Music : Beethoven: String Quartets

Rating: - A Superb Achievement
The Takacs Quartet resides at Colorado Univ. Boulder where they regularly play to sold-out audiences. I was fortunate enough to hear them once and was absolutely mezmerized by the sheer mastery of these musicians. Edward Dusinbere's lead violin especially left me transfixed by the nuance of his playing.

Such artisty is heard on this landmark recording of Beethoven's revolutionary Op. 59/74 quartets which rated a Gramophone "Gem" award along with their sister recording of the late quartets. Behold some of the finest quartet playing on disc - modern or historic. Compositions - 5 stars; Performances - 5 stars; Sound quality - 4.5 stars.

Another budget set to consider is Alban Berg Quartet on EMI which I deeply appreciate for its silky tone and highly polished ensemble. EMI's sound is slightly more vivid and full compared to Decca's here, but only in side-by-side comparison. Both are amoung the better modern choices.

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Rating: - intimate, engrossing
It is difficult for this amateur music appreciator to imagine a more intimate art music experience than to see and hear (or, if necessary, simply to hear) chamber music played by a quartet as passionate and expert as the Takacs. I first encountered this ensemble in Indianapolis in a concert hall that by its very physical parameters requires an intimate experience.

Beethoven was not on the program that evening, but the Takacs turned this listener's experience into an almost strenous physicality. One hears, of course. But one also sees and participates in the performative experience that occurs each time this quartet takes their chairs and has one more go at an enduring piece of the repertoire.

Beethoven seems almost to have written for them. Or they to have been created to play Beethoven. There is an almost preternatural clarity to each entrance. Indeed, the quartet plays as one body.

One senses almost that he is being trained by the performances rather than assessing this or that constituent element of them.

The Takacs are committed to the full cycle of Beethoven's work for string quartets. This 2002 Decca production is the down payment. It makes a very splendid place to start.

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Rating: - The most exciting
A lot of more or less perfect performances of the middle quartets are avaiable, but this is the most exciting. There is a price to pay for excitement, that is a lesser feeling of balance, of perfect architecture. For my part I happily pay that price, because to me, the middle Beethoven was very much about excitement. The master would certainly enjoy the playing of the Takacs. If this is your first set of Beethoven's middle quartets, you will hardly accept other; this is so exceptional.

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Rating: - Takacs Full Beethoven St. Quartets Review (part 2)
This is the 2nd part of my full review of the Takacs string quartets. Part 1 is for the Opus18 Quartets and Part 3 for the Late Quartets.

I am a Busch Quartet Lover (as are the Takacs players themselves) so those quartets loom in the back of my mind as the standard against which other performances are measured. Since the Busch performances were loved against years of listening to many other quartets as well, it is high praise for the Takacs that I consider the Takacs often their equal, and on some occasions (op59 no3) even superiour.

The Takacs are certainly one of the strongest modern quartets, offering outstanding virtuosity in all 4 positions married to a large variety of tonal expression. They don't quite have the novelty and plain wierdness that the Lindsay's always manage to find, but are far more thrilling and precise in their articulation. Opus 59 no.2 in the old Lindsay set is one of their finest achievments in my opinion, yet the Takacs are as good in their more straightforward way. The wild fantasy and total uncertainty about what will come next that the Lindsay's manage turns into oohs and ahhs for the Takacs with their blazing virtuosity and martial power. Compared to the Busch Op59 no.2 however (currently out of print) the Takacs lack the unanimity of texture that the older quartet can muster. They also don't have the same authority of vision that Busch musters, which is especially evident in the slow movement, where the Busch always seem to find that perfect shade of volume and rythym to capture Beethoven's inspiration.

In fact, I would say that is the greatest weakness of this first Takacs Beethoven release (they recorded op18 next and late qs last). They often seem to just lose a grip on the deeper meaning of the music and substitue for it a repetative dimuendo to crescendo "effect", like they are trying to insert some drama that they don't find in the music. This "trick" mostly dissapears thankfully by the final set, but here it often rears up and betrays an emotional immaturity when compared to the Busch.

Nevertheless! This is not always so, and in my opinion they capture the perfect time and dynamics for the op59 no3 slow movement, that dreaded place where most quartets fall down. Their immaculate pizzicato and perfect phrasing even outdoes the Busch in my opinion, making it the best version available of this quartet.

Op59 no 1 is a very fine performance all they way through, more visceral and thrilling yet just as involving as the 1941 Sony Busch recording except, unfortunately, in the slow movement. Here, the Busch manage a rapturously sorrowful lament of dreadful passion that leaves you breathless. The Takacs come off rather badly in comparision, taking a quiet pensive approach that just completely pales in comparison to the Busch revelation.

Finally, the Harp quartet really sparkles under the Takacs, a brilliant virtuosic show yet never getting aggressive the way the Berg do for example. (No Busch perf on record for this quartet sadly). The uncommonly rapidly played scherzo is especially thrilling in my mind, though some reviewers have preferred a more measured pace. This is my favourite perfomance of the harp on record.

A wonderful set then, well deserving of all its accolades. Op59 no3 and op 74 are my two favorite recorded performances, and op59 1 and 3 aren't bad either, the painfully weak point being the slow movement of op59 no1 in comparision with the Busch. Hear the Busch in that movement and you will see why they are justly esteemed so highly.

Thanks for reading

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Rating: - The Best so Far.
This set is amazing. I have had the pleasure of hearing the Berg, Lindsay, Emerson, and Julliard string quartets interpret the opus 59s, and I must say that the Takacs outdoes them all. Before this recording was introduced to me, I had a deep affection for the Emerson and Julliard's recordings. That has most certainly changed now. The Takacs fulfilled all my preconceived notions about what these pieces require, and introduced me to much much more. The finale of the op. 59 no.3 is astounding (a term I would never use to describe the previous quartets' interpretations), and, in my opinion shatters the attempts of the Emerson's rendition - I'm not sure where Mr. Jones finds so much room to complain about the finale of the no. 3 - nevertheless he is wrong. The op. 59s as recorded here is a landmark recording and I promise it will be referred to as an essential interpretation for years to come. As for the "harp" quartet, I could talk forever about the amazing beauty which is reveled in this recording....but I'll spare you. All I will say is that it too is fantastically beautiful and should not be missed. Whether you are a native collector of Beethoven quartets or one just looking for the "right" first set, the Takacs will not disappoint - Strongly Recommended.

By the way, the case cover you will most likely be getting if you are ordering it new is the one pictured above by Mr. Frank Rust, not the one pictured by Amazon.com. Not that it matters, but I just thought I would let you know.