I've just started appreciating chamber music and I want to buy recording/s of the Beethoven String Quartets. If possible, I'd like some reasonably recent recordings in fabulous sound.
Any suggestions?
Any suggestions?
Best recording/s of the Beethoven String Quartets.
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damianjb1
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As I've said on here, before, there are numerous paths to Beethoven SQ nirvana and a set for everyone regardless of your preferences in playing style, etc. What I will say is that the quality of cycles in the last 30 years has been very, very strong and quite a few are essential listening. In between the 90s and the newest full set (currently Ysaye) we've had excellent sets from a host of quartet ensembles (Ebène studio and live, Prazak, Wihan 2, Auryn, Takacs, Leipziger, Alexander 2, Orion, Tokyo 2, Artemis, Belcea studio and live dvd. Casals. Kuss, Stanislas, Arianna, Dover and Ysaye - to name ones that I really rate) but there are another big bunch which some people will value more. The good news is we no longer have to put up with games of 'where's the cello' or dreadful sound and shoddy intonation. This really is a golden age of string quartet playing whether it's Beethoven or more modern music.
On the subject of intonation, Malx (fellow TCer) and myself went to hear the Fitzwilliam Quartet a couple of years ago in St.Andrews. Their intonation was off from the start and it wouldn't have mattered if they'd thrown the kitchen sink at the performance, it was totally unpleasant on the ear. To date, it's the worst performance I've ever witnessesed by any highly-rated string quartet (and judging by the muted response and comments later from others, we weren't the only ones). Out of tune is out of tune (although compared to the Pascal Quartet's mostly dreadfully intonated Beethoven cycle they sounded amazing). The Pascal's first violinist, Jacques Dumont, was notorious for his tuning issues (check out some, but not all, of their Mozart early quartets if you want further proof). The issues with Cropper and the Lindsays was far less pronounced than that but I agree that their first cycle has quite a few intonation issues, which is a huge shame as I really like their vision of most of the quartets. It's not EVERY one of them and there are a couple of very decent efforts on there (they knock out a nice op.18/3, Op.18/4, Op.74 and op.132). However two performances that stick out are a joylessly dark op.127 with a particularly bad note near the start of the Allegro, but tbh that whole performance is marred by very scrappy ensemble, and their op.133 is not pleasant either. It's a shame as the Lindsays always had a lot of good things to say about the music they played. I own both their cycles and although the 2nd set is mannered as hell at times I actually really enjoy some of that later set, the sound is much better and the intonation is a improved too but again it has its issues. Btw, the first cycle had now been remastered in the newest edition and it's definitely an improvement but the sound quality (reverb especially) remains variable across the set with the Razs suffering worst. Btw, Im no Lindsays hater (unlike a certain critic) and love some of their Haydn (most of their Haydn op.54s and op..71s are great) but some of the rest of their Haydn is similarly affected by lousy intonation from Mr Cropper, who was infamous for his approach to tuning.
On the subject of intonation, Malx (fellow TCer) and myself went to hear the Fitzwilliam Quartet a couple of years ago in St.Andrews. Their intonation was off from the start and it wouldn't have mattered if they'd thrown the kitchen sink at the performance, it was totally unpleasant on the ear. To date, it's the worst performance I've ever witnessesed by any highly-rated string quartet (and judging by the muted response and comments later from others, we weren't the only ones). Out of tune is out of tune (although compared to the Pascal Quartet's mostly dreadfully intonated Beethoven cycle they sounded amazing). The Pascal's first violinist, Jacques Dumont, was notorious for his tuning issues (check out some, but not all, of their Mozart early quartets if you want further proof). The issues with Cropper and the Lindsays was far less pronounced than that but I agree that their first cycle has quite a few intonation issues, which is a huge shame as I really like their vision of most of the quartets. It's not EVERY one of them and there are a couple of very decent efforts on there (they knock out a nice op.18/3, Op.18/4, Op.74 and op.132). However two performances that stick out are a joylessly dark op.127 with a particularly bad note near the start of the Allegro, but tbh that whole performance is marred by very scrappy ensemble, and their op.133 is not pleasant either. It's a shame as the Lindsays always had a lot of good things to say about the music they played. I own both their cycles and although the 2nd set is mannered as hell at times I actually really enjoy some of that later set, the sound is much better and the intonation is a improved too but again it has its issues. Btw, the first cycle had now been remastered in the newest edition and it's definitely an improvement but the sound quality (reverb especially) remains variable across the set with the Razs suffering worst. Btw, Im no Lindsays hater (unlike a certain critic) and love some of their Haydn (most of their Haydn op.54s and op..71s are great) but some of the rest of their Haydn is similarly affected by lousy intonation from Mr Cropper, who was infamous for his approach to tuning.
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@Merl, I couldn't agree more that we're living in something of a Golden Age for string quartets. So many astounding Beethoven quartet cycles just released in the past 20 years!
As such, it's beyond foolish to accept shoddy playing at all, whether the flaws lie in intonation, interpetive imagination, or technique. Shoddy playing isn't "more human," since plenty of entirely human quartets have impeccable technique as well as terrific expression and abundant musicality.
Shoddy playing is also not evidence of greater musical "feeling," or any other absurdity like that.
Shoddy playing is just shoddy playing.
As such, it's beyond foolish to accept shoddy playing at all, whether the flaws lie in intonation, interpetive imagination, or technique. Shoddy playing isn't "more human," since plenty of entirely human quartets have impeccable technique as well as terrific expression and abundant musicality.
Shoddy playing is also not evidence of greater musical "feeling," or any other absurdity like that.
Shoddy playing is just shoddy playing.
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Ah, the beloved strawman. Nobody likes a recording because of shoddy playing. We might forgive imperfection if the musicianship is compelling enough to where we don’t even care.
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