Ludwig van Beethoven: The String Quartets

Media Review / Comparison Summary

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2013-02-14 — Original posting (on Blogger)
2013-11-12 — Latest update
2014-11-05 — Re-posting as is (WordPress)
2016-07-13 — Brushed up for better readability
2019-01-23 — Added Quatuor Mosaïques, The Late Quartets

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Introduction: String Quartets by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)

In a series of blog entries, posted over the past months, I have compared the recordings of Beethoven’s String Quartets in my music collection, tackling one quartet per blog posting:

• op.18/1, F major (2011-10-23 / 2012-10-07)
• op.18/2, G major (2011-10-29 / 2012-10-08 )
• op.18/3, D major (2011-11-05 / 2013-09-16)
• op.18/4, C minor (2011-11-19 / 2012-10-14)
• op.18/5, A major (2011-12-08 / 2013-10-05)
• op.18/6, B♭ major (2011-12-13 / 2012-10-19)
• Quartet in F major, after op.14/1 (2013-02-03)
• op.59/1, F major, “Razumovsky I” (2012-01-16 / 2012-10-24)
• op.59/2, E minor, “Razumovsky II” (2012-01-21 / 2012-10-28)
• op.59/3, C major, “Razumovsky III” (2012-02-08 / 2012-10-30)
• op.74, E♭ major, “Harp Quartet” (2012-02-13 / 2012-11-02)
• op.95, F minor, “Serioso” (2012-03-08 / 2013-10-12)
• op.127, E♭ major (2012-03-20 / 2012-11-08)
• op.130, B♭ major (2012-04-11 / 2013-02-04)
• op.131, C♯ minor (2012-12-06)
• op.132, a minor (2013-01-25 / 2013-01-26)
• Fugue op.133, B♭ major, “Great Fugue” (2013-02-02 / 2013-11-10)
• op.135, F major, “Muss es sein? — Es muss sein!” (2013-02-15 / 2013-10-25)

Purpose of the Summary

In this note I would like to summarize the results of all of the above postings, this time focusing on artist rather than individual compositions; at the bottom of this posting you find a table that collects all of my ratings. Please keep in mind that a) these are just my personal ratings, and b) the criteria in comparing performances of music that has been composed 200 years ago can’t be entirely objective: the composer’s notation only provides a rough skeleton defining how the music was intended to sound; most artists don’t (or can’t) resort to period instruments — and even if we were really able to reproduce the original sound (which we can only approximate now), we cannot reproduce the human perception at the time of the composition, as our ears & brain are heavily biased by the music performed today!

The Ensembles in the Comparison

For details on the actual CDs / recordings please select the appropriate blog postings from the list above; full CD details are typically given on the first sonata (sorted as shown above) for a given CD or CD set. The sections below are sorted by the name of the quartet; the following ensembles are featured here:

• Alban Berg Quartet
• Amadeus Quartet
• Artemis Quartet
• Brooklyn Rider
• Busch Quartett
• Chiaroscuso Quartet
• Emerson String Quartet
• Endellion String Quartet
• Guarneri String Quartet
• Hagen Quartett
• Kuijken Quartet
• LaSalle Quartet
• Leipziger Streichquartett
• Melos Quartett Stuttgart
• Quartetto Italiano
• Quatuor Mosaïques
• Takács Quartet

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Alban Berg Quartett

The Ensemble

Alban Berg Quartett (Günther Pichler, Gerhard Schulz, Thomas Kakuska, Valentin Erben)

Recordings, Rating

• 1982 – 1984: EMI CDS 7 47135 8 (stereo, 4 CD)
  Beethoven, The Late String Quartets (opp.127, 130-133, 135)
• Average rating (27 tracks): 3.3

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Amadeus Quartet

The Ensemble

Amadeus Quartet (Norbert Brainin, Siegmund Nissel, Peter Schidlof, Martin Lovett)

Recordings, Rating

• 1959 – 1963: DG 463 143-2 (stereo, 7 CD)
  Beethoven, The String Quartets (opp.18, 59, 74, 95, 127, 130-133, 135)
• Average rating (76 tracks): 2.3

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Artemis Quartet

The Ensemble

Artemis Quartet (up to 2005: Natalia Prischepenko, Heime Müller, Volker Jacobsen, Eckart Runge)
Artemis Quartet (after 2005: Natalia Prischepenko, Gregor Sigl, Friedemann Weigele, Eckart Runge)

Recordings, Rating

• 1998 – 2002: Virgin Classics 50999 607102 0 8 (2 CD, stereo)
  Beethoven, String Quartets opp.18/2, 59/3, 131, 132
• 2005: Virgin Classics 72435 45738 2 8 (stereo)
  Beethoven, String Quartets opp.59/1 & 95
• 2008: Virgin Classics 009463 80268 2 2 (stereo)
  Beethoven, String Quartets opp.18/4, 59/2
• 2010: Virgin Classics 50999 628659 0 6 (stereo)
  Beethoven, String Quartets opp.18/1, 127
• 2010: Virgin Classics 50999 69458 0 8 (stereo)
  Beethoven, String Quartets opp.18/6, 130, 133
• 2011: Virgin Classics 50999 070834 2 6 (stereo)
  Beethoven, String Quartets opp.18/3, 18/5, 135
• 2011: EMI Records / Virgin Classics (download)
  Beethoven, String Quartets opp.74, 14/1
• Average rating (74 tracks): 4.7

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Brooklyn Rider

The Ensemble

Brooklyn Rider (Johnny Gandelsman, Colin Jacobsen, Nicholas Cords, Eric Jacobsen)

Recordings, Rating

• 2011: In a Circle Records ICR005 (stereo)
  Brooklyn Rider: Seven Steps; Tignor: Together into This Unknowable Night; Beethoven: String Quartet op.131
• Average rating (7 tracks): 4.4

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Busch Quartett

The Ensemble

Busch Quartett (Adolf Busch, Gösta Andreasson, Karl Doktor, Hermann Busch)

Recordings, Rating

• 1932 – 1941: Pearl, Pavilion Records Ltd., GEMS 0053 (3 CDs)
  Beethoven, The Late Quartets opp.95, 127, 130-133, 135
• Average rating (30 tracks): 3.5

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Chiaroscuso Quartet

The Ensemble

Chiaroscuro Quartet (Alina Ibragimova, Pablo Hernán Benedí, Emilie Hörnlund, Claire Thirion)

Recordings, Rating

• 2012: Aparté APO51 (stereo, CD)
  Beethoven: String Quartet in F minor, op.95; Mozart: Adagio & Fugue K.546, String Quartet K.428
• Average rating (4 tracks): 4.5

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Emerson String Quartet

The Ensemble

Emerson String Quartet (Eugene Drucker, Philip Setzer, Lawrence Dutton, David Finckel)

Recordings, Rating

• 1996 – 1997: DG 447 075-2 (stereo, 7 CD)
  Beethoven, The String Quartets (opp.18, 59, 74, 95, 127, 130-133, 135)
• Average rating (71 tracks): 3.1

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Endellion String Quartet

The Ensemble

Endellion String Quartet (Andrew Watkinson, Ralph de Souza, Garfield Jackson, David Waterman)

Recordings, Rating

• 2005 – 2008: WCJ (Warner Classics & Jazz) 2564 69471-3 (stereo, 10 CD)
  Beethoven, Complete String Quartets, Quintets & Fragments
• Average rating (74 tracks): 2.7

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Guarneri String Quartet

The Ensemble

Guarneri String Quartet (Arnold Steinhardt, John Dalley, Michael Tree, David Soyer)

Recordings, Rating

• 1969: RCA Victor / BMG Classics 60458-2-RG (stereo, 3 CD)
  Beethoven, The Late String Quartets, opp.127, 130-133, 135
• 1966 – 1969: RCA Victor / BMG Classics 60457-2 (stereo, 3 CD)
  Beethoven, The Middle String Quartets, opp.59, 74, 95
• 1991 – 1992: Philips 432 980-2 (stereo, 2 CD)
  Beethoven, String Quartets op.59
• 1995: Philips 434 115-2 (stereo, 3 CD)
  Beethoven, String Quartets op.18
• Average rating (84 tracks): 2.5

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Hagen Quartett

The Ensemble

Hagen Quartett (Lukas Hagen, Rainer Schmidt, Veronika Hagen, Clemens Hagen)

Recordings, Rating

• 1990: DG 431 814-2 (stereo)
  Beethoven, String Quartet op. 135; Schubert, String Quartet D.810 “Death and the Maiden”
• 1999: DG / iTunes download (stereo)
  Beethoven, String Quartets opp.18/4, 131
• 2000 / 2001: DG 471 580-2 (stereo)
  Bach, 5 Fugues BWV 871, 874, 876 – 878; Mozart, Adagio & Fugue K.546; Beethoven, String Quartets opp.130 & 133
• 2003: DG / iTunes download (stereo)
  Beethoven, String Quartets opp.18/1, 59/1
• 2003 / 2004: DG 00289 477 5705 (stereo)
  Beethoven, Streichquartette opp.127 & 132
• 2010: Myrios Classics / iTunes download (stereo)
  Beethoven: String Quartet op. 59/2; Mozart: String Quartet K.428; Webern: 5 Stücke op.5, Bagatellen op.9
• 2012: Myrios Classics MYR009 (SACD: 5-channel surround / stereo)
  Beethoven: String Quartets opp.18/3, 18/5, 135
• Average rating (54 tracks): 4.95

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Kuijken Quartet

The Ensemble

Kuijken Quartet (Veronica Kuijken, Sigiswald Kuijken, Sara Kuijken, Wieland Kuijken)

Recordings, Rating

• 2006 – 2009: Challenge classics CC72362 (2 x SACD)
  Beethoven, String Quartets op.59, String Quintet op.29
• Average rating (12 tracks): 5.0

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LaSalle Quartet

The Ensemble

LaSalle Quartet (Walter Levin, Henry W. Meyer, Peter Kamnitzer, Jack Kirstein)

Recordings, Rating

• 1970: Brilliant Classics 94064 (3 CDs)
  Beethoven, The Late String Quartets (opp.127, 130 – 133, 135)
• Average rating (27 tracks): 3.2

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Leipziger Streichquartett

The Ensemble

Leipziger Streichquartett (Andreas Seidel, Tilman Büning, Ivo Bauer, Matthias Moosdorf)

Recordings, Rating

• 1998 / 1994: Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm, MDG 307 0820-2 (stereo)
  Beethoven, String Quartets opp.131 & 135
• 2002: Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm, MDG 307 0854-2 (stereo)
  Beethoven, String Quartets opp.127 & 132
• 2007: Musikproduktion Dabringhaus und Grimm, MDG 307 0851-2 (stereo)
  Beethoven, String Quartets opp.130 & 133
• Average rating (27 tracks): 3.8

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Melos Quartett Stuttgart

The Ensemble

Melos Quartett Stuttgart (Wilhelm Melcher, Gerhard Voss, Hermann Voss, Peter Buck)

Recordings, Rating

• 1983: DG 410 971-2 (stereo, 3 CD)
  Beethoven, Die frühen Streichquartette op.18
• 1984: DG 415 342-1 (stereo, 3 CD)
  Beethoven, Die mittleren Streichquartette op.14/1, opp.59, 74, 95
• 1984 – 1985: DG 415 676-1 (stereo, 3 CD)
  Beethoven, Die späten Streichquartette, opp.127, 130-133, 135
• Average rating (85 tracks): 4.0

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Quartetto Italiano

The Ensemble

Quartetto Italiano (Paolo Borciani, Elisa Pegreffi, Piero Farulli, Franco Rossi)

Recordings, Rating

• 1967 – 1971: Decca 454 062-2 (stereo, 10 CD)
  Beethoven, Complete String Quartets (opp.18, 59, 74, 95, 127, 130-133, 135)
• Average rating (71 tracks): 2.8

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Quatuor Mosaïques

The Ensemble

Quatuor Mosaïques (Erich Höbarth, Andrea Bischof, Anita Mitterer, Christophe Coin)

Recordings, Rating

• 2004: naïve E 8899 (stereo)
  Beethoven, String Quartets op.18/1 & 18/4
• 2005: naïve E 8902 (stereo)
  Beethoven, String Quartets op.18/2 & 18/3
• 1994: naïve E 8901 (stereo)
  Beethoven, String Quartets op.18/5 & 18/6
• 2017: naïve V 5445 (stereo)
  Beethoven, The Late Quartets (opp.127, 130 – 133, 135) — Not reviewed yet
• Average rating (24 tracks): 4.95

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Takács Quartet

The Ensemble

Takács Quartet (Edward Dusinberre, Károly Schranz, Roger Tapping, András Fejér)

Recordings, Rating

• 2004: Decca 470 849-2 (stereo, 3 CD)
  Beethoven, The Late String Quartets (opp.95, 127, 130 – 133, 135)
• Average rating (31 tracks): 3.6

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Notes on the Comparison

In the table below I’m summarizing the results of my iTunes ratings (*, **, **, ****, *****). Keep in mind that these ratings are subjective, though I have tried my best to avoid underrating specific recordings, e.g.,

• by listening to slower recordings first (as after a fast recording, a slow interpretation may often sound “clumsy”)
• later in the comparison, I sometimes would also listen to those recordings first which I anticipate to be worse than others — not in order to confirm a prejudice, but because after a good one, a bad recording may sound even worse;
• by avoiding directly confronting “classic” recordings with newer, “historically informed” performances, or recordings with period instruments;

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A Summary Table

Note also that not all of the table below can be viewed as direct comparison, as for some ensembles I only had a few quartets to compare, and there may not be any overlap between recordings of such ensembles. Finally: the recordings of Beethoven’s string quintet in C major, op.29, are not included in the table below.

The fact that some artists only received top five-star ratings is partly due to the limitations in the iTunes rating options, with obvious limitations in the differentiation. In general, I used the rating levels as follows:

• ***** = top rating, my favorite recording(s)
• **** = excellent recording
• *** = good recording, often a typical “classic” recording
• ** = dominated by features / attributes that I dislike, or with “moderate deficiencies”
• * = major objections, or recordings that are against the composer’s (perceived) intent, etc.

Despite the lack of rating differentiation, the above summary should (at least for artists represented by a complete collection of all quartets) be relatively safe against occasional mis-ratings due to confrontation with the “wrong” contenders, due to variations in my own “receptivity” etc., thanks to the sheer number of the ratings which should average out occasional, minor errors. That said, there is of course no guarantee that anyone will agree with the above results…

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A loosely related post:

2013-02-25: Beethoven String Quartets, Personal Addendum

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