[Kreisler jr]

When I got interested in this music ca. 1989-90, the Emerson and Hagen were still on the margins with only a few recordings.
With shopping mostly restricted to local stores (and as a beginner still in high school I would not think of ordering expensive stuff from abroad) the Alban Berg Quartet was probably the dominant and best known ensemble, then Melos because DG was of course also well distributed and advertised. Next might have been the then recently disbanded Amadeus, the Guarneri, Vermeer or even Juilliard. The Melos had had their Beethoven "boxed" (it was the 3 3-disc-boxes in an additional cardboard) because of their 25th anniversary and it was almost half the price of the ABQ, despite being quite new recordings... The only cheaper option would have been the Hungarian? in mono, I wanted digital, of course.
I still think they are quite good, especially in the middle quartets.

They got replaced at DG by the Emersons in the 1990s and made a bunch or recordings for harmonia mundi.

DG has a poor track record for re-issuing chamber music. The analogue Melos recordings of the 70s (Schubert, Mozart, Cherubini,...) came out on CD usually once in the early 1990s and after they left the label there were no reissues. The LaSalle legacy has also not been treated very well, except for their 2nd viennese school recordings. The same with the Tokyo Quartet's Haydn, Bartok... And also the Hagen quartet's recordings after they left the label.
Let's rather do another Karajan edition, I guess...

 

[Merl]

When I got interested in this music ca. 1989-90, the Emerson and Hagen were still on the margins with only a few recordings.
With shopping mostly restricted to local stores (and as a beginner still in high school I would not think of ordering expensive stuff from abroad) the Alban Berg Quartet was probably the dominant and best known ensemble, then Melos because DG was of course also well distributed and advertised. Next might have been the then recently disbanded Amadeus, the Guarneri, Vermeer or even Juilliard. The Melos had had their Beethoven "boxed" (it was the 3 3-disc-boxes in an additional cardboard) because of their 25th anniversary and it was almost half the price of the ABQ, despite being quite new recordings... The only cheaper option would have been the Hungarian? in mono, I wanted digital, of course.
I still think they are quite good, especially in the middle quartets.

They got replaced at DG by the Emersons in the 1990s and made a bunch or recordings for harmonia mundi.

DG has a poor track record for re-issuing chamber music. The analogue Melos recordings of the 70s (Schubert, Mozart, Cherubini,...) came out on CD usually once in the early 1990s and after they left the label there were no reissues. The LaSalle legacy has also not been treated very well, except for their 2nd viennese school recordings. The same with the Tokyo Quartet's Haydn, Bartok... And also the Hagen quartet's recordings after they left the label.
Let's rather do another Karajan edition, I guess...

Tbh, Kreisler, everything apart from the best sellers seem to disappear from the catalogue these days. The Alexander cycle on Foghorn seemed to go out of print after about 25 minutes at its original affordable price but then got rereleased at double the price. Now the only copies that show up tend to be around £70-£100 and even secondhand copies rarely go for less than £50. Btw, If you want the first Alexander cycle (which is very good too) the best way is to get one of the Brilliant Classics Beethoven big boxes (i think it's the one with the Zinman symphony cycle in it too) or thru individual discs that originally came out on Arte Nova.

I agree with you, Kreisler and wkasimer, about the first Melos set. Like the Medici and the Vanbrugh theres nothing 'wrong' with it, its just that others do it with far more personality (however the Medicis do have a few very good performances in that set). For anyone starting out on a budget I always recommend the Alban Berg cycle as a) it's nearly always in print b) it can often be picked up dirt cheap c) its a high quality set.

The problem with that Koeckert cycle (if you can get hold of it) is that DG gave them a rather flat, trebly, scratchy sound that sounds pretty harsh. If you compare it with other mono quartet recordings of the early to mid 50s they often sound way better than it. Its a shame as many of the performances are really good and full of character. They should dig them out and remaster them as those recordings do them no favours at all. A lot can be done with those recordings (check out the Pristine remasters of the Hollywood late quartets if you want proof of that) but i doubt theres a big enough market for them to bother. Shame!

I'm not too concerned - many of the Beethoven quartet cycles by the great (and not so great) quartets of the past have never gone out of print and are still available. Are there any really worthwhile cycles that haven't been recently or currently available? I can only think of the Melos' two traversals.

The last time I looked the complete Takacs box was only available via streaming, digital download or in its individual 3 releases. The last new box I saw advertised was over £140!

 

[Itullian]

All those reasons are why i purchased the Dover Quartet's Volume 1 of their new Beethoven cycle. Once i saw that volume 2 is on its way, i grabbed it.

 

[wkasimer]

All those reasons are why i purchased the Dover Quartet's Volume 1 of their new Beethoven cycle. Once i saw that volume 2 is on its way now, i grabbed it.

I haven't seen any evidence of Volume 2. Volume 1 is exceptional, though....

 

[wkasimer]

Tbh, Kreisler, everything apart from the best sellers seem to disappear from the catalogue these days. The Alexander cycle on Foghorn seemed to go out of print after about 25 minutes at its original affordable price but then got rereleased at double the price. Now the only copies that show up tend to be around £70-£100 and even secondhand copies rarely go for less than £50.

There's a sealed copy on eBay at the moment, at a decent price (around US$50), and there are still new copies on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Complete-Quartets-Alexander-Quartet/dp/B002XDE9GI

 

[Itullian]

I haven't seen any evidence of Volume 2. Volume 1 is exceptional, though....

Saw it on another site. Saw the picture of it.
It says Volume 2, the middle quartets.
Due for October release.
Along with the BIS hip cycle with that quartet with the long name.

 

[wkasimer]

Saw it on another site. Saw the picture of it.
It says Volume 2, the middle quartets.
Due for October release.

Strange that Cedille doesn't even list it on their own website, though....

 

[Itullian]

 

[Itullian]

This will be a new hip cycle.

 

[Itullian]

My top five (listed in no particular order), & I should add that I find these five cycles compliment each other particularly well:

1. Smetana Quartet, Denon/Supraphon. There is also an earlier 1960s Beethoven cycle from the Smetana Quartet, as well, but only the Late Quartets have been issued to date (by Supraphon--here's a link:

). As for the Smetana's later 1976-85 Beethoven cycle for Denon (which is partly digital, partly analogue), the players were older musicians by that time, and indeed retired soon after finishing the cycle. So, the strength of the Smetana's Denon set isn't so much in their performances of the more 'classical' Early Quartets, as it is in the Middle & especially the Late Quartets, which they had been playing for decades. Supraphon has recently reissued the Denon cycle in 24-bit remasters. Here's a You Tube link to the Late Quartets from the Supraphon/Denon set, along with the rest of the cycle--just scroll up, if interested:

.

2. Alban Berg Quartet, Studio EMI--their first cycle. Only the Late Quartets in this cycle were digitally recorded, while the Early & Middle Quartets are analogue recordings. Unfortunately, to my knowledge, EMI has never bothered to remaster these recordings since their initial release on CD in the 1980s! (though it's possible that they've been remastered in Japan since...?). To my ears, this cycle most shows its age, sound-wise, in the analogue recordings from the late 1970s; that is, via the 1980s CD remasters (though the LPs & any possible recent Japanese remasters may be a different story...). Which is why I'd like to see the Berg's 1st cycle newly remastered in DSD (or AMSI). Generally speaking, I prefer the Berg's playing on their EMI studio cycle to the later live EMI cycle (which was recorded from a series of concerts given in Vienna that were also filmed). However, I do like the Late Quartets from the live cycle. Nevertheless, both are terrific cycles, and technically speaking, the Bergs are more secure than most groups. After all, this was a quartet whose remarkable technical address served to raise the standard of string quartet playing back in the 1970s & 80s, which along with their teaching & coaching of young quartets, helped to give birth to the 'golden age' of string quartet playing that we are presently enjoying today, with so many exceptionally fine quartet groups on the scene.

--The following You Tube clips appear to be a mixture of the Alban Berg Quartet's two cycles:

.

--Here too is the Alban Berg Quartet playing the Beethoven quartet that I would consider to be his greatest chamber work, Quartet No. 15, Op. 132, & the performance is drawn from the Berg's live cycle in Vienna:

3. Quarteto Italiano, Philips--The primary reason that I would strongly recommend Quartetto Italiano's Beethoven cycle is to hear their beautiful slow movements, & especially in the Late Quartets. For me, only the Smetana Quartet on Denon & possibly the Takacs Quartet & live Bergs are able to find a similar depth of insight into these movements.

Quartetto Italiano:
--String Quartet No. 15 in A minor, Op. 132:

--Middle "Rasumovsky" Quartets:

4. Gewandhaus-Quartett, NCA (digital)--In contrast to the other groups, the Gewandhaus-Quartett takes a more refined, classical approach to Beethoven's quartets. Their playing is also fairly HIP, as they claim to play in a much older Beethoven tradition that was passed down to them, generation by generation, over the long existence of this quartet: Indeed, the Gewandhaus-Quartett is the oldest consecutive string quartet in the world, having premiered a number of these quartets for Beethoven himself! To my ears, their approach is not dissimilar to the style of string playing found in the Gewandhaus Orchestra during the Masur years. I'd describe the playing as 'Mendelssohnian', if that makes sense. & it pays off big in the quartets & movements where an extra degree of textural clarity is a real advantage, such as in the more classically orientated Early Quartets, and in the 'traffic jam' that is the Grosse Fuge, etc.. However, I wish that NCA had released these recordings on Hybrid SACD, as they did with most of the other digital recordings by this excellent group. The CD sound is fine, but it could have been something more special.

--Quartet No. 5, Op. 18--in my estimation, this is a great performance:

--Grosse Fuge in B flat Major, Op. 133:

4 1/2. For a viable & possibly even preferable alternative to the Gewandhaus-Quartett, I also like the Süske Quartett, who play in the same Leipzig string tradition. (This cycle was released by Berlin Classics & later Brilliant, but I slightly prefer the sound on the Berlin CDs.) Which isn't too surprising, considering that their 1st violinist, Karl Süske, was a former member of both the Gewandhaus-Quartett and 1st violinist of the Gewandhaus Orchestra, and also the father of Conrad Süske, who is the current 1st violinist of the Gewandhaus-Quartett (a group that have long tended to keep their successors within the family).

--The Süske Quartet cycle (analogue):

5. Takacs Quartet, Decca. This is a very fine modern cycle. But unfortunately, I've never been crazy about the sound engineering that the Decca gave the Takacs, as the violins can grate on me at times (which I admit may be partly a stereo dependent issue...). However, the sound problems were supposedly fixed in Decca's later remastering of the cycle, as the reissue offers a much improved sound quality according to the reviews that I've read. Unfortunately, the single box set reissue stayed in print only briefly & is now hard to find. (I missed it myself & am waiting for a reissue.)

--The Takacs Quartet cycle--here's a YT link to the latest remastered versions:

With that said, I'm still searching for a new cycle that offers the rare combination of playing that is on the same level as my 5 favorite sets above, but also comes in the latest 'state of the art' audiophile DSD sound. I haven't found it yet. (Quartetto di Cremona and the Prazak Quartet--who I normally like, both disappointed me with their hybrid SACD cycles, and I only know a small portion of Cuarteto Casals' recent cycle.) Maybe when the Merel Quartet finishes their new cycle, we'll have one? But if not the Merels, then one of the many other remarkable quartets today. The time is certainly ripe for a great new cycle to appear in audiophile sound.

Try the new Dover Quartet issues. They are in great sound and have great performance.

 

[Itullian]

Volume 2 is now listed on Amazon for October release.

As well as the Chiaroscuro Quartet volume one.

 

[Merl]

Volume 2 is now listed on Amazon for October release.

As well as the Chiaroscuro Quartet volume one.

Looking forward to both, Itullian. If the Chairoscuro set is as good as their other stuff it should be a cracker. Expectations are high from me.

 

[Itullian]

Looking forward to both, Itullian. If the Chairoscuro set is as good as their other stuff it should be a cracker. Expectations are high from me.

Same here!! ..............

 

[Bruckner Anton]

1. Guarneri's Philips Cycle
Powerful, vivid, subtle and to-the-point performance. Great interpretation for all the three periods. My current favorite set. Generally great sound quality despite the over-amplified bass.

2. Quartetto Italiano on Philips
Extremely well-balanced voices through the entire set which is rarely heard on recordings (just check the coda of the first movement of op.74). Rich, controlled, subtle performance. My favorite for late quartets (just check the slow movement of op.135). A few places in the mid quartets may be a bit lack of momentum. Excellent sound quality.

3. Gewandhaus quartet
Well-balanced, consistant, neatly done. Great overall quality of the performance. No exaggeration or short of emotions in mid and late quartets. A bit murky sound, but still better than a lot of sets.

4. Melos quartet on DG
Quite rich and energetic interpretation overall (might be a bit fast for some people). Good details but no over-do. Unlike Philips Recordings, the balance of the sound is a bit towards treble, but generally very good and clear.

5. Takacs quartet on Decca
Swift and neat performance in modern approach. Highly skillful playing and energetic interpretation. A bit lack of voice balance and details in a few pieces. Perfect sound quality.

 

[Oldhoosierdude]

My personal Beethoven string quartet journey....

If you look through this thread you find some recommendations. Pay attention to a member offering free download of the Cleveland Quartet LP cycle from the 70's. It's a good one and the price is right.

My fav is The Fine Arts Quartet 1959-66. Great remastered sound. Low price at the time. I think I purchased from the Amaz place.

 

[CnC Bartok]

Has anyone here heard the recently released historical cycle from the Koeckert Quartet on DGG? It's only available as a download, I believe, but I have to confess I am tempted....not cheap, mind....!

Early to mid 1950s recordings...

 

[Merl]

Has anyone here heard the recently released historical cycle from the Koeckert Quartet on DGG? It's only available as a download, I believe, but I have to confess I am tempted....not cheap, mind....!

Early to mid 1950s recordings...

View attachment 159778

I mentioned this a couple of pages back. Don't know if its been remastered but it needs to be. If it's not I wouldn't bother, CnC. Nowt wrong with the playing, btw.

 

[CnC Bartok]

I mentioned this a couple of pages back. Don't know if its been remastered but it needs to be. If it's not I wouldn't bother, CnC. Nowt wrong with the playing, btw.

I've listened to some snippets on both Amazon and Presto, and sound-wise, they seem OK, a bit dry and maybe a bit harsh, but otherwise clean (which is the most important criterion as far as my ears are concerned!) These are downloads, so I'd assume some sort of remastering has indeed taken place.....

 

[Merl]

The Koeckert cycle has finally turned up in this form on Spotify as sets of the earlies, middles and lates. Before now they werent complete on Spotify and were individual performances in their original transfer form, which was not pleasant sounding. The new ones have a 2020 date on them and some investigation has revealed that DG did, in fact, remaster them before re-releasing them. They certainly sound much better but they're still a little dry. It's still just a solid set for me and others do it much better, in better sound, but I'd be interested what others thought who've heard them think. Due to its age you expect the Koeckert to be highly characterful but from what I've heard they're pretty good, standard but unspectacular readings.

 

[wkasimer]

The Koeckert cycle has finally turned up in this form on Spotify as sets of the earlies, middles and lates. Before now they werent complete on Spotify and were individual performances in their original transfer form, which was not pleasant sounding. The new ones have a 2020 date on them and some investigation has revealed that DG did, in fact, remaster them before re-releasing them. They certainly sound much better but they're still a little dry. It's still just a solid set for me and others do it much better, in better sound, but I'd be interested what others thought who've heard them think. Due to its age you expect the Koeckert to be highly characterful but from what I've heard they're pretty good, standard but unspectacular readings.

I listened to some of it via Spotify, and agree with Merl. I wouldn't call it "generic", but there's nothing particularly special about the playing or the interpretations. I suspect that I'd have felt differently when it was first issued, when there was much less competition on record - although even then I would have preferred the first Hungarian Quartet and first complete Budapest Quartet traversals.

BTW, this was issued on physical CD's for a few weeks a year or two ago.