What are you listening to?

[DaveF]

So far I have considered the Takacs, the Veigh, the Budapest Quartet and others too. I have to confess that now I'm completely lost.

I have both the Tokyo and Takacs recordings of these works Sean. You cant go wrong with either of them but for me the Takacs Quartet offers something special.

[mcq]

Whilst in Tower yesterday, I finally picked up the complete Tokyo Quartet cycle of the Beethoven string quartets (four separate releases on Harmonia Mundi). Today I listened to Ops.18 and 59. Incredible, just incredible. I thought the Takacs had set an unsurpassable benchmark a few years back with their magnificent cycle on Decca but, so far, this sounds just as good. It's too early to say which is best but initial impressions are that the Tokyo group play with a hint more brio and panache without sacrificing one iota of subtlety. I'm certainly looking forward to hearing Ops. 74 and 95 tomorrow as well as the mighty Late Quartets. We really are being spoiled by the sheer quality of music that's being released at the moment. Life is good.

Oh mcq, I echo that statement indeed: life is good. Your's is a timely post because I am considering getting a second box set of the Beethoven Quartets and I am at a loss as to what I should get and your comments have just introduced another box set onto the mix. ??? So far I have considered the Takacs, the Veigh, the Budapest Quartet and others too. I have to confess that now I'm completely lost.

There's no shortage of choice in this wonderful music, Sean. The best I've heard of the modern cycles would be the Tokyo Quartet and the Takacs. I've also heard good things about the Leipzip String Quartet on MDG, the Borodins on Chandos and the Wihan Quartet on Nimbus. I've haven't heard the complete cycle by the Emerson Quartet (DG), but their recordings of the late quartets are excellent - DG have recently released the complete cycle at a budget price. Going back further, the first cycle by the Alban Berg Quartet (on EMI) is an absolute bargain and I've always loved the Italian Quartet on Philips. The cycles that I would love to hear are by the Vegh Quartet and the Talich Quartet. I've heard bits and pieces from their respective cycles over the years and have been very impressed. Unfortunately, I think the complete Talich cycle has been deleted by Calliope but some of the individual recordings may still be available, and I think the Vegh cycle is being deleted as well.

My advice would be to try and find the Vegh cycle and, if you can't find it, try either the Italian Quartet or the first Alban Berg Quartet cycle. Either of these are both substantially cheaper than the modern sets and both are very rewarding. They have both earned their classic status and have stood the test of time. Once you have absorbed these performers' insights into this great music, then go for either the Tokyo Quartet or the Takacs.

[fergus]

JSB – Two versions of Cantata BWV52 for the Twenty-third Sunday after Trinity....




This Cantata for solo soprano opens with a wonderful sinfonia which is an early version of the first movement of Brandenburg Concerto No. 1.

[DaveF]

[DaveF]

Some French Baroque for the afternoon. Well impressed with this recording.

[DaveF]

havent visited this great boxset in a while.



Symphonies 3 & 4.

[Seán]

havent visited this great boxset in a while.



Symphonies 3 & 4.

I like the Järvi's but having bought two cycles of Sibelius symphonies in the past week I'll have avert my eyes from that one.

[DaveF]

I like the Järvi's but having bought two cycles of Sibelius symphonies in the past week I'll have avert my eyes from that one.

That's the only Sibelius cycle I have Seán. I do have Symphonies 3&4 by Karajan/BPO but it left me cold. What would you recommend? I was half thinking of the Vänskä set.

[fergus]

[Seán]

I like the Järvi's but having bought two cycles of Sibelius symphonies in the past week I'll have avert my eyes from that one.

That's the only Sibelius cycle I have Seán. I do have Symphonies 3&4 by Karajan/BPO but it left me cold. What would you recommend? I was half thinking of the Vänskä set.

I have the Sanderling/VSO, Blomstedt/SFSO, Vänskä/Lahti, Bernstein/NYPO & Maazel/VPO complete cycles. I have listened to Symphony No 1 from the last two but haven't had time to listen to all of the symphonies in order to form an opinion. I agree with you on HVK he leaves me cold, I only have a couple of the EMI recordings but none of the DG.
I think that the Sanderling is a steal for around €10 on Brilliant Classics, it's a vastly underrated cycle in my opinion. Blomstedt never disappoints and the SFSO are in fine form throughout whilst the Vanska/Lahti recordings are a real joy, I have them in a 15 CD BIS box set. I am fond of all three sets. The Bernstein and Maazel come highly recommended too and that's why I got them.
After all that are you any the wiser?