer"* -- Itzhak Perlman and Vladimir Ashkenazy.

*Mendelssohn: Octet* -- James Ehnes and members of the Seattle Chamber Orchestra.

*Brahms: Piano Quintet* -- Peter Laul and the Gringolts Quartet.

*Franck: Violin Sonata* -- Guillaume Sutre and Pascal Rogé.

*Shostakovich: String Quartet No.8* -- Emerson Quartet.


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## fluteman

Bach cello suites: Pierre Fournier. Beethoven Kreutzer sonata, Oistrakh/Oborin, Szigeti/Bartok, Francescatti/Casadesus. Mendelssohn Octet: Pascal String Quartet et al. Brahms Piano Quartet: Clifford Curzon, Amadeus SQ; Franck violin sonata: Oistrakh/Richter. Shostakovich String Quartets: Borodin, Beethoven SQs.


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## MusicInTheAir

joen_cph said:


> A baby of
> 
> http://www.talkclassical.com/41028-some-chamber-music-classics.html?highlight=
> 
> *Bach: Cello Suite no.1
> 
> I have Casals and Janigro. I won't say the Janigro is as good as the Casals. However, Antonio Janigro is an under-appreciated cellist (and conductor). Very much worth a listen.
> 
> Beethoven: Violin Sonata "Kreutzer"
> 
> Grumiaux/Haskil.
> Busch/Serkin
> Kreisler/Ruff
> Francescatti/Casadesus
> Szigeti/Bartok
> 
> I wouldn't part with any of these. I have a special place in my heart for the Grumiaux/Haskil though.
> 
> Mendelssohn: Octet
> 
> The Marlboro Recording
> I Musici
> 
> I grew up on the Columbia (CBS/Sony) recording from Marlboro. Still like it very much. I heard the I Musici performance on You Tube a week or two ago, and was very pleasantly surprised by it. I'm so used to hearing them play Baroque music, I was shocked at how very much I enjoyed their performance of the Octet
> .
> Brahms: Piano Quintet
> Rubinstein/Guarnieri Quartet
> 
> Not usually an admirer of the Guarnieri, but they and Rubinstein play very well together.
> 
> Franck: Violin Sonata
> 
> Heifetz/Rubinstein
> Kyung Wha Chung/Lupu
> 
> Shostakovich: String Quartet no.8*


Fitzwilliam Quartet
Borodin Quartet (the one which was on London STS in the 60s)


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## Vaneyes

*1 - Bach: Cello Suite no.1, w. Schiff (EMI, rec.1984).
0 - Beethoven: Violin Sonata "Kreutzer" - Have owned Kremer & Argerich, Perlman & Ashkenazy, others.
1 - Mendelssohn: Octet, w. Nash Ensemble (Wigmore Hall Live, rec.2005)
1 - Brahms: Piano Quintet, W. Fleisher/ESQ (DG, rec.2006)
2 - Franck: Violin Sonata, w. Kremer & Maisenberg (Praga, rec.1980); Perlman & Ashkenazy (Decca, rec.1968). 
1 - Shostakovich: String Quartet No.8, w. Borodin Qt. (Virgin, rec.1990)*


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## Vaneyes

Ukko said:


> The Bach: H. Schiff
> The Mendelssohn: Smetana+Janacek (unless I'm "remembering" Schuman's octet - if he composed one.)
> The Franck: Richter and somebody
> 
> Damned if I'm going to to go pawing through my CDs to adjust my memory. Short term memory might overpower and erase long term memory before it fades away itself. Getting old is wonderful of course, but there are drawbacks.


Maybe nap time.


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## Grizzled Ghost

- Bach: Cello Suite no.1
Rostropovich; EMI

- Beethoven: Violin Sonata “Kreutzer”
Dumay, Pires; DG

- Mendelssohn: Octet
Kodály Quartet, Auer Quartet; Naxos

- Brahms: Piano Quintet
Emerson String Quartet, Fleischer; DG

- Franck: Violin Sonata
Sergei & Lusine Khachatryan; NAIVE

- Shostakovich: String Quartet no.8
Borodin Quartet; Virgin


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## Xaltotun

I only have the Brahms! But at least I've listened to a handful of them.

My favourite is Takacs Quartet + Hough, a masculine interpretation! I also have Amadeus Quartet + Eschenbach but I don't like it that much.


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## PeterF

Beethoven - Kreutzer Violin Sonata
Francescatti / Casadesus
Menuhin / Kempff
Stern / Istomin
Oistrakh / Oborin

Mendelssohn Octet
Prazak & Kocian

Brahms Piano Quintet
Rubinstein / Guarneri
Rudolf Serkin / Budapest

Franck Violin Sonata
Perlman / Argerich
Stern / Zakin


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## Steatopygous

fluteman said:


> Bach cello suites: Pierre Fournier. Beethoven Kreutzer sonata, Oistrakh/Oborin, Szigeti/Bartok, Francescatti/Casadesus. Mendelssohn Octet: Pascal String Quartet et al. Brahms Piano Quartet: Clifford Curzon, Amadeus SQ; Franck violin sonata: Oistrakh/Richter. Shostakovich String Quartets: Borodin, Beethoven SQs.


I like your inclination to historic performances. Nothing modern quoted, but what excellent taste you have shown! (That is to say, of course, that we admire the same performers.)


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## Steatopygous

joen_cph said:


> *Bach: Cello Suite no.1*
> I haven´t heard that many soloists, but Zeuthen and Casals is pretty much enough for me;
> the Demenga was bought because it has some rarely recorded cello works.
> _- Zeuthen/class 93 104-05 CD
> - Demenga/ecm 93 1477 437440-2 CD
> - Casals/emi mono 193x-xx 3lp 1c137 100892-3 LP_
> 
> *Beethoven: Violin Sonata "Kreutzer"*
> _- Kremer,Argerich/dg 13cd 12 00289 4779524 CD
> - Busch,Serkin/membran 41-05 222369 CD
> - Kovacs,Bächer/hg slpx 11700-04 LP
> - Grumiaux,Haskil/ph 4lp 6733 001 LP_
> 
> *Mendelssohn: Octet *
> It´s been a long time, so this represents an occasion to listen to it again.
> _- AmatiO/brill 40cd 92393 CD
> - Gew4;Berl4/eter 88 725 130 LP
> (+ BambSOSolister/vox mono pl 11 230; poor; due to cover by Tintori) LP_
> 
> *Brahms: Piano Quintet*
> No definite favourite here.
> _- Bocchese,Zordanazzo,soli/mond mus 97 3cd mfcn10074 CD
> - Serkin,Busch2,Doktor,Andreasson/membran 38-05 222369 CD
> - Pollini,Ital4/dg 80 2531 197 LP
> - S.Richter,Bolshoi4/mel mono 05576-77 LP
> - Szpielman,Gimpel,Warsz5/mms 65 "st" sms2466 (cover by Flavios) LP_
> 
> *Franck: Violin Sonata *
> _- Hubeau,Charlier/era 88 3984-24234-2 CD
> - Oistrakh,Richter/russ rev 66-96 rv 10048 CD
> - F-Colombier,Langot/verany 96 pv 730068 CD
> - Yashvili,Skanavy/mel 85 c10 22549 007 LP
> - Grumiaux,Sebök/ph 78-x 6503 111 LP
> - Heifetz,Smiths/cbs 84 mp 39550 LP
> (+ Suk,Panenka/sup 68 st50879; mainly due to cover by Novy) LP
> - arranged for cello: Maisky,Argerich/dg 13cd 12 00289 4779524 CD_
> 
> *Shostakovich: String Quartet no.8 *
> Overall, the Fitzwilliam one is probably my favourite.
> _- Fitzwilliam4/decca 81 d7d188 LP
> - Shostak4/mel-regis cd rrc5001 CD
> - Borodin4/mel 84-97 74321 40715-2 CD_


See my reply immediately above and read "ditto".


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## Steatopygous

*Bach cello suite 1*
Jacqueline Du Pre vlc
Janos Starker vlc
Michael Goldschlager vlc
Mstislav Rostropovich vlc
Paul Tortelier vlc
Pierre Fournier vlc
Richard Galliano accordion
John Williams guitar
Rostropovich and Fournier out in front of Du Pre and Tortelier. 
*Beethoven Kreuzer*
Arthur Grumiaux vln, Clara Haskil pno
Daishin Kashimoto vln, Konstantin Lifschiz pno
Itzhak Perlman vln, Vladimir Ashkenazy pno
Vadim Repin vln, Martha Argerich pno
Pamela Frank vln, Emmanual Ax pno
Fritz Kreisler vln, Franz Rupp pno
Gidon Kremer vln, Martha Argerich pno
Yehudi Menuhin vln, Wilhelm Kempff pno
I adore Grumiaux. Repin very different but great, Kremer very fine. Don't recall the Kreisler - better go and find it. 
*Mendelssohn octet*
Gewandhaus Quartet and Berlin String Quartet	
Members of the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields	
Daniel Hope vln, Chamber Orchestra of Europe soloists
Vienna Octet	
Janacek Quartet, Smetana Quartet	
*Brahms piano quintet*
Andras Schiff pno, Takacs Quartet
Leif Ove Andsnes, Artemis Quartet
Leon Fleisher pno, Emerson String Quartet
Maurizio Pollini pno, Quartetto Italiano
Quintetto Chigiano
Vienna Konzerthaus Quartet, Jorg Demus pno
Vladimir Ashkenazy pno, Cleveland Orchestra String Quartet
*Shostakovich 8*
Borodin String Quartet
Emerson Quartet
Fitzwilliam String Quartet
Simon Bolivar String Quartet


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## jegreenwood

Bach: Cello Suite no.1
Du Pre
Yo Yo Ma (1st cycle)
Starker (Mercury SACD)
Fournier
Bylsma
(plus vesions for lute and guitar)

Beethoven: Violin Sonata “Kreutzer”
Perlman/Ashkenazy
Oistrakh/Oboron (sp?)

Mendelssohn: Octet
Weiner Oktett
Cleveland Quartet/Meliora Quartet

Brahms: Piano Quintet
Haas/Members of Berlin Phil Octet
Eschenbach/Amadeus 

Franck: Violin Sonata
Perlman/Ashkenzy
Oistrakh
Chang
(Plus several cello transcriptions)

Shostakovich: String Quartet no.8
Fitzwilliam SQ
Borodin SQ (stereo)


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## TurnaboutVox

> Beethoven: Violin Sonata "Kreutzer"
> Oistrakh/Oboron (sp?)


That would be Lev Oborin, recorded in 1962 with David Oistrakh - I can remember hearing these on LPs in the 70's
The recordings seem to have been reissued in 2001.


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## jegreenwood

TurnaboutVox said:


> That would be Lev Oborin, recorded in 1962 with David Oistrakh - I can remember hearing these on LPs in the 70's
> The recordings seem to have been reissued in 2001.


Mine is from EMI's Oistrakh box. I think it's an earlier recording. And it's not the complete cycle. How was the set on Philips. My only complete set is Ashkenazy/Perlman.


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## TurnaboutVox

jegreenwood said:


> Mine is from EMI's Oistrakh box. I think it's an earlier recording. And it's not the complete cycle. How was the set on Philips. My only complete set is Ashkenazy/Perlman.


Very good, my memory tells me, but I heard them a long time ago on recordings borrowed from my local record library!

The on-line reviews of the re-released set above suggest good or perhaps great performances but poor sound.


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