Comparison recordings of these quartets:
Guarneri Quartet [late 1960s ADD] RCA/BMG
82876-55704-2
Vegh Quartet [1952 monophonic AAD] Music
& Arts CD-1084
Hollywood String Quartet [{Opp 127-133}1958
monophonic ADD] Testament SBT 3082
Alban Berg Quartet, {Opp 18, 130-133},
EMI 7243 5 69793 2 1; et al.
Talich Quartet [ADD] Calliope CAL 9635,
et al.
When I heard my first
volume of this set (No. 4) I was very
impressed, but thought they couldn’t
possibly keep up this level of quality
through the whole cycle, and warned
readers accordingly. Now that I have
heard the full set, I can only say I
am unexpectedly overwhelmed. I have
never enjoyed this music so much. I
have never appreciated this music so
much. I never expected, ever again in
my life, to put on a set of the Opus
18 Quartets and sit for nearly three
hours on the edge of my seat wondering
what was coming next, as though I had
never heard them before.
This has at once become
my most cherished set of these quartets.
Throughout this set of 8 CDs there is
not a single note that is not exactly
where it should be, from the heart as
well as from the head. True, the Vegh
quartet get more frenzy in the finale
of No. 8, but their tone is steely,
the recording 1956 monophonic; an experience
never to be missed, but perhaps not
to be repeated too often. The Hollywood
quartet are sweet and rhapsodic in No.
14, but perhaps a little too sweet;
perhaps there isn’t that much there
apart from sweetness. The Talich quartet
also play with great intelligence and
drama, but their instruments, their
technique, their recording, are not
nearly the equal of this set. The Guarnari
quartet [ADD] were my previous overall
favorite set, but the Russians feel
everything, and can make us feel it,
just that much deeper, with just that
little bit more beauty, in digital sound.
Also, in comparison, the Guanarians’
dynamics seem a little exaggerated.
The Alban Berg quartet present us with
a magnificent traditional Viennese-German
aesthetic, brilliant technique, gentle
lyricism, and are also closely and brilliantly
recorded; but there remains more than
a whiff of Prussian grit and steel here
and there. If it has been said that
Beethoven encompassed the whole world
in his music, Russia is an important
part of that world, and the contribution
from Russia is not merely welcome, but
maybe essential. We remember that some
of these quartets are dedicated to Count
Rasoumovsky; Beethoven was not unaware
of the Russian soul, and might even
have envied it. In sum, this Borodin
Quartet performance has you singing
along and stamping your foot in time
from the first to the last, weeping
— but with dry eyes, occasionally laughing
out loud, awestruck at the singing tone,
the brilliance, accuracy, and agility
of the phrasing. Many times in my mind
I compared Aharonian’s playing with
Heifetz’s playing, and Heifetz didn’t
always come out the winner. When it’s
all over you want to run up on stage
and give each of the players a Russian
bear-hug, you feel you have lived years
of your lives together.
As an experiment I
listened to three different performances
of the Grosse Fuge, Op 133, one
right after the other, the most objective
and least sentimental of all the works.
The upper parts were played much alike,
but in the cello part there were great
differences.
Put this set in your
changer, set it on random, push play,
and whatever comes out of the speaker
will knock your socks off. Not merely
brilliance, but consistent brilliance.
Whoever thought Beethoven could sound
like this? But now that we know, others
will be held to this standard. I suspect
a number of distinguished sets of this
music will be removed from the market
shortly.
For my money the best
set of Beethoven quartets ever produced.
No matter who else you like, you must
have this one, too. I’m sorry if I am
boring you with superlatives, but I
call ‘em as I see ‘em. Buy this set;
you’ll thank me.
Paul Shoemaker
CHANDOS CHAN 10381(3) [55.58 + 51.06
+ 60.30] 
