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Weekly quartet. Just a music lover perspective.

733K views 9K replies 102 participants last post by  hammeredklavier 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I love string music and just following another forum friend example am going to dedicate every day of the week time enough to listen quietly a string quartet. I will google for info about the particular opus and post any important info that I found, specially performers interview and so on..

Anyone wanting to join is welcome, just maintaining the perspective stated in the post title. You will probably will find here emotions, personal points of view and so on. If you are a professional, you'll probably will not find the info useful, the only purpose of this entertainment is to increase music enjoyment by knowing a little better the music to listen.

In this thread you will find the activity coordination info. Anyone wanting to participate just post an answer. Quartet selection will be made in order of "appearance".

For the first week, beginning on February, 24 I'll select the first quartet: Beethoven, String Quartet 14, opus 131. Will open the thread tomorrow Sunday.

Enjoy.
Vicente Vida

Talk Classical String Quartet Thread
(quartet of the week in large font)

Abrahamsen - String Quartet No. 4
Ades - The Four Quarters
Alwyn - String Quartet No. 3
Arensky - String Quartet No. 1
Arensky - String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 35/35a
Arnold - String Quartet No. 2
Arriaga - String Quartet No. 2
Arriaga - String Quartet No. 3
Bacewicz - String Quartet No 4
Bach - Art of Fugue
Barber - String Quartet
Bartók - String Quartet No. 3
Bartók - String Quartet No. 4
Bartók - String Quartet No. 5
Bartók - String Quartet No. 6
Bax - String Quartet No. 1
Beach - Quartet for Strings in One Movement, Op. 89
Beamish - String Quartet No. 2 “Opus California”
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 1
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 2
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 7 "Razumovsky 1"
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 8 "Razumovsky 2"
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 11
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 12
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 13
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 14
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 15
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 16
Berg - Lyric Suite
Birtwistle - The Tree of Strings
Bloch, E. - String Quartet No. 3
Boccherini - String Quartet g minor, op. 32 No. 5, G 205
Borodin - String Quartet No. 2
Brahms - String Quartet No. 1
Brahms - String Quartet No. 2
Brahms - String Quartet No. 3
Bretón - String Quartet No. 3
Bridge - String Quartet No. 2
Bridge - String Quartet No. 4
Britten - String Quartet No. 1
Britten - String Quartet No. 2
Britten - String Quartet No. 3
Bruch - String Quartet No.2
Busoni - String Quartet No.2
Cage - String Quartet in Four Parts
Carter - String Quartet no 1
Carter - String Quartet No. 3
Cerha - String Quartet No. 2
Chausson - String Quartet in C minor, op. 35
Cherubini - String Quartet No. 1
Chin, U. - ParaMetaString
Coates, G. - String Quartet No. 9
Crawford Seeger - String Quartet
Crumb - Black Angels
Czerny - String Quartet in D Minor
Davies, Peter Maxwell - Naxos String Quartet No. 3
Debussy - String Quartet in G Minor
Dohnányi - String Quartet No. 2
Donizetti - String Quartet No. 7 in F minor
Dusapin - String Quartet No. 5
Dusapin - String Quartet No. 7 "OpenTime"
Dutilleux - Ainsi La Nuit
Dvořák - String Quartet No. 10 "Slavonic"
Dvořák - String Quartet No. 12 "American"
Dvořák - String Quartet No. 13
Dvořák - String Quartet No. 14
van Eechaute - String Quartet No. 1 "à la mémoire de Maurice Ravel"
Elgar - String Quartet in E Minor
Fauré - String Quartet in E Minor
Ferneyhough - String Quartet No. 6
Franck - String Quartet in D Major
Frank - Quijotidas
Gade - String Quartet in E Minor
Gerhard - String Quartet No. 2
Gernsheim - String Quartet No. 3 in F Major, Op. 51
Ginastera - String Quartet No. 2
Glass, Ph. - String Quartet no. 5
Glazunov - String Quartet No. 5 in d minor, Op. 70
Gliere - String Quartet No. 2 in G minor, Op. 20
Grieg - String Quartet No. 1
Gubaidulina - String Quartet No. 1
Haas - String Quartet No. 2 op.7
Hanson - String Quartet (in One Movement), op. 23
Harvey - String Quartet No.4 with Live Electronics
Haydn - String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 20/3
Haydn - String Quartet in F Minor, Op. 20/5
Haydn - String Quartet in C major, Op. 33/3 "Bird"/"Vogel"
Haydn - String Quartet In G, Op. 33/5 " How Do You Do?"
Haydn - String Quartet in F sharp minor, Op. 50/4
Haydn - String Quartet in B flat major, Op. 64/3

Haydn - String Quartet Op.71, #2
Haydn - String Quartet Op.76, #2 "Fifths"
Haydn - String Quartet Op. 76, #4 "Sunrise"
Hillborg - Kongsgaard Variations
Hindemith - String Quartet No. 4
Holmboe - String Quartet No. 4
Holmboe - String Quartet No. 15
Honegger - String Quartet No. 2
Honegger - String Quartet No. 3
Howells - String Quartet No. 3 'In Gloucestershire'
Hummel - String Quartet No. 1 in C major, op. 30: No. 1
Husa - String Quartet No. 4 "Poems"
Ives - String Quartet No. 2
Janacek - String Quartet No. 1 'Kreutzer Sonata'
Janacek - String Quartet No. 2 'Intimate Letters'
Johnston - String Quartet No. 4 "Amazing Grace"
Kabalevsky - String Quartet No 2
Kagel - String Quartet No.2
Kodály - String Quartet 2, op. 10
Koechlin - String Quartet No. 1
Kokkonen - String Quartet No. 3
Korngold - String Quartet No. 2
Krenek - String Quartet No. 5
Kurtág - Six Moments Musicaux for String Quartet
Lachenmann - Gran Torso
Lachenmann - Reigen seliger Geister (Round Dance of the Blessed Spirits)
Langgaard - String Quartet No. 4
Larcher - Ixxu
Lavista - String Quartet No. 4 "Sinfonías"
Ligeti - String Quartet No. 1 “Métamorphoses nocturnes”
Ligeti - String Quartet No. 2
Lutosławski - String Quartet
Magnard - String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 16
Malipiero - String Quartet No. 1 "Rispetti e strambotti"
Martinů - String Quartet No. 5
Martinů - String Quartet No. 7 "Concerto da camera"
Mathias - String Quartet No. 1
Fanny Mendelssohn - String Quartet in E Flat Major
Felix Mendelssohn - String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 13
Felix Mendelssohn - String Quartet No. 3 in D major, op. 44-1
Felix Mendelssohn - String Quartet No. 4 in E minor, Op. 44-2
Felix Mendelssohn - String Quartet No. 6 in F minor, Op. 80
Milhaud - String Quartet No. 1
Moeran - String Quartet No. 1
Mosolov - String Quartet No. 1
Mozart - String Quartet No. 14 "Spring"
Mozart - String Quartet No. 19 "Dissonance"
Mozart - String Quartet No. 20 in D major K. 499 "Hoffmeister"
Mozart - String Quartet No. 22 in Bb K. 589
Myaskovsky - String Quartet No. 13 in A minor, Op. 86
Nielsen - String Quartet No. 3
Nielsen - String Quartet No. 4
Nono - Fragmente-Stille, an Diotima (1979-80)
Nordgren, Pehr Henrik - String Quartet No. 10
Nordheim - String Quartet (1956)
Penderecki - String Quartet No. 3 "Leaves of an Unwritten Diary"
Pfitzner - String Quartet No. 2 in C sharp minor , Op. 36
Pleyel - String Quartet in G Major, B. 332
Popov - Quartet-Symphony
Prokofiev - String Quartet No. 1
Prokofiev - String Quartet No. 2 "Kabardinian"
Ran - String Quartet No. 3 "Glitter, Doom, Shards, Memory"
Ravel - String Quartet in F Major
Reger - String Quartet No. 1
Reger - String Quartet No. 4
Revueltas - String Quartet No. 3
Rihm - String Quartet No. 3 „Im Innersten“
Rihm - Et Lux for String Quartet and Vocals
Rubbra - String Quartet No. 3
Saariaho - Nymphéa (Jardin Secret III) for String Quartet and Live Electronics
Saygun - String Quartet No. 1, op. 27
Schnittke - String Quartet No. 2
Schnittke - String Quartet No. 3
Schönberg - String Quartet No. 2 in F-sharp minor, Op. 10
Schoenberg - String Quartet No. 4
Schubert - String Quartet No 4 D46
Schubert - String Quartet No. 13 "Rosamunde"
Schubert - String Quartet No. 14 in D Minor "Death and the Maiden"
Schubert - String Quartet No. 15
Schulhoff - String Quartet No. 1
Schuman - String Quartet No. 5
Schumann - String Quartet No. 1
Schumann - String Quartet No. 3 in A Major, Op. 41/3
Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 2
Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 3
Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 4
Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 5
Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 8
Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 10
Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 12
Sibelius - String Quartet in D Minor "Voces Intimae"
Silvestrov - String Quartet No. 1
Simpson - String Quartet No. 1
Smetana - String Quartet No. 1 "From My Life"
Spohr - String Quartet No. 7 n E-Flat major, Op. 29.1
Szymanowski - String Quartet No. 1
Takemitsu - A Way A Lone
Taneyev - String Quartet No. 2 in C major, Op. 5
Tchaikovsky - String Quartet No. 1
Tchaikovsky - String Quartet No. 3
Thoresen - Aion
Thorvaldsdottir - Enigma
Tippett - String Quartet No. 2
Toch -String Quartet No. 10, Op. 28
Tower - In Memory
Valen - String Quartet No. 2
Vasks - String Quartet No. 4
Vaughan Williams - String Quartet No. 2 in A minor
Verdi - String Quartet in E Minor
Villa-Lobos - String Quartet No. 1
Villa Lobos - String Quartet No. 14
Volkmann - String Quartet No. 5
Walton - String Quartet No.2 in A-minor
Webern - Fünf Sätze für Streichquartett, Op. 5 ("Five Movements")
Webern - Six Bagatelles for String Quartet
Weinberg - String Quartet No. 6
Wolf - String Quartet in D minor
Wollschleger - String Quartet #2 "White Wall"
Wolpe - String Quartet
Xenakis - Tetras
Zemlinsky - String Quartet No. 2
Zemlinsky - String Quartet No. 4
Zorn - Cat O’ Nine Tails


The schedule for this round (those who had their turn in italics), choices are typically made on Sunday:

The list for this round:
Mandryka
Josquin13
sbmonty
Merl
Knorf
Malx

(SearsPoncho)

Carmina Banana
StevehamNY
Kjetil Heggelund
Kreisler jr

(allaroundmusicenthusiast)
HerbertNorman
Philidor

maestro267
(Pianomaniac)
Art Rock
Joek Baron
Xenophiliu
Shoskofiev
SanAntone
AndresVel
Mister Meow
Neo Romanza

Also of interest:

Merl's Blogged String Quartet reviews
 
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#2,276 · (Edited)
Having now listened to the three recordings I have in my collection three times over, I will briefly give my musically uneducated thoughts:

Belcea Quartet (BBC MM)
It seems to me fairly clear that here is a young quartet finding their way around this piece, and doing remarkably well. If I hadn't heard any other recordings I would have been very happy with this performance but the other two I have offer a little more.
Orpheus Quartet (Channel Classics)
I bought this disc initially for the Dutilleux recording, then discovered the Ravel as being of good quality - and it is not a great surprise to me that their Debussy recording is also very good. They may be a little understated but the whole seems to flow well and the fourth movement on this recording seems to fit better with the other three.
Juilliard Quartet (Sony 1989)
This was the first recording I acquired of the Debussy quartet so there is definitely an element of imprinting going on for me, but I still like the clarity and slightly better sense of attack they bring without losing the overall feel of the piece. The sound is possibly a little dry but I have long enjoyed this one and still do to this day.

The quartet is not up there with my favourites but I have enjoyed listening to the discs again - I'll avoid listening to others fearing the irresistible urge to buy more will grab me by the throat.

I will now go back and read the other posts to see how out of line with the concensus I am.

Nice choice BlackAdder
 
#2,277 · (Edited)
Debussy String Quartet Review

With over 120 recordings this was never going to be an easy task and I've had to be quick, decisive and very selective. Skip-listening and prior knowledge of recordings helped a lot in the early stages and there are a number I've not had a chance to listen to. I'm not going to dwell on those recordings and there are some fine recordings there that didn't quite make it into the mix (eg Signum, Vertavo Budapest, Meccore). Anyhoo, I ended up listening to over 30 shortlisted recordings intently and I decided to rate them with a score from 40 (10 for each movement). Yeah I know that sounds a bit @nal but it was the easiest way to do it! Here's the final standings. You may agree or may not but I will say that every recording on this list I either own or would be happy to own. Where appropriate I may mention couplings. Here goes...

32 points
Orion, Lindsays, Arcanto, Chilingirian, Melos, Sine Nomine, Alcan, Galatea and LaSalle.

33 points
Juilliard (1989) - Some dryness in the recording knocks this fine one down a little.
Galimir - coupled with a similarly fine Ravel and available for buttons.
Orpheus - beautifully played but lacks the character of better ones. The couplings are excellent.
Takacs - as above. Technically immaculate and great recording but a bit routine. Another with a better coupling.
New Zealand - this one gets better and better as it goes on. Youthful and highly enjoyable.
Stenhammar - starts out forcefully and brilliantly but fades in 2nd half. Ravel coupling is better.

34 points (the business end)
Alban Berg - consistently excellent classic performance with a reference Ravel in tow.
St Petersburg - let down by a sloppy 1st movement this one then goes on to fulfil its promise. 2nd movement is hugely impressive and vibrant.
Tokyo - very fine consistent, classic account.
Benyounes - youthful, quirky with 2 superb inner movements.

35 points
Tinalley - not as brilliant as their fantastic Ravel coupling but superlative playing. Needs more in the slow movement but otherwise exemplary.
Orlando - tremendous quality and I love the grittier feel of their playing.
Acies - this excellently realised one-hit wonder came out of nowhere.

36 points (now we're getting serious - these are thoroughbreds)


Italiano - classic 60s account that is paired with their stunning Ravel. Still sounds amazing for its age.
Ebene - fresh, youthful, dynamically expressive, brilliantly recorded and with a killer 2nd movement.
Belcea - let down by a curiously underplayed opening movement. The rest is highly expressive, pure class and it ends brilliantly.
Emerson - not as highly charged as you'd expect (far from it) but they really do get this one bang-on and the slow movement is sublime.
Eroica - gut strings, dynamic, fantastic ensemble. Recorded sound is awesome and listen to those plucky pizzicatos.
Alma - another from nowhere and of a consistently superb standard across all movements. A real grower.
Auryn - from a superb disc of French quartets. Gorgeously recorded and beautifully characterful pizzocatos that had me purring.
Brodsky - one of the broadest readings out there but the Brodskys play the hell out of it. The andante is intensely beautiful and almost moved me to tears. The powerful final movement may be the best here.
Hagen - a performance of technical excellence, tremendous ensemble and expressive freedom that's only let down by DG spoiling the cello sound.

37 points (OMG)

Vertebrate Plant Organism Mammal Font

Kodaly - possibly their finest performance. Smiles from start to finish. Never over sentimental and their killer tone and unfussy approach pay huge dividends. A group thoroughly enjoying themselves on this sounds-like-live performance. Cheap as chips secondhand too. Get it. Ravel coupling is also high quality.
Talich (2012) - whole approach is wonderful. Loads of character and a 3rd movement that has a melancholic quality that moved me greatly. The brisk standard of playing and recording on this one is just tremendous and makes their 80s recording sound very average. Yes.

38 points (near perfect)

Poster Font Line Pattern Parallel

Jerusalem - what a brilliant disc this is. Although the inner movements are tremendous its the start and end that seal the deal here. The quality of ensemble playing here is simply stunning.

Rectangle Font Art Poster Illustration

Avalon - another that came from the fringes but boy do the Avalons sound good. Slightly more sentimental playing but the quality of the inner movements is absolutely sublime. A very pleasant and glorious surprise with excellent couplings.

World Organism Font Science Window

Hermes - this young, French quartet finished joint top of the shop in the Ravel SQ and this is equally gallic and impressive. The dynamics and realisation of the performance sold me from the start. The recording is state of the art, the playing is alive and fresh and I couldn't fault it. Turn this up and it sounds even better. A desert island disc for me (because of couplings).

Too Pick (39 points)


Clothing Trousers Coat Font Line


Modigliani - I've not always fallen totally in love with the Modigliani's recordings (but they are always at least very good). However this tour de force actually made me say "wow" out loud. Incredible sonics, amazing use of dynamics and a recorded sound that had me open-mouthed at times., the Modiglianis give a reading that's never brash but has an edge that is not only powerful but provides moments of incredible beauty. I loved every minute of this reactive recording and immediately played it again. As tearfully beautiful as the Brodskys were in the 3rd movement they still didn't beat the Modiglianis in one of the finest single movements I've ever heard. If you have a streaming service sample it on there. A stonking triumph.

To finish I just want to mention a real ourtider. The Brooklyn Rider quartet (on their highly imaginative Dominant Curve album) give a completely out-there performance that you will either love or hate but you should hear as it's totally unlike any other recording available. With a purposely sinewy sound, the Brooklyns attack the Debussy in punk-stylee. I'm not sure what I think of it, as it's quite a culture shock, but have a listen for yourself. If nothing it's not boring!
 
#2,279 ·
Modigliani - I've not always fallen totally in love with the Modigliani's recordings (but they are always at least very good). However this tour de force actually made me say "wow" out loud. Incredible sonics, amazing use of dynamics and a recorded sound that had me open-mouthed at times., the Modiglianis give a reading that's never brash but has an edge that is not only powerful but provides moments of incredible beauty. I loved every minute of this reactive recording and immediately played it again. As tearfully beautiful as the Brodskys were in the 3rd movement they still didn't beat the Modiglianis in one of the finest single movements I've ever heard. If you have a streaming service sample it on there. A stonking triumph.
Thank you, Merl! Your reviews are always a great highlight for me.

Unfortunately, I can't find the Modigliani recording on Spotify, Amazon Music, or Qobuz. I have active subscriptions on all three services, and I know to try a few different ways to find things because the search engines aren't always perfect.

I may just be having a flake day today -- can anyone else here find this recording?
 
#2,278 · (Edited)
Wow! Thank you so much Merl for your Herculean efforts!

Very interesting perspectives, extremely stimulating.

I must listen again to the Kodaly on Naxos (my first purchase of this music, many moons ago) as I dismissed them quickly and unceremoniously in the light of my more recent acquisitions (Belcea & Quartetto Italiano). I have now discovered that I also have the Melos recording, and will give that a whirl.
 
#2,283 · (Edited)
Thank you, Merl! This thread is great because we are not only learning more about music, we're learning about the different string quartet ensembles. With the exception of a few big names from the major labels (e.g., Emersons, Takacs), string quartet ensembles are not nearly as well known as the big orchestras, conductors or soloists.

Another winner. Thanks to BlackAdderLXX for the deep dive into Debussy!
 
#2,284 ·
Merl,
You have inspired me to track down some of these recordings. I can’t wait to hear some of your favorites.

From my listening so far, I hear some groups that feature the color, mood and atmosphere; and some that go for the grit and excitement. Having both, of course, is ideal, but I think they usually lean one way or the other.
One recording that gets a lot of the color and mood for me is the Hagen Quartet. It might lack some of the excitement and directness of the Kodaly but the players have some amazing sensitivity.
 
#2,285 · (Edited)
From my listening so far, I hear some groups that feature the color, mood and atmosphere; and some that go for the grit and excitement. Having both, of course, is ideal, but I think they usually lean one way or the other.
And both approaches are equally valid, it's just down to how well its carried off. The Avalon recording, for example, is warmly romantic without ever being schmaltzy. At the extreme other end you get the Brooklyn Rider account (I'm still not sure but I admire this approach). For one that blends both admirably you'd be looking at quartets like the Alban Bergs, here. We listen to these quartets and each one tries to make a connection with us. Sometimes we get that instant connection because of the recorded sound, a perceived warmth of playing or superb technical prowess but it's highly personal. I hope that comes across in my reviews, which are usually from a wide variety of styles. Hopefully you'll find something in my picks that will resonate with you.
 
#2,286 ·
Darn you Merl you are costing me money again - I've now listened a couple of times each to the Modigliani, Hermes and the Brooklyn Rider recordings on Qobuz. I've ordered the Modigliani as it has an almost perfect balance, the Hermes initially had me impressed but ultimately I went with the Modigliani (I drew the line at ordering one). As for the Brooklyn - well it is certainly different, safe to say not a central recommendation, but always great to hear different takes on a piece.
 
#2,287 ·
It's that time of the week again, so, as it's become a habit, here's my contribution.

Like many, I started out with a fairly indifferent view of this quartet. It's a great impressionist piece, but not as obviously gripping as the Ravel, and has infested my collection by way of Milhaud or Dutilleux or Garrop, rather than any love for itself.

I'm not sure if that's entirely down to the final movement, or because Debussy's aiming for a different sort of music here. But, listening closely to the finale, I don't hear what's wrong with it. To my mind, the frog-croaks of the cello, the dancing rythms, the chorale-like outbursts and the defiant peal of bells at the end are nicely Haydnesqe - as is the 'recitative-like opening'*. It recasts much preceding material into something quite different. And, perhaps I should give a trigger warning here, it's as much Mahlerian as Beethovenian or Wagnerian.

All of which might seem a bit odd. But at the time, I gather, Debussy was caught up in a Franco-Germanic struggle and, after a brief infatuation with Wagner, wanted to wrest the laurels from the stuffy musical establishment and drive ahead in something new. So why all the harking back? Given this is Debussy's only piece with a key in the title, or an opus number, which is all terribly conventional, it seems he was, as they say in espionage circles, establishing a legend. Or, in the plaintive language of our times, curating a personal brand.

And that, I think, is why he wrote it, as an 'establishing piece', designed to throw down a gauntlet. He was at least as good as the rest of them, and more adventurous to boot. As if to reinforce that, it seems to do all the conventional things, but also doesn't. I think that was the point. And, presumably, why its first glorious performance seems to have been received less than politely . Though that might also be because it's tricky to play.

True, he needn't have written a quartet. But, prior to this, I gather he'd been working on an opera, or ballet or something and, despite his efforts, it still had too much Wagner in it. As my grandmother might have said, if she'd been a little wiser: "if you can't beat them, go do something else". So writing a quartet, especially writing one for a well-known ensemble, wouldn't have seemed a bad idea. Especially as Franck, a representative of one of the factions Debussy hoped to usurp, had produced a quartet just three years before which had, at last, established his public reputation as a composer to be reckoned with. At which point he promptly died. I suspect Debussy, tiring of flitting between the shadows of his elders in the salons of Paris, was as keen to beat them at that game as at any other, preferably long before he himself was planning to turn up his toes.

I've now, in modest homage to Merl's technique, put my three recordings back to back and listened to them three times through, movement by movement and twice, all while staring at the score. And, after all that, I'm not much wiser. I've noticed that the cellist has to play in three clefs, which I gather is annoying for cellists. And that, despite the clearly-marked tempi, with metronome settings as well as adjectives, there's a lot of room for judgement, too, depending on how 'peu' you think 'un peu' should be. Opinions differ, it seems, to the tune of at least a minute in the third movement, though I can't say I'd noticed before. Somehow, they all seem to work.

Or, at least, work in parts. I supect no performance or recording will bring everything out entirely. Subtle differences make a big difference to the overall impression, and even the alleged best can sometimes swallow their trills or blunt their szforzandi (though I'm sure we can blame the engineers for some of that). Some march through the "tempo rubato" sections more blithely than others, and cellists seem to interpret "en dehors" very differently (I think it means the cello should float their line marginally above the rest, rather than sound as if they've stepped out back for a smoke). But, though I was tempted to seek out a few more recordings, I'd become so obsessed with the articulation of triplets, I guessed it best to stop. Those who inspect the things they love too critically end up having to sleep in the woods. So, for what it's worth, I started out really liking the Avalon and not caring much for the Galatea, and then decided the Arcanto rendition pleased me best. And now I'm not sure.

Each recording contains plenty of magnificent moments, where everything comes together beautifully but (pace Merl and the Modiglianis, who I haven't heard), I'm not sure there will be a recording, or performance, that will quite manage that throughout. Where they don't (which is quite often for one of them, admittedly), the impression of aimless or experimental noodling can be hard to resist. Which is probably why I started out with a similar take on this that others had. But, as I hinted, I've changed my mind.

* For this quote, and much else, I've shamelessly pillaged a lecture by Professor Roger Parker, which can be found (with transcript) at: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/debussy-quartet-in-g-minor-op-10
 
#2,291 · (Edited)
Some truly excellent comments this week! Honestly, I don't have much more to add in terms of either the work itself or recordings. But I will say that everyone who loves this quartet needs to hear at least the slow movement by the Calvet. Historical recordings are a major interest for me so maybe I'm biased, but I haven't heard any other rendition that transports me to luscious, pillowy French Impressionist heaven so convincingly.

 
#2,292 ·
I’ve been listening to Ebene mostly but also Belcea, Quartetto Italiano and the Jerusalem.

My attention tends to wander in the fourth movement but I only realised it after reading your comments about it. It requires a shift in perspective and a conscious effort (for me at least) after the more easily satisfying second and third movements, both of which are really wonderful. I found that the Quartetto Italiano make it sound more convincing as a whole than the others I’ve listened to.

Alas, I’ve been a bit lazy in exploring different recordings this week but after reading Merl’s review I’m excited to check some of these out!

:tiphat:
 
#2,293 · (Edited)
Merl writes,

"Orpheus Quartet (Channel Classics)
I bought this disc initially for the Dutilleux recording, then discovered the Ravel as being of good quality - and it is not a great surprise to me that their Debussy recording is also very good. They may be a little understated but the whole seems to flow well and the fourth movement on this recording seems to fit better with the other three."

I'm finding that's common among current day groups that they're "a little understated". The Jerusalem Quartet, for instance, likewise gives a very fine reading, but their interpretation is slightly more restrained and tempered than what you hear from the quartets of the past. It seems that the modern groups have an uneasy relationship to romanticism, and especially late romanticism. Yet, Debussy's quartet does have elements of late romanticism, undeniably so. The modern attack is also more incisive, and cooler, and the ensemble often more impressively virtuosic than the earlier groups. I'm not saying they miss the content of the music, they don't. But at the same time, they don't have quite the same degree of expression or free range of human feeling in their playing that the earlier groups bring out in this music, and those elements are a part of the quartet, in my view.

As for the 4th movement being separate from the other three movements, or seemingly detached, it isn't separate thematically or structurally from the first two movements. Rather, it's the 3rd movement of the quartet that has no thematic or structural links to the 1st, 2nd, and 4th movements. In other words, unlike the 1st and 2nd movements, which are closely connected, there are no thematic connections between Debussy's 3rd movement and the rest of the quartet. Therefore, the 4th movement only seems to be a departure from the rest of the quartet because the 3rd movement is still fresh in the listener's mind. Which may be why people have thought the 4th movement sounds set apart. Nevertheless, Debussy does return to some of his thematic material from the first two movements in the 4th movement. For example, the opening of the 4th movement is constructed from the original theme of the 1st movement.

Original theme in the first movement:
Opening of the 4th movement, which is constructed out of the originating theme in the 1st movement:

I find it fascinating that Debussy doesn't entirely share Ravel's compliance to classical formal patterns. He's not as concerned with linking his four movements together, as Ravel is in his quartet. (Which may be connected to why people tend to prefer Ravel's quartet.) For example, in Ravel's 3rd movement he frequently quotes from the opening theme of his 1st movement.

Ravel, 1st movement:
Ravel, 3rd movement:

In that sense, Ravel is more of a classical composer than Debussy. When Debussy came to compose his quartet in 1893, he was already beginning to feel the need to break away from the western musical aesthetic. He had previously heard Javanese Gamelan music at the 1889 Paris Exposition and that experience had profoundly changed how he viewed the western canon and its rules, which he'd been resistant towards or at odds with. His further rebellion would only intensify when he eventually heard a full Gamelan orchestra at the 1900 Paris Exposition. Therefore, the lack of thematic links between his 3rd movement and the rest of his quartet may demonstrate how the younger Debussy's musical aesthetic was already beginning to shift away from the classical tradition, as early as 1893; giving us a hint of his willingness to break away from western rules to explore a non-western, Gamelan inspired aesthetic: One that he later would claim was more tied to nature and the cosmos than anything in the western canon. And yet a strong link to romanticism remains in this quartet, or co-exists, but in a more subtle way than years later with his 1898 Pelleas et Melisande and 1903 Estampes, when the Gamelan influence on Debussy's music became stronger and was more obvious & profound.

Ravel too was inspired by Gamelan music--especially in his 1910-11 ballet, Ma Mere l'oye (in the "Laideronnette, Empress of the Pagodas" movement: ), his 1908 Gaspard de la Nuit, and the 2nd "Tres rythmé" movement of his String Quartet (in homage to Debussy?): . But he never took the aesthetic quite as far as Debussy, as it didn't pervade his whole musical aesthetic--on a cosmic level, as it did Debussy's. For Ravel, it remained more of a superficial influence. Unlike Debussy, he continued to remain a western composer who, in his own words, was descended artistically from François Couperin. In other words, Ravel didn't see himself as a "modern" composer. Indeed, I don't think any scholar has ever claimed that Ravel gave birth to the modern age, as they have for Debussy. Since, despite how richly imaginative Ravel's works can be, his music is comfortably built upon the traditions of the past, with only the occasional orientalist or Jazz influence. It would be very interesting to see if, in a poll, those listeners that are more sympathetic to 20th century music might prefer Debussy's quartet over Ravel's. I bet they do (& vice versa).

As for the recordings that I've listened to this week, the Melos Quartett recording greatly impressed me. (I agree with Allegro Con Brio's comments.) They play with an incredible amount of spontaneity! (which is rare, and shouldn't be under estimated in Debussy's music), imagination, & insight. It's wonderful music making, and here I agree with the old Penquin Guide, who gave the LP a rosette back in the 1980s. Although, this is another case where a quartet's Debussy is better than their Ravel (not that the Melos' Ravel is bad, it isn't, but you can do better...).

I also listened to the Ysaÿe Quartet's Decca studio recording (as opposed to their live Wigmore Hall account) and the Galimir Quartet. I get what people are saying about the Ysaÿe recording (if you're listening to the Decca studio account?), they're not as lithe or nimble as other groups in the 1st movement, for instance, and one reason is that they play with a greater tonal heft. As a result, the playing is a bit more relaxed and more 'orchestral' sounding: which I can find appropriate in both the Debussy & Ravel quartets at times: since, to my ears, these works sound like they are written more on an orchestral scale than many of the quartets in the German repertory (with the exception of Beethoven's late SQs, and Schubert's last SQ, no. 15). But the Ysaÿes don't lack virtuosity. What I like about their reading is that they phrase differently from the other groups. Their phrasing strikes me as being more French sounding and idiomatic than the others I've heard so far. Being native born French speakers may give the Ysaÿes an advantage over the Germans, for instance. After all, a composer's native language does play an integral role in how they phrase musically, and Debussy was no exception. Granted, the Ysaÿe's interpretation does sound different at times, but I thought their phrasing was especially interesting in the scherzo: . (In my view, German & Austrian ensembles often play French music extremely well, but their phrasing seldom sounds very French or idiomatic to me...)

As for the Galimir Quartet, they're more focused on the content of the music than showing off their virtuosity. It's the opposite of a slick interpretation, & firmly at the other end of the spectrum from the Guarneri Quartet's Debussy, for example. I find them deeply musical. It would be easy to underestimate this performance on first impression. But there's a gentle humanity in their reading that makes this performance unique and special, for me. I'm not saying it's a first choice, I don't think it is--after all, Felix Galimir was in his 70s at the time (having been born in 1910), but I'm glad that I own it.

I should point out that the 1st incarnation of the Galimir Quartet of Vienna had worked under Ravel's supervision when they recorded his quartet in 1936. So, their approach to Debussy's SQ may be more authentic to the earlier Parisian era of Debussy & Ravel than any other group that has recorded these quartets in the digital era. Therefore, their performance is worth hearing (see the You Tube links on my previous post, if interested.)

Still to go on my list: the Parkanyi Quartet, Orlando Quartet, Alban Berg Quartet, Ebene Quartet, Quartetto Italiano, and Chilingirian Quartet recordings. And, if I have the time, I'll try to hear the historical recordings by the Calvet and Curtis quartets. However, I'm already leaning towards those quartets that bring a greater tonal heft to this music and therefore sound more 'orchestral' in their approach, and also bring out the romantic elements (or human feeling) in the music more fully. With that in mind, I expect that the Parkanyi, Melos, Ysaÿe (studio account), Alban Berg, Orlando, and Italian quartets will all figure high on my list of favorites (despite that I think highly of the Ebene, Jerusalem, & Orpheus Quartet recordings, as well).

Obviously, I'm not going to get around to comparing a bunch of recordings of Debussy's late Sonata for Flute, Harp, and Viola, as I had hoped. That was too ambitious for one week's listening. (I don't know how Merl does it!) I could continue with my Debussy listening next week? & maybe write one follow up post that compares a selection of the late sonata recordings in my collection, if anyone's interested...

P.S. The excellent link that Allegro Con Brio provided mentions that after the premiere of Debussy's quartet by the original Ysaÿe Quartet, Debussy told its 1st violinist that he had "played like a pig". What always gets left out from this anecdote is that the leader of the group was the violinist Eugéne Ysaÿe! Oh, I would have loved to have seen Ysaÿe's reaction... .
 
#2,296 ·
I want to hear that Parkanyi, Jos. I said that for the Ravel SQ too. Sounds interesting. I'd like to hear the Ysaye's live version too to see if it improves on their studio account. Apparently, according to a review I've just read, it does. I share your enthusiasm for the Galimir performance too, Jos. There's nothing I listed earlier that I wouldn't be happy to own. The margins between the very best and the ones I put lower down are small and it's really down to personal preference. I agree about how modern quartets play it too but I like the newer approach
One of the oldest versions I liked that didn't make the list by a short measure was the Pascal Quartet's 1950 account but the 3rd movement totally ruined it for me. Till then they were in the bidding. I've just got hold of a few otgers that I didn't have at hand to review (Parrenin, Curtis) so I'll give them a try tomorrow and let you know if they would have made the final list.
 
#2,305 ·
Enjoying this weeks discussion immensely. So many insightful comments. I've listened to the Melos, Ebēme and Takács this week, all of which I already owned. Really enjoying the Modigliani's recording, which I'm listening to as I type. Later today will be the Jerusalem's version and the Hermès Quartet. Those have been on my radar for awhile. So many lovely recordings.
Great week. Thanks to all!
 
#2,308 ·
This week's selection is another firmly established work but not nearly as widely recorded as the Debussy quartet. I've chose Alban Berg's six-movement Lyric Suite composed in 1925-26. The title is derived from Zemlinky's Lyric Symphony of which an excerpt is twice quoted in the fourth movement, Adagio appassionato. Decades later in the 1970s the secret inspiration for the work was uncovered by the composer and musicologist George Perle. Berg had fallen in love with Hanna Fuchs- Robbetin, a married woman, during a visit to her and her husband's home. Quite simply, Berg's passion for Hanna consumed him and there are many elements built into the score to express his obsession. One of these is the secret alternate final movement largo desolato with soprano vocal. You can listen to it performed by the Emerson's with Renee Fleming.

The whole story and resulting complex work is rather long and complicated but I discovered a wonderful Lecture / Recital on YouTube that tells the tale quite articulately with the participation of the Tana String Quartet and soprano, Julia Sitkovetsky. They perform the entire work in the last half hour of this excellent presentation which is highly recommended for the unfamiliar. You'll need to forward past the 6 minute mark of this upload to get to the starting point.



I also enjoy this excellent 1970 live performance by the Julliard Quartet. And from what I've read the 1974 Teldec recording by the Viennese quartet named after the composer is another fine rendition. I have two recordings in my collection including the ABQ's second recording for EMI, and the excellent recent Emerson Quartet CD with the vocal movement.



For those who don't have time for the 1:30 minute video presentation, here are a couple of links with some background on this Second Viennese quartet influenced by Schoenberg's 12 tone system. I find the sound world and expressive nature of this quartet quite satisfying and I hope you can enjoy it on some level.
https://www.brentanoquartet.com/notes/alban-berg-lyric-suite/
https://www.laphil.com/musicdb/pieces/472/lyric-suite
 
#2,309 ·
Yes! I was right on the verge of nominating this one. Throughout this year I’ve developed quite a passion for the second Viennese school. Earlier this week I listened to Wozzeck for the first time and thought it was absolutely gripping. Berg’s musical language is so rich and beautiful, not abrasive at all. Really looking forward to this one.
 
#2,310 ·
I'm glad to hear it, ACB! I'm a huge fan of Wozzeck as well. And I'm glad I decided on the Lyric Suite last evening. The music of the Second Viennese composers has always resonated deeply with me whether or not I'm on a modern music kick or listening to older music. It just seems to hit the spot whenever I listen to a piece. And Berg may be the easiest to get into of the three big composers.
 
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#2,312 · (Edited)
This one was on my nominating list as well. Much of Berg's music sounds romantic to me; I don't believe it's too difficult to enjoy once you get used to it. To be honest, I find much of his music a continuation of Mahler, or perhaps the next stage in an evolution, and much closer to Mahler's romantic aesthetic than Schoenberg. For me, he's easily the best of the 2nd Viennese school.

I have the Lasalle Quartet's recording.

Ok, I have to scratch this one off my nominating list. Excellent choice, Starthrower!
 
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