What are you listening to?

[Seán]

If however, I was to now recommend ONE disk of SQs for an entry level, then I'd probably go for this one:



near flawless delivery of some of the finest SQs ever written... please try it for size, and let us know what you think... :-)

You, young sir, have exquisite taste.

[Seán]

I can't get on board with string quartets, but it's probably lack of exposure. Where should I start if I want to be convinced?

Where it all started....Haydn.

Wrong! Good try though, Schubert actually. ;)

[fergus]

Double Dvorak....

[Seán]

Double Dvorak....

Oh, that looks very interesting indeed.

[Seán]

I expect that that is a marvellous recording.

[fergus]

I can't get on board with string quartets, but it's probably lack of exposure. Where should I start if I want to be convinced?

Where it all started....Haydn.

Wrong! Good try though, Schubert actually. ;)

I forgot for a moment that he is a capable organist so if we really want to blow his mind perhaps we should send him to the late Beethoven quartets, particularly the Op. 133 Grosse Fugue!!!

[Jared]

I can't get on board with string quartets, but it's probably lack of exposure. Where should I start if I want to be convinced?

Where it all started....Haydn.

Wrong! Good try though, Schubert actually. ;)

yes, the Haydn SQs are utterly magnificent, but they are a labour of love, which took me an entire summer.... all 22 disks of them. Personally, I wouldn't start with the Haydn SQs, because someone completely new to the form, they would probably come across a bit 'samey'. Although I am in no way initiated into these things, I would say the Haydn's are 'Connoisseur's SQs.... definitely the Mozart 'Haydn' SQs before the Haydn ones... imho.

[fergus]

I expect that that is a marvellous recording.

They are both very good Seán but the Kubelik is particularly excellent.

[Jared]

perhaps we should send him to the late Beethoven quartets, particularly the Op. 133 Grosse Fugue!!!

Now Mr Fergus, I think you're just being unkind... ;-)

[Seán]

I can't get on board with string quartets, but it's probably lack of exposure. Where should I start if I want to be convinced?

Where it all started....Haydn.

yes, the Haydn SQs are utterly magnificent, but they are a labour of love, which took me an entire summer.... all 22 disks of them.

Agreed

Personally, I wouldn't start with the Haydn SQs, because someone completely new to the form, they would probably come across a bit 'samey'. Although I am in no way initiated into these things, I would say the Haydn's are 'Connoisseur's SQs.... definitely the Mozart 'Haydn' SQs before the Haydn ones... imho.

Probably Mozart before Haydn, not sure though, but I would definitely select Death and the Maiden before all else, for a newbie that is, it is glorious music.