# In Search of Brahms Chamber Music in Modern Digital Sound



## MatthewWeflen (Jan 24, 2019)

Hey all,

I began my Brahms String Quartets/Quintets/Sextets listening tonight, with the Amadeus Quartet DG box set... and the sound just isn't doing it for me. I find it a bit shrieky and tinny and lacking in the low end. Which is too bad, because the playing is top rate.

https://www.prestomusic.com/classic...hms-complete-string-quartets-quintets-sextets

I had such a good experience with the Diogenes Quartet Complete Schubert String Quartets set by Brilliant Classics that I just know better sound is out there - sound that was captured DDD in the last two decades.

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8112508--schubert-complete-string-quartets

I don't see any sets that collect all the same music in one set. I've been looking at individual releases. These three seem to replicate much of the material in modern recordings:

Belcea Quartet Complete String Quartets and Piano Quintet
https://www.prestomusic.com/classic...brahms-complete-string-quartets-piano-quintet

WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne Chamber Players Brahms String Quintets and Sextets
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8289454--brahms-string-quintets
https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8724073--brahms-string-sextets

But because the material is broken into individual releases it's hard to keep track of everything. So: Any favorites? Sound quality is my paramount concern here.


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## ORigel (May 7, 2020)

I don't have any advice, but I have that very Amadeus box set!


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## Eclectic Al (Apr 23, 2020)

I have the String Quintets performed by the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne Chamber Players (which is a bit of a mouthful). I haven't honestly listened to it yet (doing so now) - but it is recent!
Edit: Just checked, and I got it as part of a PentaTone sale on Qobuz. No longer in any special sale, I think.

I also have the Takacs recording of String Quartets 1 and 2 on Decca. Not new (although not too old), and the performance is bound to be good. Haven't listened to it in a long while.

A while ago on one thread here someone provided free Cleveland Quartet recordings of a range of things, Including Brahms Quartets 1-3 (I think, or at least I have them), and the Sextets with Zukerman and Greenhouse, plus the Clarinet and Piano Quintets. The ones I have listened to have been good, although I think someone had transferred them from LP, so you might not like the sound. I haven't had a problem with it, but haven't tried the Brahms yet.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

Several very good recordings of Brahms chamber music came out in 2019.

(There is a Vol. 1 as well.)
View attachment 151561


View attachment 151562


View attachment 151563


View attachment 151564


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

I also purchased the WDR disc. Good sound, good playing, but kind of lacking in personality.
I agree that Amadeus Qt. recordings don’t sound well in digital. Probably a combination of poor initial recording and bad digital transfer.
I don’t know what the need for a complete box is. My sextets are Music from Marlboro, and my Quintets are from another ad hoc group of Festival Players. I have the Tokyo Quartet on Vox for the Quartets. I’m not sure if any of these recordings are currently available.


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## Eclectic Al (Apr 23, 2020)

Triplets said:


> I also purchased the WDR disc. Good sound, good playing, but kind of lacking in personality.
> I agree that Amadeus Qt. recordings don't sound well in digital. Probably a combination of poor initial recording and bad digital transfer.
> I don't know what the need for a complete box is. My sextets are Music from Marlboro, and my Quintets are from another ad hoc group of Festival Players. I have the Tokyo Quartet on Vox for the Quartets. I'm not sure if any of these recordings are currently available.


Just listened to the WDR String Quintets. Thought No 2 was a pretty good performance, and then I'm a sucker for virtually anything by Brahms with a sufficiently high Opus number.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

SanAntone said:


> View attachment 151563


This is the second Hagen recording of the Piano Quintet; I haven't heard it, but their first one with Paul Gulda was terrific:


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## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

I don't collect physical music, so I don't know how much this would cost, but this set is my go-to whenever I'm in the mood for Brahms chamber music. I personally don't like the Emersons' performances of the string quartets (I don't really like anything they did) but the sound is fantastic on most things. The Pires/Wang/Dumay group for many of the other works is ideal, and you may not be as impressed by the sound quality on the Rostropovich/Serkin cello sonatas, but everything else sounds great to my ears. But I'm not a digital audiophile nor am I a collector, so maybe my advice is best ignored.


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## MatthewWeflen (Jan 24, 2019)

Allegro Con Brio said:


> I don't collect physical music, so I don't know how much this would cost, but this set is my go-to whenever I'm in the mood for Brahms chamber music. I personally don't like the Emersons' performances of the string quartets (I don't really like anything they did) but the sound is fantastic on most things. The Pires/Wang/Dumay group for many of the other works is ideal, and you may not be as impressed by the sound quality on the Rostropovich/Serkin cello sonatas, but everything else sounds great to my ears. But I'm not a digital audiophile nor am I a collector, so maybe my advice is best ignored.


This one is appealing because of the wealth of material, and sampling it on Presto definitely has me feeling good about the quality. I just with the sextets weren't the same Amadeus Quartet recordings! Anyway, I'm leaning towards this collection.

I will say, however, that this is some seriously ugly box art.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

The Music from Marlboro B-flat sextet (Sony) I have always fund admirable in really good 1970s sound -- but I have no idea how your ears will react.


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## MatthewWeflen (Jan 24, 2019)

I did end up buying the big DG Brahms box above. But I also picked this up from Presto:






The sound quality and performance really are extraordinary.


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## Bruckner Anton (Mar 10, 2016)

Agree with you. The sound of early Amadeus Quartet recordings on DG is a bit dry and edgy. So I take some Philips, Decca, EMI and MDG recordings as a complement, though many are not digital recordings.
1. String quartets by Quartetto Italiano (along with clarinet sonatas)
2. String quintets by Leipzig String Quartet on MDG (excellent digital sound)
3. String sextets by Berlin Philharmonic Octet (much richer and more realistic recorded sound than Amadeus)
4. Clarinet quintet: so many great recordings. my favorite is by Meyer + Alban Berg Quartet on EMI.
5. Clarinet trio: Beaux Arts Trio. 
6. Horn trio and violin sonatas by Grumiaux + Sebok + Orval (reading of violin sonatas not so good as the vintage Szyrng + Rubinstein or Schneiderhan + Seeman)
7. Piano quintet: Pollini + Quartetto Italiano still my favorite. Previn + Musikvereinsquartett is also quite good (slightly better sound).
8. Piano quartets: Beaux Arts Trio stands out again among many great recordings. Great ADD sound.
9. Piano trios: Katchen + Suk + Starker is my first pick. Then comes the 2 versions by BAT.
10. Cello sonatas: Schiff + Oppitz. Rostropovich + Serkin.


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## golfer72 (Jan 27, 2018)

In general i always thought DG recordings were a bit dry and clinical sounding. I always thought BIS recordings were excellent at least any of the ones i bought


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