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Bartok's Quartets

71K views 241 replies 71 participants last post by  maestro267 
#1 ·
Here is a thread to discuss Bartok's string quartets.

Yesterday, I was listening to his String Quartet # 1. The first mvt "Lento" definitely reminded me of Beethoven's String Quartet # 14, Op. 131, the 1st mvt. Just wondering if anyone else who listens to Bartok's quartets has encountered this?

Listening to Bartok the last few weeks, and it's definitely very different than what I'm "used to" hearing. Having said that, I really enjoy SQ # 1 and think it to be the easiest of the quartets to listen to in terms of the transition.

I also enjoy SQ# 4 very much. Love the Allegretto Pizzicato 4th mvt.
 
#39 ·
Yup - that's a brilliant cycle; both technically and performance wise - and in fact, when it came out when I was a student at university, it really created a huge stir! Nothing like this cycle had been issued since the 1970s.

So I have the first edition Keller Cycle too - from the very first month it was released in the UK. Lol ~ it sounds the same as your re-issue but commands higher resale prices :cool:

The are several notable features of the fantastic value Keller Quartet Cycle:

the recording in Chaux-des-Fonds is very rich and detailed - this compensates for the less analytical approach adopted by the Keller Quartet. They do not however possess the smoothness of their spiritual predecessors - the Vegh Quartet - whose last recording at Chaux-des-Fonds was also made. The vinyl LP Bartok Cycle by the Vegh Quartet is actually far warmer than the Keller Cycle, which, far from sounding cold and detached, however nothing as austere as the brilliant Takacs Quartet whose micro-analytical attention to phrasing and arcing, creates a very different experience.

Andreas Keller chases the 'spirit' of Bartok in his groups' playing. They are not interested in micro-detail; exact phrasing (which is very hard to impute from Bartok's original score). They are after the bigger picture so the cycle can be listened to whilst reclining in a large three piece sofa with a glass of wine, rather than methodically listened to with the score in hand through mono spectacles and fountain pen to take notes.

I'm in the habit of listening to Quartets No. IV-VI first, and then Quartets No. I - III. I really hope you enjoy this - let us know how you get on with it. This quartet cycle is the crowning achievement of the Keller Quartet: they haven't really bested it :)
 
#40 ·
I love the 4th. Especially the middle movement. That's his night music, serene, yet unstable. The scherzi give me vivid imagery of Hungarian peasants dancing round a fire. The quartets are also a good opportunity to relish in glorious dissonance!
 
#41 ·
I`m going to add one more set of recordings that are very inexpensive.The Rubin Quartet recorded a complete set that was released on Brillant Classics. I like they way they digg into the music, and the sound is very bright which I feel fits the music. As for me, I like the first two quartets very much the last four are interesting but seem to lack a touch of humanity that I need to enjoy a work of music. Quartetfore.
 
#43 ·
You're pretty fortunate to have that set. My Végh Cycles on vinyl LP are on Columbia and Auvidis Astrée on CD.

The classic recordings seem to go down to mid-price then bargain price after a few decades - maybe because they've earned enough royalties? There are some historical recordings though (the Busch & Hungarian & Hollywood Quartets come to mind) which charge a left testicle for each recording :eek:
 
#44 ·
You're pretty fortunate to have that set. My Végh Cycles on vinyl LP are on Columbia and Auvidis Astrée on CD.
Apparantly the art work on some of these original issues fails to make it to the CD age which is very sad. It's sad to me when the original art is colorful and dynamic, expressive in a neat way. And then the CD comes out and has a very drab dull and boring look as the Vegh Quartet Bartok set has now on CD.

Here is my original LP set, stunning audiophile sound (mint condition if I say so myself), and great firey look, and then last is the CD issue which looks so depressing imo.

Look what they done to my set ma....

Perhaps that art is owned by Telefunken Records Germany to this very day, while the music was fairly cheap to license, the artwork was not?
 
#45 ·
I've got the third one - on the 5" square cover (depressing alright!!), it always kind of shocked me - I couldn't understand why the art director would put naked people swimming in a pubilc bath on the cover of Bartok's six string quartets :)

The Telefunken Records' cover is very funky lol. My Columbia ones are plain cream covers with some writing. No images to upload - just use your imagination lol - it wouldn't be hard to surpass the imagination of the art directors of the Columbia vinyl LP set :)
 
#46 ·
Is the Columbia set the US version of the same recordings? I got the impression it is.

Yes, I would call the Telefunken set very funky looking! It is a high gloss laminated box, and looks psychedelic. But the works being modern, and late recordings (at least in the bigger picture), it has the right visual tone imo.

Btw, how is the sound quality on that CD set you have with the B&W picture of swimmers?
 
#47 ·
Yes - that's the one. The vinyl LP Columbia recordings are very smooth - very rich and textured. I can feel my guts hummm to the sonorous strings :)

The Telefunken was probably a European release then? Some recordings resurface, although the quality can be variable depending on the vinyl pressings.

Compared to the vinyl LP, the CD remaster on Auvidis Astree is not bad at all. I really love the vinyl version, however the CD version is stunning in its own right: perhaps the venue and the sound engineers contributed to this, for when I compare it to the Keller Quartet's 1995 recording in the same location in Switzerland, the Keller Quartet version is almost too 'bright' compared to the vintage warm tube-y resonance of the Vegh Quartet's master recording.

Definitely a CD to convert the modern DDD crowd back to AAD :)
 
#52 ·
It's back to Bartok. My version is this:
Parker String quartet no.2 and 5


Novak Quartet (Phillip) for Complete set


and I see the Emerson CD in library also.
going to revisit what have I missed since I remember not doing very well in Bartok. After months of enlightement in modern repertoire I think it will be different set of mind now!
 
#53 ·
Ok, just to bump this thread up where it belongs...

I just acquired another set, a box set on Hungaroton, the Takacs 1984 3LP set.

I am under the impression that this is slightly older than the Decca recordings? And I am also under the impression that they are not as gtood as the later Decca recordings.

Commonts please. Info below from Disogs. I'd like to think that this is not a waste of time being that the Decca release gets all the prase.

Bartók - Takács Quartet - The String Quartets - Complete
Label:Hungaroton Classic
Catalog#:HCD 12502-04-2
Format:3 x CD, Album
Box Set

Country:Europe
Released:1984

String Quartet No. 1 Op. 7 Sz. 40 (29:02)
1.1 I: Lento 9:00
1.2 II: Allegretto 8:20
1.3 (Introduzione) Allegro 1:37
1.4 III: Allegro Vivace 10:05
String Quartet No. 2 Op. 17 Sz. 67 (26:31)
1.5 I: Moderato 10:15
1.6 II: Allegro Molto Capriccioso 7:46
1.7 III: Lento 8:30
String Quartet No. 3 Sz. 85 (15:44)
2.1 Prima Parte: Moderato 5:16
2.2 Seconda Parte: Allegro 5:37
2.3 Ricapitolazione Della Prima Parte: Moderato 3:04
2.4 Coda: Allegro Molto 1:47
String Quartet No. 4 Sz. 91 (22:16)
2.5 I: Allegro 5:47
2.6 II: Prestissimo, Con Sordino 2:49
2.7 III: Non Troppo Lento 5:17
2.8 IV: Allegretto Pizzicato 2:46
2.9 V: Allegro Molto 5:37
String Quartet No. 5 Sz. 102 (30:01)
3.1 I: Allegro 7:37
3.2 II: Adagio Molto 5:28
3.3 III: Scherzo: Alla Bulgarese (Vivace) 5:10
3.4 IV: Andante 4:50
3.5 V: Finale: Allegro Vivace 6:56
String Quartet No. 6 Sz. 114 (28:28)
3.6 I: Mesto - Vivace 7:21
3.7 II: Mesto - Marcia 7:30
3.8 III: Mesto: Burletta - Moderato 6:52
3.9 IV: Mesto 6:45

Credits
Artwork By [Design] - Péter Nagy
Cello - András Fejér
Composed By - Béla Bartók
Engineer [Balance] - István Berényi
Other [Music Notes] - János Kárpáti
Photography - Sándor Kertész
Producer [Recording] - András Székely
Strings - Takács Quartet
Viola - Gábor Ormai
Violin [1] - Gábor Takács-Nagy
Violin [2] - Károly Schranz
Notes
Stereo
ARTISJUS

(P) 1984 Hungaroton

Also available on vinyl as SLPD 12502-04 and cassette as MK 12502-04.
42 page booklet with detailed analysis of each quartet in English, French and German.
 
#54 ·
Sorry - I'm not familiar with the their LP cycle.

It sounds like it's worth it for the 42 page booklet alone.

i can't say I recall the Hungaraton engineers having a distinctive sound from that era either (unlike Decca or DG).

How are the recordings compared to other readings which you have?
 
#55 ·
Sorry - I'm not familiar with the their LP cycle.

It sounds like it's worth it for the 42 page booklet alone.

i can't say I recall the Hungaraton engineers having a distinctive sound from that era either (unlike Decca or DG).

How are the recordings compared to other readings which you have?
I have not dug deep into this set as of yet. But the interesting thing about that later Takács Quartet recording on Decca that get all the attention away from this set, is that reviews on amazong say that the excessive reverb of that Decca set make it a pass even is performances are rather striking.

In which case we are back to the Vegh 70s set as the best

Anyway, that booklet is 42 page wonderful in the Hungaraton box, I really need to read it front to back. It has copies of the original scores in Bela's hand, etc.
 
#56 ·
Yes - the recording studio is the doom of many a brilliant ensemble.

I'm very satisfied with the Vegh Quartet readings on Auvidis Astree (CD) and the LP set on Columbia. The Keller Quartet would be second choice after all this time. Between the both of these classic recordings, I don't care much for the touted Belcea Quartet or the Artemis Quartet and similar modern clones.

The Zehetmair Quartet reading is superb - they would be really devastating if they come up with a complete cycle with the same consistency in artistry.

Jurianbai - the only Novak Quartet recordings I have are of some obscure Czech LP string quartets of his early microtonal folk influenced string quartets (divergent from Bartoks' worldview. They are a fantastic insight into this composer's works. I couldn't find the complete Stamitz String Quartet cycle affordably so settled on the Novak Quartet. I'm very happy with their readings, although I prefer the Stamitz Quartet by a huge stretch. I'm not sure why Haba fell into obscurity - the opposite direction of Bartok's string quartet cycle. Hmm.



You can hear his music here:

http://www.allmusic.com/album/alois-hba-streichquartette-gesamtaufnahme-w152287
 
#58 ·
I'd love to get that fabulous set of Stamitz Quartet recordings. but at 78Euro for a set of 4 CDs, it's rather pricey!

Haba is a very rigorous composer. I like him a lot - none of the emotional sterility often associated with atonality of course. Microtonal works and its gentle inflections are just superb! I love the folk influences too. Maybe Santa Claus .... this year ... please please please
 
#59 · (Edited)
Wow, so many good recordings of the Bartók. I thought I had the most famous one, Tokyo quartet on DG, but it has only been mentioned once. This is what I really like about this forum.
I was quite happy with my Tokyo untill I heard a recording by the Alban Berg Quartet in class. Holy **** I was completely flabbergasted by the pure fire and soul they could put into those Bartók Quartets, but playing everything precicely, at the same time! Now the Tokyo seems rather flat and duly played (a little bit of exaggeration here), and the same goes for a Hyperion-recording of the Budapest string quartet I heard in a CD-store.
 
#60 ·
I've been listening to a lot of Bartok lately including these CDs:

Six String Quartets-Alban Berg Quartet
Violin Concerto No.2/Violin Rhapsodies-Gil Shaham/CSO
Cantata Profana/The Wooden Prince-Boulez/CSO
Contrasts- original 1940 recordings w/Bartok & Benny Goodman
The Miraculous Mandarin-Budapest Orchestra/Ivan Fischer on Phillips
Music For Strings, Percussion & Celesta-BRT Philharmonic
 
#61 ·
Funny that - I've got a lot of those works too. For some reason it's Interrupted Intermezzo which I like best - the very first piece I heard by Bartok when I was 11.

The profundity of his string quartet cycle really demands stereo imaging speakers and a warm amp to bring the instrumental dialogue into real conversation with the listener, particularly for an older mono recording like the one by the classic Végh.

The only Alban Berg work I have is the Beethoven string quartet cycle. It is more consistently played than the Taneyev Quartet's LP set, however there are individual Beethoven quartets (Harp quartet) which really shine. Otherwise, the Loewenguth Quartet; Vlach Quartet classics on LP are gorgeous for Beethoven.
 
#62 ·
These quartets are the kind of pieces that at first hearing you're likely to get bored. It takes repeated listenings (for me, at least) to start seeing the relationships of his "germ themes" and all the fun creativity that Bartok put in there. But you do feel enriched after the experience.
 
#64 ·
Some thoughts for those unfamiliar with Bartok's music. I am in the process of getting familiar with several works myself.

From my experience reading reviews about classical music, string quartet listeners seem to be the most passionate about their favorite works, and the most opinionated concerning their preferred recordings.

You can drive yourself nuts trying to decide what recordings to buy. After reading umpteen reviews about the Bartok's, I decided on a set by the Alban Berg Quartet on EMI which nobody reviewed at Amazon. I love the EMI Gemini series anyway. If you have no Bartok in your collection, just buy some recordings and start listening.

I can't discuss the quartets at this time because I haven't invested enough time listening yet. I do like the overall sound and character of the music after a couple of run throughs. I've been listening to more Bartok in the past year than any other composer. His music is unique and possesses a strong personal voice which I find very appealing. I also find the music free of bombast or any shallow or showy crowd pleasing devices. Every note sounds like it belongs there. Bartok embraces tradition and is also thoroughly modern, but never forbidding. In short, the best of both worlds!
 
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#65 ·
Bartók's String Quartets have never done anything for me; have the Emerson set, never listen to it. Twenty years ago had the Juiliard set on LP.

Consider Schönberg's canon of five SQs infinitely more satisfying intellectually and aesthetically.

Furthermore, enjoy Reger's set of five SQs more than any other 20th C composer after Schönberg.

My 2 cents.
 
#68 ·
I didn't mean the quartets are boring. I meant there's so much in them, that you need to invest some serious time to be able to appreciate them. That's all.
That's the key. Don't worry about "understanding" them, just give your brain and ears sufficient time to absorb the music. I'm still working on no.1 after seven years. But I don't listen to them much due to my large collection. I used to scratch my head trying to get into the piano concertos, but now I know them pretty well after hours of listening.
 
#70 ·
I managed to hear #1 through #5 live last year at our regional music college (the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, UK). The recitals were by various groups, ranging from student quartets through to the Keller Quartet, but all were excellent in their own way. Even though I'd known the quartets since acquiring the Tokyo Quartet's DG accounts on LP as a student in 1982, this was something else again.

It was deeply satisfying to immerse myself in the performances at recital.
 
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