# Beethoven's SQs - Budapest SQ



## Pieck

I found a cycle of the SQs and I consider buying it.
Do you have opinions? Would you recommend it? Anything else?


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## Ukko

which cycle?


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## Sid James

I have an old Coronet LP of the Budapest Quartet playing Beethoven's Op. 131 & I think it's a pretty good interpretation. I'm not highly qualified to judge re these specific works, but I have been listening to classical for close to 30 years. I was thinking of getting the Budapest Quartet set of Beethoven on Sony Classics myself, but decided to get the LaSalle Quartet playing the late quartets on Brilliant Classics instead, just to get my head around those first & then go back & explore the earlier ones...


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## Ukko

The Budapest SQ existed for half a century. It's 'liveliest' years passed before the introduction of the LP. By the time it disbanded in ~1967 it was but a shadow of its former self. I think there exists a '50s cycle of the Beethoven SQs, among at least three of them.


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## Quartetfore

I was away on vacation when this was posted, and I guess I missed it. I did have a chance to hear the Budapest SQ "live when I was in college just by chance. One evening I chanced to pass the hall they were giving a concert in. Since the tickets were only $2!!!, I thought I would give it go. Sad to say I remember very little about the program, though I do recall that they played the Debussy quartet. If time travel is ever invented I will take a trip back to that evening.


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## starthrower

Pieck said:


> I found a cycle of the SQs and I consider buying it.
> Do you have opinions? Would you recommend it? Anything else?


I've been thinking about picking up a recording of the late quartets. The library is usually a good source for making comparisons. I found five different recordings at my branch.


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## Pieck

Since then I bought the Emerson cycle and I dont regret it. BTW, the late ones are the ones I least like


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## scytheavatar

Pieck said:


> Since then I bought the Emerson cycle and I dont regret it. BTW, the late ones are the ones I least like


The Emerson cycle is weak IMHO; no one plays as coldly, overly fast and without sympathy to the score as those guys. The top tier Beethoven quartet sets would be from the Takacs Quartet, Guarneri Quartet (90's set) and Amadeus Quartet, those sets have warmth, intensity and balance in them.


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## Pieck

scytheavatar said:


> The Emerson cycle is weak IMHO; no one plays as coldly, overly fast and without sympathy to the score as those guys. The top tier Beethoven quartet sets would be from the Takacs Quartet, Guarneri Quartet (90's set) and Amadeus Quartet, those sets have warmth, intensity and balance in them.


I dont know about the Beethoven cycle but generally Emerson are the most dramatic Quartet I heard. For example, I wanted to buy another recording of Schubert's 13th 14th SQs by some SQ, and I listened to it in the store and they played the Death like a minuet!!
Since then I heard more recordings of the Death and every single one sounded again like a dance from the 18th century. Only Emerson.


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## jurianbai

Been familiar myself with the Julliard and Alban Berg Quartet all the years for Beethoven. Dunno about the Emerson on Beethoven, but I satisfied with their Brahms and SIbelius set.


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## nickgray

Pieck said:


> I dont know about the Beethoven cycle but generally Emerson are the most dramatic Quartet I heard.


I wholeheartedly agree. Emerson often gets bad rep for this, I honestly can't fathom how somebody could say that they're cold and emotionless. Not only do they have an amazing technique, they also understand the music they're playing really well, they can be extremely dramatic when the music needs them to be.


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## scytheavatar

Pieck said:


> I dont know about the Beethoven cycle but generally Emerson are the most dramatic Quartet I heard. For example, I wanted to buy another recording of Schubert's 13th 14th SQs by some SQ, and I listened to it in the store and they played the Death like a minuet!!
> Since then I heard more recordings of the Death and every single one sounded again like a dance from the 18th century. Only Emerson.


Their Beethoven cycle is the weakest of all their works; usually they are highly respectable but there are much better Beethoven cycles out there. Check of the cycles I recommend if you have a chance and maybe you'll appreciate the late string quartets more.


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## Pieck

scytheavatar said:


> Their Beethoven cycle is the weakest of all their works; usually they are highly respectable but there are much better Beethoven cycles out there. Check of the cycles I recommend if you have a chance and maybe you'll appreciate the late string quartets more.


I'll try but I've never seen these sets.


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## Legato

Andre said:


> I have an old Coronet LP of the Budapest Quartet playing Beethoven's Op. 131 & I think it's a pretty good interpretation. I'm not highly qualified to judge re these specific works, but I have been listening to classical for close to 30 years. I was thinking of getting the Budapest Quartet set of Beethoven on Sony Classics myself, but decided to get the LaSalle Quartet playing the late quartets on Brilliant Classics instead, just to get my head around those first & then go back & explore the earlier ones...


Hello Andre, would you please tell me what you do to get your 'head around those'? I'm hoping you might give me some clues as to how to listen [critically] to the pieces.


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## Quartetfore

I think that I must be one of the Emersons "top fans", since I make it a point to hear them in concert every year. The are the quartet in residence at a university a 25 miles from my home. That being said, I find their recording of the "last Beethoven Quartets" lacking. I can`t put my finger on what is missing, but for these works I most often turn to the complete recordings set of the Quartetto Italiano. By the way, today is the first day I have been able to log on. Some technical problem or the like.


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## Pieck

Welcome back. You are lucky guy, I cant see them in concert.


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## Quartetfore

I get to 3 or 4 concerts (chamber) a year. I heard the Skampa this winter, and I will hear the Tokyo Quartet this Spring.


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## Pieck

Im going in July to see the Jerusalem Quartet twice


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