# Schubert Death and the Maiden



## Haydn man

Hi everyone this is my first post
Rediscovering my love of classical music and would like recommendations on recordings of Schubert's Death and the Maiden quartet.
Thanks


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## TurnaboutVox

I have stuck with the classic Quartetto Italiano 1965 recording which is now available on an inexpensive Decca 2CD set with Schubert's other late string quartets. I have even convinced non-classical fans with this: it is so vital and urgent, utterly convincing music-making.

Gramophone Classical Music Guide said in 2010: 

"The Italians' playing has freshness, affection, firm control and above all authority to a degree that no relative newcomer can match. It's notable not only for the highest standards of ensemble, intonation and blend, but also for its imaginative insights; these attributes readily apply to the music-making on this Duo reissue, particularly in the slow movements. Indeed, the players' progress through the wonderful set of variations in the Andante con moto, which reveals the Death and the Maiden Quartet's association with the famous Schubert song of that name, has unforgettable intensity."

Having said that I am not familiar with any modern version and I'm sure others on TC will be able to oblige with other recommendations.


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## peeyaj

Highly recommended modern recording:










A personal favorite:










This one is recorded by a strings orchestra and is a favorite of mine.


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## Pedro de Alvarado

The Amadeus Quartet is the one for me when choosing the favourite recording for the 14th stringquartet. 
The CD also contains the troutquintet, which is also a beautiful piece of music.


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## Guest

I would suggest that you might want to consider acquiring all four of Schubert's late String Quartets, Nos 12-14, namely: D 703 ("Quartettstaz"), D 804 ("Rosamunde"), D 810 ("Death & the Maiden"), D 887 (G Major). 

The first of these is an incomplete one movement piece only, but very dramatic, and could have possibly been the best of the whole lot had it been completed. For some time my favorite of these works was D 810 but I find that I don't play it that often these days. The last, D 887, is my current favorite among Schubert's string quartets.

The set by Quartetto Italiano recommended earlier contains all 4 of these works, is well regarded, and therefore an obvious candidate definitely worth considering. If you feel like splashing out, other very good versions to consider (which happen to be my favorites) are: 

D 703 - Belcea SQ on EMI Classics label
D 804 - Takacs Quartet on Hyperion label
D 810 - (i) Amadeus SQ on DG, and (ii) Lindsay SQ on ASV label (both very good, the latter being more modern)
D 887 - Amadeus SQ on DG

There is also a good chamber orchestra version of D 810 by the "English Chamber Orchestra" conducted by Jeffrey Tate on the EMI label. It's so good that you would think that Schubert had orchestrated it for a larger ensemble.


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## Marschallin Blair

peeyaj said:


> Highly recommended modern recording:
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> This one is recorded by a strings orchestra and is a favorite of mine.


Takacs! <Ping!> Beautiful engineer job as well.


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## Quartetfore

I have the Takacs recording, and i am very happy with it. It is an outstanding preformance, and the sound is state of the art. You can`t go wrong with it.


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## GioCar

*Pavel Haas Quartet*, paired with the String Quintet in C

A terrific performance, in terms of intensity, warmth and sheer joy of making music together...

IMO this is the best "new" quartet ensemble in the last ten years or so.


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## DaDirkNL

I have the Brandis Quartet. I think it's time I buy a different recording, looking at all the recommendations. Not that the Brandis recording hasn't served me well, but I should explore some more options. Maybe I'll go for the Alban Berg Quartet recording.


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## Headphone Hermit

This is a piece of music with more than an average number of very good interpretations - as previous contributors suggest, good recommendations include Talich Quartet, Italian Quartet, Emerson Quartet, Brandis Quartet, Lindsay Quartet, Kodaly Quartet, Alban Berg Quartet, Busch Quartet .... the list goes on with perceptive and insightful readings.

Perhaps the best bet is to have a listen to some samples (via Amazon or Youtube) and pick the one that your ears tell you


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## Mandryka

Haydn man said:


> Hi everyone this is my first post
> Rediscovering my love of classical music and would like recommendations on recordings of Schubert's Death and the Maiden quartet.
> Thanks


...............


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## mtmailey

The string quartet 14 i had on tape now have on cd by SONY sounds the best to me.


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## Haydn man

Thanks for the advice and suggestions
The ability now to sample things online helps and I certainly have a few to start with


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## SARDiver

How does the Kodaly Quartet stack up? I'm looking at picking up their Schubert quartet cycle.


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## Guest

I am also going to chime in in favor of the Takacs Quartet's recording. I have been very happy with it.


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## Vaneyes

Melos Qt. (harmonia mundi, rec. 1991). :tiphat:


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## DebussyDoesDallas

Just to further muddy the waters, I vote for the Tokyo String Quartet. You can get a super-cheap disc with Death and the Maiden and the A minor Rosemunde.


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## Alypius

Favorite Versions: 
1. Takacs Quartet
2. Pavel Haas Quartet
3. Belcea Quartet

















If you enjoy "Death and the Maiden", try Schubert's final quartet, D.887. Recommended performance:
Cuarteto Casals (Harmonia mundi, 2012)










Here's a YouTube of it:


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## DavidA

Tremendous music. The Italian Quartet is very good


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## Masada

*Like those who have gone before me...Takacs!*

Late to the posting party (I just joined Talk Classical today), I would agree with those who have gone before: by far my first pick goes to Takacs and the masterful engineering work by the good folks at Hyperion:






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I would follow-up Takacs with the Belcea Quartet in a distant, but respectable 2nd place:






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## Itullian

Italiano for best analog.
Auryn on CPO for best digital.
Historical, Hollywood String Qrt. on Testament.


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## csacks

Probably out of time. I will agree with the Italian Quartet, but I would recommend the Melos Quartet as well. In fact, they have a box with all the string quartets by Schubert, available in iTunes and very recommendable. Good choice to regain love for Schubert. It is sparkling


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## OlivierM

I'm astonished nobody recommended the Quatuor Mosaïque's performance. It's absolutely brilliant.


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## DiesIraeCX

I've heard numerous versions, my favorite so far is by the Alban Berg Quartet. The recording also comes with a great performance of the 13th "Rosamunde".


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## GKC

My two favorites

On CD:









On LP:

















(I just included this one because I like it ;-) )


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## Guest

GioCar said:


> *Pavel Haas Quartet*, paired with the String Quintet in C
> 
> A terrific performance, in terms of intensity, warmth and sheer joy of making music together...
> 
> IMO this is the best "new" quartet ensemble in the last ten years or so.


This is the one I've got and also really enjoy it. I got their Prokofiev disc subsequently.


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## Albert7

This is an awesome recording:


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## scratchgolf

I have around 15 recordings of this wonderful work but my top three are certainly

1. Pavel Haas Q
2. Alban Berg Q
3. Takacs Q

There's some heavy breathing in the PHQ recording but it's less off-putting than Gould's humming. I also own Italiano but I find the tempo too slow. Fine recording though.


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## Albert7

albertfallickwang said:


> This is an awesome recording:


Doh I forgot to add that this recording is by the Emerson String Quartet.


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## nightscape

dogen said:


> GioCar said:
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> Pavel Haas Quartet, paired with the String Quintet in C
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> A terrific performance, in terms of intensity, warmth and sheer joy of making music together...
> 
> IMO this is the best "new" quartet ensemble in the last ten years or so.
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> This is the one I've got and also really enjoy it.
Click to expand...

I have this CD too, great performances and recordings of both works...


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## DavidA

These are superb performances at a very reasonable price


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## ToneDeaf&Senile

Both my recommendations have been put forward by others; the Alban Berg Quartet and, for the Mahler orchestral strings version, Jeffrey Tate and the English Chamber Orchestra. On my CD of the latter, the quartet is fittingly prefaced by a recording of the lied (D531) sung my Ann Murray with Tate at the piano. Speaking of the lied, I'm extremely fond of *this rendering sung by Nathalie Stutzmann*.


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## elgar's ghost

I have the Brandis recording of Quartets 12-15 which I more than happy to retain as no. 1 in a field of one. I love Schubert's late quartets but it would require peerless performances of transcendental magnitude of all four of them (if we include the 'Quarttetsatz') for me to want to augment/supplant my only recording.


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## Albert7

DavidA said:


> View attachment 64423
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> These are superb performances at a very reasonable price


I definitely want that album. Thanks for the recommendation here.


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