Well let me tell you, Beethoven was a ground breaking composer in just about every category he composed in and his SQs are NO Exception. B amazes me with his twists and turns. B was a moody individual and his SQs reflect his personality. Everything here is exceptional. He pushes the limits and then pulls back the reigns and provides you with a heart wrenching slow mvt which melts you. There is something for everyone, he includes a full range of emotions.
The Op. 18 SQs are his starting point with an exclamation point. They are 4 mvt. Haydn style SQs, but seem to take you to a place where no one else was going. They are preludes to his Mid to Late SQs. In a way, I wish he would have written a few more of these sets before moving on, because they are exceptional.
From what I have read about B, he tirelessly researched his predecessors and found a new inventive prospective which they had not conceived. For instance, the Mid-SQs, Op. 59, 74, 95 move in an uncharted direction which no other composer was following at the time. The final mvt.s are mvt.s within mvt.s. Slow and fast passages all in the last movt. while keeping their listener appeal; only Beethoven can do this.
As for his late SQs, he seems to reach to the future and beyond. Think of all of those modern musicians who reached to the future or were or are ahead of their time. Well, B did that two centuries ahead of them. The late SQs are celebral leaps which serve as models to composers after him.
As for the recording and performance, the ABQ have made B's SQs their OWN!!! THERE IS NOTHING BETTER.
Image Unavailable
Image not available for
Color:
Color:
-
-
-
- Sorry, this item is not available in
- Image not available
- To view this video download Flash Player
Beethoven: The Complete String Quartets
Box Set
$14.53 $14.53
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime
FREE Returns
Return this item for free
We offer easy, convenient returns with at least one free return option: no shipping charges. All returns must comply with our returns policy.
Learn more about free returns. How to return the item?
- Go to your orders and start the return
- Select your preferred free shipping option
- Drop off and leave!
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
WARNING:
California’s Proposition 65
Track Listings
Disc: 1
1 | Qt in F, Op.18 No.1: I. Allegro Con Brio |
2 | Qt in F, Op.18 No.1: II. Adagio Affettuoso Ed Appassionato |
3 | Qt in F, Op.18 No.1: III. Scherzo (Allegro Molto) & Trio |
4 | Qt in F, Op.18 No.1: IV. Allegro |
5 | Qt in F, Op.59 No.1: I. Allegro |
6 | Qt in F, Op.59 No.1: II. Allegretto Vivace E Sempre Scherzando |
7 | Qt in F, Op.59 No.1: III. Adagio Molto E Mesto/IV. Allegro (Theme Russe) |
Disc: 2
1 | Qt in G, Op.18 No.2: I. Allegro |
2 | Qt in G, Op.18 No.2: II. Adagio Cantabile |
3 | Qt in G, Op.18 No.2: III. Scherzo (Allegro) & Trio |
4 | Qt in G, Op.18 No.2: IV. Allegro Molto, Quasi Presto |
5 | Qt in B flat, Op.18 No.6: I. Allegro Con Brio |
6 | Qt in B flat, Op.18 No.6: II. Adagio, Ma Non Troppo |
7 | Qt in B flat, Op.18 No.6: III. Scherzo (Allegro) & Trio |
8 | Qt in B flat, Op.18 No.6: IV. Adagio (La Malinconia) - Allegretto Quasi Allegro |
9 | Qt in F, Op.135: I. Allegretto |
10 | Qt in F, Op.135: II. Vivace |
11 | Qt in F, Op.135: III. Lento Assai, Cantante E Tranquillo |
12 | Qt in F, Op.135: IV. Grave, Ma Non Troppo Tratto - Allegro |
Disc: 3
1 | Qt in D, Op.18 No.3: I. Allegro |
2 | Qt in D, Op.18 No.3: II. Andante Con Moto |
3 | Qt in D, Op.18 No.3: III. Allegro |
4 | Qt in D, Op.18 No.3: IV. Presto |
5 | Qt in A, Op.18 No.5: I. Allegro |
6 | Qt in A, Op.18 No.5: II. Menuetto & Trio |
7 | Qt in A, Op.18 No.5: III. Andante Cantabile |
8 | Qt in A, Op.18 No.5: IV. Allegro |
9 | Qt in f, Op.95: I. Allegro Con Brio |
10 | Qt in f, Op.95: II. Allegretto Ma Non Troppo - III. Allegro Assai Vivace, Ma Serioso |
11 | Qt in f, Op.95: IV. Larghetto Espressivo - Allegretto Agitato - Allegro |
Disc: 4
1 | Qt in c, Op.18 No.4: I. Allegro Ma Non Tanto |
2 | Qt in c, Op.18 No.4: II. Scherzo (Andante Scherzoso Quasi Allegretto) |
3 | Qt in c, Op.18 No.4: III. Menuetto (Allegretto) & Trio |
4 | Qt in c, Op.18 No.4: IV. Allegro |
5 | Qt in B flat, Op.130: I. Adagio Ma Non Troppo - Allegro |
6 | Qt in B flat, Op.130: II. Presto |
7 | Qt in B flat, Op.130: III. Andante Con Moto, Ma Non Troppo |
8 | Qt in B flat, Op.130: IV. Alla Danza Tedesca (Allegro Assai) |
9 | Qt in B flat, Op.130: V. Cavatina (Adagio Molto Espressivo) |
10 | Grosse Fuge in B flat, Op.133: |
11 | Qt in B flat, Op.130: VI. Finale (Allegro) |
Disc: 5
1 | Qt in e, Op.59 No.2 'Rasumovsky': I. Allegro |
2 | Qt in e, Op.59 No.2 'Rasumovsky': II. Molto Adagio |
3 | Qt in e, Op.59 No.2 'Rasumovsky': III. Allegretto |
4 | Qt in e, Op.59 No.2 'Rasumovsky': IV. Finale (Presto) |
5 | Qt in E flat,Op.127: I. Maestoso - Allegro |
6 | Qt in E flat,Op.127: II. Adagio Ma Non Troppo, Molto Cantabile |
7 | Qt in E flat,Op.127: III. Scherzando Vivace |
8 | Qt in E flat,Op.127: IV. Finale |
Disc: 6
1 | Qt in C, Op.59 No.3 'Rasumovksy': I. Intro (Andante Con Moto) - Allegro Vivace |
2 | Qt in C, Op.59 No.3 'Rasumovksy': II. Andante Con Moto Quasi Allegretto |
3 | Qt in C, Op.59 No.3 'Rasumovksy': III. Menuetto (Grazioso) & Trio |
4 | Op. 131 In C Sharp Minor: I: Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo |
5 | Op. 131 In C Sharp Minor: II: Allegro molto vivace |
6 | Op. 131 In C Sharp Minor: III: Allegro moderato |
7 | Op. 131 In C Sharp Minor: IV: Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile |
8 | Op. 131 In C Sharp Minor: V: Presto |
9 | Op. 131 In C Sharp Minor: VI: Adagio quasi un poco andante |
10 | Qt in c#, Op.131: VI. Allegro |
Disc: 7
1 | Qt in E flat, Op.74 'Hp': I. Poco Adagio - Allegro |
2 | Qt in E flat, Op.74 'Hp': II. Adagio Ma Non Troppo |
3 | Qt in E flat, Op.74 'Hp': III. Presto/IV. Allegretto Con Var |
4 | Qt in E flat, Op.74 'Hp': I. Allegro Sostenuto - Allegro |
5 | Qt in a, Op.132: II. Allegro Ma Non Tanto |
6 | Qt in a, Op.132: III. Molto Adagio |
7 | Qt in a, Op.132: IV. Alla Marcia, Assai Vivace |
8 | Qt in a, Op.132: V. Allegro Appassionato |
Product details
- Is Discontinued By Manufacturer : No
- Product Dimensions : 11.81 x 0.39 x 11.81 inches; 7.05 ounces
- Manufacturer : EMI Classics
- Date First Available : January 21, 2007
- Label : EMI Classics
- ASIN : B000026D4J
- Number of discs : 7
- Best Sellers Rank: #194,593 in CDs & Vinyl (See Top 100 in CDs & Vinyl)
- #5,057 in Symphonies (CDs & Vinyl)
- #5,489 in Chamber Music (CDs & Vinyl)
- Customer Reviews:
Customer reviews
4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
103 global ratings
How customer reviews and ratings work
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonTop reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
- Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2008
- Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2010Everything one hears about the 16 Beethoven String Quartets is absolutely true and, still, nothing prepares one for them. Because of his epic status in musical history, it is easy to take Ludwig Van Beethoven for granted but, upon experiencing this most intimate,restless,adventurous and astonishing body of work, one is forced to conclude that all the historical accolades cannot do this composer justice.
Where the symphonies reveal Beethoven the performance artist, the string quartets are spiritually and psychologically under the skin. Yes, we have Beethoven's God obsession here, seemingly forever wrestling with the Jacobian angel, and, simultaneously,we experience the composer's self criticism, his frustrations, his loneliness, his unadulterated love of life and art, his personal wrestling and his aesthetic voice pushing itself to new languages (esp; the Grosse Fugue, which understandably startled Beethoven's contemporaries).
Because these string quartets rank as one of the most startling, dialectic, existential journeys in all of art, no one recorded collection can have the final word, just as no single exposure to the music can reap the rewards awaiting. The early Lerner Quartet, the Busch Quartet, the Quartet Italiano, the Emerson Quartet, the Guarneri Quartet, and specific performances (of the Fugue) by Michael Gielen, Herman Scherchen and Leonard Bernstein (op 131 & 135, remarkably transcribed-it was Bernstein's favorite of his own recordings) are all essential but, overall, it is the Alban Berg Quartet who most consistently satisfies. Dramatic power and consummate finesse go hand in hand with these performers and that is a difficult thing to pull off, which the Alban Berg do in spades.
This same quartet revisited these works and filmed them. Those are available on DVD and are an experience to watch as well.
- Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2005These are wonderful renditions of these Quartets. I had worn out my records and finally decided it was time to get a CD version of this fantastic music. The first thing that came as a surprise was when Disk Number 4 would not load into Itunes on my Mac. I was able to get it to work on my Wife's PC and copy it onto a new CD and get past the problem that way, but it seemed odd my MAC could not read this disk. Then I discovered all the tracks on each disk are mislabeled after the first quartet. This meant manually correcting each entry on every disk (7 of them) which was labor intensive. I love the music but any potential buyer who purchases these with the intention of loading them into their IPOD should be aware of this quality control problem.
- Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2007On LP I own any number of complete Beethoven String Quartets played by the great masters of that genre. I bought them all as a teenager and in college. When I started buying CDs a complete Beethoven set for over $100 by a great quartet became out of my price range at the time. To find the Berg Quartet, (a favorite group of mine), surveying these great works at this price from Amazon is one of the best bargains going.
I went immediately to Op. 135 and found it marvelous in concept, execution and recording. I've now listened to almost all the quartets, and the consistency is wonderful. Because I'm in the business I'm using only high end professional equipment for playback and the sound is truly "You Are There". The recordings capture the upper overtones of all the instruments without the least harhsness, no mean feat. The blend of the group and the hall is articulated in a way that happens on only a very few recordings. Ocassionally one can hear a minor difference in what might be placement of microphones, even from movement to movement. This could, in fact, be the result of a temperature or humidity change in the recording venue. You have to pay very close attention to notice this and it does nothing to diminish these sonic wonders) Worth thrice the price.
Top reviews from other countries
- Aart BosseReviewed in Canada on November 1, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent service!!!
Love this product!
Used for personal use.
-
PAULReviewed in France on April 26, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars les quatuors à corde de Beethoven sont magnifiques
Belle interprétation. Coffret en très bon état de même que les CD. Bonne écoute.
- M. WoodmanReviewed in the United Kingdom on February 18, 2011
5.0 out of 5 stars Travel in realms of gold...
I am so pleased to have been introduced to this set, through other Amazon reviewers among other sources.
Pure serene is here in plenty.
Also loud and bold, when appropriate.
What you don't get is the self-aware virtuoso, individualistic statement that characterises some more recent interpretations.
It is also exceptional value, possibly because the presentation is very simple: 7 discs in cardboard sleeves in a box with a booklet. But, hey, you can easily put them in jewel cases from CVB Media. You can even rework them into sets of early, middle etc on iTunes, rather than leave them as the ready-made concert presentation of the collection as it comes. If you like.
The main thing is, set aside lots of listening time. No matter how many times you have heard other versions.
-
Andre ArnoldReviewed in Germany on July 27, 2009
5.0 out of 5 stars Essenz und Existenz
Das Alban Berg Quartett wird auch heute noch weit unterschätzt und für konservativ gehalten; mit dieser Einspielung der Beethoven Quartette allerdings beweisen sie genau das Gegenteil: innovativ freudig und an den entscheidenden Stellen zupackend.
Die frühen sechs Quartette op. 18: Das F Dur und das D Dur Quartett sind sehr ausdrucksvoll vor allem in den langsamen Sätzen dargestellt; das G Dur und das A Dur Quartett zeigen, dass das Alban Berg Quartett sich vormals viel mit den Haydn und Mozart Quartetten beschäftigt hat. Die Früchte dessen blühen hier voll auf. Aber insbesondere das ausdrucksintensive c moll Quartett ragt hervor durch eine empathische Aufführung. Und das Highlight dieses ersten Zyklus', das B Dur Quartett, ist so gut interpretiert, dass einem spätestens bei La Malinconia die Worte fehlen.
Die mittleren Quartette op. 59, 72 und 95: Die drei fast vollkommenen Razumovsky Quartette op. 59 erfahren hier die Aufmerksamkeit, die ihnen gebührt. Das F Dur Quartett ist spielerisch leicht und beschwingt dargeboten; dahingegen ist das pathetische e moll Quartett, das düsterste, das Beethoven schrieb, völlig korrekt impressiv interpretiert, so dass man beinahe schaudert. Das C Dur Quartett schließlich ist markig und kernig dargestellt, an sich genial.
Das eigentlich recht oberflächliche Es Dur Quartett op. 72 (Harfen Quartett) lässt ganz neue Seiten an sich entdecken: Das Pizzicato ist so beschwingt wie kaum ein anderes und auch der Rest des Quartettes beeindruckt.
Und schließlich das f moll Quartett op. 95 (Serioso), das meiner Ansicht nach nur deshalb nicht zu den späten Quartetten gezählt wird, weil seine Opuszahl zu niedrig ist. An sich ist es das dichteste aller Beethoven Quartette, das intimste und das kantigste. Das Eingangsallegro ist derartig dicht interpretiert, dass derart viele Eindrücke auf den Hörer einstürzen, welche zu verarbeiten dem Unerfahrenen wohl Schwierigkeiten bereiten dürfte. Nach dem langsamen Satz folgt das impressive Scherzo. Das an und für sich unvollkommene Finale berauscht.
Die späten Quartette op. 127, 130 mit 133, 131, 132 und 135: Das wunderbare Es Dur Quartett op. 127 wartet mit der schönsten Einleitung auf, die je ein Quartett erfahren hat: das Maestoso, das die Struktur des eigentlich lustigen ersten Satzes stetig durchbricht. Nach dem heilsamen langsamen Satz folgen zwei sich recht ähnliche Sätze, deren Spannung das Alban Berg Quartett mit seiner Darbietung ins Unermessliche steigert.
Das abgefahrene B Dur Quartett op. 130 ist mein persönlicher Favorit. Schwer zu durchdringen und vor allem zum Ende ernst wie kein anderes wartet es mit einigen Kostbarkeiten. Der seltsam statische, fast passive erste Satz wird immer wieder durch das Eingangsadagio gehemmt. Das kleine aber feine Presto ist so herrlich interpretiert, wie man es nur interpretieren kann. Der dritte und vierte Satz sind weniger spektakulär. Die Cavatina ist vom Alban Berg Quartett eindrucksvoll dargeboten. Und schließlich die Große Fuge op. 133, das originale Finale, das Beethoven ob seiner Sperrigkeit und Überlänge durch ein leichter zugänglicheres ersetzte - Beethovens letzte Komposition überhaupt: Derart schroff und kantig, dann heilsam und letzten Endes strahlend interpretiert habe ich sie noch nie vorgefunden.
Das cis moll Quartett op. 131, von dem viele sagen, es sei Beethovens bestes, besticht durch seine impressive Einleitung, den langsamen Variationssatz, die Tatsache, dass alle Sätze attaca ineinander übergehen, und das dämonische Finale. Aber auch das Allegro vivace und das Allegro moderato bestechen in dieser Interpretation. Der fünfte und sechste Satz steigern hier die Spannung ins Profunde.
In a moll steht op. 132. Wie schon in op. 130 und 131 stehen allerdings nur noch der Kopfsatz und das Finale in der Grundtonart. Wie in op. 130 ist auch hier der Kopsatz von seltsamer Statik. Der zweite Satz ist wunderbar. Schließlich folgt das größte und ausdruckintensivste Adagio, welches jemals geschrieben worden ist: der Heilige Dankgesang. Und das Alban Berg Quartett nimmt sich viel Zeit mit der Darbietung. Die Danza tedesca ist wohlgeformt und taugt als Überleitung. Das Allegro appassionato des Finales ist ausgezeichnet und wirklich appassioniert gespielt.
Bleibt schließlich das F Dur Quartett op. 135, von dem man gemeinhin sagt, es sei das gewöhnlichste der späten Quartette. Aber bei seiner Interpretation macht auch dieses einige Mühe. Nach einem Allegretto und einem recht diabolischen Vivace folgt ein einprägsames Lento. Das Finale, der "schwer gefaßte Entschluß", ist wohl eher scherzend zu verstehen. Auch er ist von wunderbarer Einprägsamkeit.
Seltsam finde ich die Anordnung der Quartette auf den CDs.
Fazit: Die meines Wissens beste Einspielung dieses Quartett Zyklus', besonders im Vergleich zur Einspielung des Amadeus Quartettes, des Guarneri Quartettes und des Emerson String Quartets.
-
気抜けゴールReviewed in Japan on December 3, 2011
5.0 out of 5 stars シャープで明快 ハイブリッドな演奏
シャープで明快、緊迫度の高い、迫力に満ちた名演奏。
グイグイ引き込まれます。
自由で大胆、説得力あるアプローチに脱帽です。
ただ皆さんご指摘のように、曲順が整っていないため、
各ディスクの収録曲を知りたい場合は、
下記「HMV」のサイトが分かりやすいと思います。
[...]
ベートーヴェン(1770-1827) ( Ludwig van Beethoven )
弦楽四重奏曲全集 アルバン・ベルク四重奏団(1978−83)(7CD)
曲目リスト
ディスク 1
ベートーヴェン:弦楽四重奏曲第1番ヘ長調 Op.18-1(1〜4)
ベートーヴェン:弦楽四重奏曲第7番ヘ長調 Op.59-1『ラズモフスキー第1番』(5〜7)
ディスク 2
ベートーヴェン:弦楽四重奏曲第2番ト長調 Op.18-2(1〜4)
ベートーヴェン:弦楽四重奏曲第6番変ロ長調 Op.18-6(5〜8)
ベートーヴェン:弦楽四重奏曲第16番ヘ長調 Op.135(9〜12)
ディスク 3
ベートーヴェン:弦楽四重奏曲第3番ニ長調 Op.18-3(1〜4)
ベートーヴェン:弦楽四重奏曲第5番イ長調 Op.18-5(5〜8)
ベートーヴェン:弦楽四重奏曲第11番ヘ短調 Op.95『セリオーソ』(9〜11)
ディスク 4
ベートーヴェン:弦楽四重奏曲第4番ハ短調 Op.18-4(1〜4)
ベートーヴェン:弦楽四重奏曲第13番変ロ長調 Op.130(大フーガ版)(5〜10)
ベートーヴェン:弦楽四重奏曲第13番〜新終楽章(11)
ディスク 5
ベートーヴェン:弦楽四重奏曲第8番ホ短調 Op.59-2『ラズモフスキー第2番』(1〜4)
ベートーヴェン:弦楽四重奏曲第12番変ホ長調 Op.127(5〜8)
ディスク 6
ベートーヴェン:弦楽四重奏曲第9番ハ長調 Op.59-3『ラズモフスキー第3番』(1〜4)
ベートーヴェン:弦楽四重奏曲第14番嬰ハ短調 Op.131(5〜10)
ディスク 7
ベートーヴェン:弦楽四重奏曲第10番変ホ長調 Op.74『ハープ』(1〜4)
ベートーヴェン:弦楽四重奏曲第15番イ短調 Op.132(5〜8)