Beethoven: The Complete String Quartets
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Composer: Ludwig van BeethovenPerformer: Alban Berg Quartett
Edition: Music CD
Format: Box set
CD Release Date: 1999-11-16
Music Label: EMI Classics
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
- Op. 18 No. 1 In F Major: I: Allegro Con Brio - Alban Berg Quartett
- Op. 18 No. 1 In F Major: II: Adagio Affettuoso Ed Appassionato - Alban Berg Quartett
- Op. 18 No. 1 In F Major: III: Scherzo (Allegro Molto) & Trio - Alban Berg Quartett
- Op. 18 No. 1 In F Major: IV: Allegro - Alban Berg Quartett
- Op. 59 No. 1 In F Major 'Rasumovsky': I: Allegro - Alban Berg Quartett
- Op. 59 No. 1 In F Major 'Rasumovsky': II: Allegretto Vivace E Sempre Scherzando - Alban Berg Quartett
- Op. 59 No. 1 In F Major 'Rasumovsky': III: Adagio molto e mesto : IV: Allegro (Thème russe) - Alban Berg Quartett
- Op. 18 No.2 In G Major: I: Allegro - Alban Berg Quartett
- Op. 18 No.2 In G Major: II: Adagio cantabile - Alban Berg Quartett
- Op. 18 No.2 In G Major: III: Scherzo (Allegro) & Trio - Alban Berg Quartett
- Op. 18 No.2 In G Major: IV: Allegro molto, quasi presto - Alban Berg Quartett
- Op. 18 No. 6 In B Flat Major: I: Allegro con brio - Alban Berg Quartett
- Op. 18 No. 6 In B Flat Major: II: Adagio, ma non troppo - Alban Berg Quartett
- Op. 18 No. 6 In B Flat Major: III: Scherzo (Allegro) & Trio - Alban Berg Quartett
- Op. 18 No. 6 In B Flat Major: IV: Adagio (La Malinconia) - Allegretto quasi Allegro - Alban Berg Quartett
- Op. 135 In F Major: I: Allegretto - Alban Berg Quartett
- Op. 135 In F Major: II: Vivace - Alban Berg Quartett
- Op. 135 In F Major: III: Lento assai, cantante e tranquillo - Alban Berg Quartett
- Op. 135 In F Major: IV: Grave, ma non troppo tratto - Allegro - Alban Berg Quartett
- Op. 18 No. 3 In D Major: I. Allegro
- Op. 18 No. 3 In D Major: II. Andante con moto
- III. Allegro
- Op. 18 No. 3 In D Major: IV. Presto
- Op. 18 No. 5 in A Major: I. Allegro
- Op. 18 No. 5 in A Major: II. Menuetto & Trio
- Op. 18 No. 5 in A Major: III. Andante cantabile
- Op. 18 No. 5 in A Major: IV. Allegro
- Op. 95 In F Minor: I. Allegro con brio
- Op. 95 In F Minor: II. Allegretto ma non troppo
- Op. 95 In F Minor: III: Allegro assai vivace, ma serioso
- Op. 18 No. 4 In C Minor: I. Allegro ma non tanto
- Op. 18 No. 4 In C Minor: II. Scherzo (Andante scherzoso quasi Allegretto)
- Op. 18 No. 4 In C Minor: III. Menuetto (Allegretto) & Trio
- Op. 18 No. 4 In C Minor: IV. Allegro
- Op. 130 in B flat Major: I. Adagio ma non troppo - Allegro
- Op. 130 in B flat Major: II. Presto
- Op. 130 in B flat Major: III. Andante con moto, ma non troppo
- Op. 130 in B flat Major: IV. Alla danza tedesca (Allegro assai)
- Op. 130 in B flat Major: V Cavatina (Adagio molto espressivo)
- Grosse Fuge In B Flat Major, Op. 133
- Op. 130 in B flat Major: VI. Finale (Allegro)
- Op. 59 No. 2 In E Minor 'Rasumovsky': I: Allegro
- Op. 59 No. 2 In E Minor 'Rasumovsky': II: Molto Allegro
- Op. 59 No. 2 In E Minor 'Rasumovsky': III: Allegretto
- Op. 59 No. 2 In E Minor 'Rasumovsky': IV: Finale (Presto)
- Op. 127 In E Flat Major: I: Maaestoso - Allegro
- Op. 127 In E Flat Major: II: Adagio ma non troppo, molto cantabile
- Op. 127 In E Flat Major: III: Scherzando vivace
- Op. 127 In E Flat Major: IV: Finale
- Op. 59 No. 3 In C Major 'Rasumovsky': I: Introduzione (Andante con moto) - Allegro vivace
- Op. 59 No. 3 In C Major 'Rasumovsky': II: Andante con moto quasi allegretto
- Op. 59 No. 3 In C Major 'Rasumovsky': III: Menuetto (Grazioso) & Trio
- Op. 131 In C Sharp Minor: I: Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo
- Op. 131 In C Sharp Minor: II: Allegro molto vivace
- Op. 131 In C Sharp Minor: III: Allegro moderato
- Op. 131 In C Sharp Minor: IV: Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile
- Op. 131 In C Sharp Minor: V: Presto
- Op. 131 In C Sharp Minor: VI: Adagio quasi un poco andante
- Op. 131 In C Sharp Minor: VI: Adagio quasi un poco andante
- Op. 74 In E Flat Major 'Harp': I Poco adagio - Allegro - Beethoven
- Op. 74 In E Flat Major 'Harp': II. Adagio ma non troppo - Beethoven
- Op. 74 In E Flat Major 'Harp': III. Presto - Beethoven
- Op. 74 In E Flat Major 'Harp': IV: Allegretto con Variazioni - Beethoven
- Op.132 In A Minor: I: Allegro sostenuto - Allegro - Beethoven
- Op.132 In A Minor: II: Allegro ma non tanto - Beethoven
- Op.132 In A Minor: III: Molto adagio - Beethoven
- Op.132 In A Minor: IV: Alla marcia, assai vivace - Beethoven
Music reviews of Beethoven: The Complete String Quartets
Music Review: Great performances, generally good sound, problems with track ordering and separation
Rating: 4 Stars
It may not bear mentioning for most people on this page, but these works are considered to be at the heart of the string quartet repertoire, and chamber music repertoire in general. Personally speaking, the late quartets in particular are some of my favorite compositions in all of music. They offer a singular perspective on the final musical thoughts of Ludwig van Beethoven's life, and seem to transcend time and genre. The quartets as a whole are notable for offering a fairly complete cross-section of Beethoven's progress as a composer while revealing some of his most experimental and personal musical expressions.
Performances: The Alban Berg Quartett's (ABQ) approach to these works is not unlike that of the Emerson String Quartet (ESQ) in trying to stay faithful to Beethoven's metronome markings. The contrasts in dynamics and tempi are not taken quite to the same extreme as with the ESQ, so that along with the ABQ's lighter approach to phrasing, the result is a somewhat more cohesive and less exhausting listening experience (this is not to criticize the ESQ approach, which has its own merits). The chosen tempi and degree of phrasing always seem to be just about right, respectfully conveying Beethoven's wide range of emotions without excessive embellishment. They do justice to the heartfelt expression of the slow movements while conveying excitement in the fast movements. Much to my surprise I have come to appreciate the slightly slower tempos of the ABQ to the ESQ in many of the fast movements - some clarity is gained without sacrificing the essential energy. Also worth noting is the tight sense of ensemble of the players - they play as one four person instrument, while giving ample individuality to the voices when necessary.
I find myself most drawn to the ABQ's accounts of the early and late quartets. Their middle quartets are good as well, but would benefit from a bit more vigor and forcefulness. Generally speaking I enjoy the Emerson and Cleveland recordings of the middle group more, with the possible exception of Op. 95.
Sound Quality: This is a point of contention for this set, and ultimately a lot of it comes down to personal taste, as well as what you're listening with. The present set was recorded between 1978 and 1983 - the middle group first, then the early quartets, and finally the late quartets. The early and middle groups were then digitally remastered in 1985. The sound overall is spacious, in the same vein as the Takacs cycle, but with just a bit less clarity of texture - unsurprising given the two decades separating the two cycles. Also, I find that the upper registers (violins especially) can be overrepresented and excessively bright at times, and the sound can get rough at the loudest dynamics. To my ears the late quartets benefit somewhat from their later recording date, being a bit clearer and better balanced.
I must admit that on my first listen I was left feeling kind of disappointed by the sound on this set, having been used to the hyper-polished ESQ sound. However, over time the ABQ sound has grown on me. The spaciousness seems to impart the recordings with a "live" quality as well as a certain elegance. Also, in my experience these recordings seem particularly sensitive to speaker/headphone quality - I am much more satisfied with the sound when using my best headphones. Finally, if you listen to MP3s it is a good idea to use a high bit rate when you rip the music. Overall I prefer the sound of more recent recordings (like Takacs, Cleveland, and ESQ) but for me there is not enough of a difference to justify a strong preference.
CD Issues: The most irritating things about this set have nothing to do with the recording, but rather with the CDs. First, there are four tracks in the middle quartets in which two movements have been combined into a single track. This was a deliberate decision, as it is reflected in the track list in the booklet, but I can't think of a good rationale for doing this. Also, the order of the quartets on the CDs makes absolutely no sense - early, middle and late quartets are jumbled together in an apparent effort to completely randomize Beethoven's compositions. If you listen primarily to MP3s these problems are easily dealt with using basic software by creating playlists or changing the metadata, and by separating out the combined movements (this can all be done in iTunes). Then, if you plan on listening to CDs, you could burn the quartets in the desired order. For MP3 listeners proficient in iTunes or similar software these quirks will be a minor initial inconvenience, but for others it could present an insurmountable obstacle to enjoying the music.
Price & Packaging: The last thing to consider about this set is its price, which makes it one of the most inexpensive complete sets of Beethoven's quartets. The packaging of the set is good, with a quality box, unique sleeves for each CD, and fairly thorough, though sometimes pretentious liner notes.
Conclusion: If you can come to terms with the obnoxious CD issues and find the sound quality acceptable, the Alban Berg Quartett's Beethoven cycle is a great deal. Frankly, because there are some great modern recordings with better balanced sound, this cycle might not be my first recommendation for someone looking to own only one set of these works (consider Cleveland, Emerson, Takacs, or Alexander (Foghorn)). However, it could be a cheap starting point for string quartet lovers who plan on exploring some of the other recordings out there. And that is not to diminish at all the quality of these performances, which are distinguished for their sensitive and measured yet intense readings as well as their superb technical execution. I have found that my opinion of this set improves with time, and upon hearing other recordings.
Description of Beethoven: The Complete String Quartets
String Quartets by Beethoven QuartetThis product is manufactured on demand using CD-R recordable media. Amazon.com's standard return policy will apply.
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