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There is an outstanding recording of the second recorded by the Takacs Quartet, and its mate on the CD is the Piano Quintet. I have never paid a great deal of attention to the 2nd quartet, but after hearing the Takacs play it to perfection my opinion has changed 100%. The performance of the Piano Quintet is very close to the classic Borodin recording.
 
A footnote: My earlier posts were misinformed: I was confusing the second incarnation of the Borodin Quartet with the first — just in case anyone reads the whole thread.
 
A very good site for the quartets is www.quartets.de
This is a cracking site which has prompted me to start listening to the quartets again. I'm listening to the Shostakovich Quartet version which I have had for a few years but never got round to listening to it. I know, shame on me. It is rather good so far. I have two other sets - the Fitzwilliam and the Taneyev.
 
I have the Emerson set, the Fitzwilliam set, and the Manhattan Quartet set on 6 CDs, and will soon complete my Borodin on EMI (separate CDS) (Melodiya 1990), and St. Petersburg Quartet on Hyperion.

Best recording quality: Emerson, St. Petersburg, Manhattan, Fitzwilliam

My favorite: #8 by the Emersons.
 
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The Emerson Quartet places precision over passion and I was deeply disappointed in their middle and late quartet performances. Virtuosic, yes, but feeling is missing.
The early quartets sound most convincing when played this way.

I will stay with the first Tokyo Quartet set on RCA for the most satisfyingly musical complete Beethoven quartet performances.
 
I most of the Emerson, some of the St. Petersburg and and a number of the Pacifica Quartets recording. What makes the Pacifica valuable is besides being very good is a recording of one of Weinbergs outstanding works. I should add, a recording of the 9th by the Mandelring Quartet of Germany. It is a "Middle European"view of the work, but still valid.
 
I should say I am writing about the Shostakovich quartets
I have the Emerson 'late' Beethoven set. The Takacs set for modern sound, but my overall favorite set is the complete Quartteto Italiano of the Beethoven works. as I once posted, I did hear the tokyo live several times, and for beauty of sound they were the best that I ever heard.
 
I like the old borodin quartet much better than the new one. If you compare their Borodin 2nd String quartet, the old one is a much warmer version.
The second Borodin's complete set is still, IMO, far and away better than any other, with the possible exception of the first Borodin. The interpretations of these two incarnations are often quite similar.
 
I was imprinted on the Fitzwilliam set. I think it is the standard. It is also super cheap - like $10 used.

I'll be a double detractor:
1. I don't care for the Emerson recordings.
2. No. 15 is his masterpiece. Hands-down-by-a-mile my favorite of Shosty's intimate string quartets. Rarely does a piece exist in which it feels like the composer is attempting to reveal their soul. It is heartbreaking in it's beauty and it's sorrow.

The reissue of Quatuor Danel's cycle, I believe from 2005, looks pretty and is affordable at $25. Anyone have an opinion on this set?

 
2. No. 15 is his masterpiece. Hands-down-by-a-mile my favorite of Shosty's intimate string quartets. Rarely does a piece exist in which it feels like the composer is attempting to reveal their soul. It is heartbreaking in it's beauty and it's sorrow.
It's an amazing work. Fwiw, I just thought I'd mention that that string quartet makes repeated appearances in one of my favorite recent films, Leos Carax's Holy Motors, in case that might interest you (though you might want to check out a review first, since its not a traditional narrative).
 
I have never paid to much attention to the early quartets, but after hearing the Takacs recording of the second i have been forced to change my mind about the second. This is an out standing work, the slow movement I think is one of the most beautiful that Shostakovich composed. The performance and the recording its self ranks with the best that I have heard. I think that a great recording can bring out the true quality of a work.
The other work on the disc is a "top of the line" performance of the Piano Quintet, that hold its own with the classic Borodin/Richter recording with much better sound.
 
I should say I am writing about the Shostakovich quartets
I have the Emerson 'late' Beethoven set. The Takacs set for modern sound, but my overall favorite set is the complete Quartteto Italiano of the Beethoven works. as I once posted, I did hear the tokyo live several times, and for beauty of sound they were the best that I ever heard.
A wholehearted yes, although my favorite, and in my estimation, the definitive quartet was the Budapest. After they retired, the Tokyo occupied that category.
 
A wholehearted yes, although my favorite, and in my estimation, the definitive quartet was the Budapest. After they retired, the Tokyo occupied that category.
I hate to give away my age, but I heard the Budapest live in what must have been one of their last concerts. I was a freshman in college at the time, and it was the first Chamber concert that I ever attended. The only thing I remembered about it was that they played the Debussy Quartet.I wish time travel would be available, I would like to hear it now.
 
With the Fitzwilliam recordings my attention focuses on the instruments, the gorgeous bass spaciousness. I even got musical dreams from those lush luxurious Decca sounds.

With the Borodin recordings the focus changes towards the drama, the narrative texture being exposed as bare as bare can be. No luxury here, just the nakedness of someone who knows that his and mine humanity is at peril.

I'm very happy with both interpretations and happen to change my taste constantly.
 
I have never paid to much attention to the early quartets, but after hearing the Takacs recording of the second i have been forced to change my mind about the second. This is an out standing work, the slow movement I think is one of the most beautiful that Shostakovich composed. The performance and the recording its self ranks with the best that I have heard. I think that a great recording can bring out the true quality of a work.
The other work on the disc is a "top of the line" performance of the Piano Quintet, that hold its own with the classic Borodin/Richter recording with much better sound.
There are no early quartets. When Shostakovich wrote the first he was nearly 30 years old. He was 38 when he composed the second.
 
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