Off The Bookshelf Beethoven: The Early String Quartets (Op. 18, Nos. 1-6) Search Music

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1.Beethoven: String Quartets by: Takacs Quartet, Beethoven May 14, 2002
Average Rating: >>More Details		Off The Bookshelf's Price: $33.98 Prices subject to change. Used Price: $22.96
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. ... Read More

2.Beethoven: The Late String Quartets by: Ludwig van Beethoven, Takacs Quartet January 11, 2005
Average Rating: >>More Details		List Price: $50.98 Off The Bookshelf's Price: $45.99 You Save: $4.99 (10%) Prices subject to change. Used Price: $38.82
I have nothing but agreement with those who remark about the fabulous mix of technique and artistry in these performances. The ensemble plays together organically, with great fire, tenderness, and mischief where they are required. However, be warned that there is one major problem keeping this from being my favorite among modern recordings: in the A minor Quartet Op. 132, 1st movement, at a critical point the 1st violin plays the wrong note. This is in bar 246, beat two, where 1st is supposed to play a high G natural; instead he stays on E. It may sound like an odd complaint, but this note comes at the climax of the 1st mvt coda and probably is the linchpin of the whole piece. For the life of me, I can't figure out why they didn't rerecord the movement after that error.

3.Dvorak: Piano Quintet, Op. 81/ String Quartet, Op. 51 from: Decca September 14, 1999
Average Rating: >>More Details		Off The Bookshelf's Price: $16.98 Prices subject to change. Used Price: $10.00
I have no bone to pick with the other reviewers who faint with delight over this new recording of the great Dvorak Piano Quintet. But in all fairness someone should describe the interpretation a bit objectively. The dominant force here is the Takacs Qt, with Haefliger decidedly in the background. If like me you think the piano should be the leading voice, as it is to magnificent effect in Sviatoslav Richter's recording with the Borodin Qt. (Phiilips), Haefliger will seem soft-grained and overly suave. But he falls into the spirit of this account, which is tender, sweet, and swoony. There's no doubt that we are hearing a deluxe, silky performance, but to my mind Dvorak's idiom is already somewhat sugary in this work, and the more starch and rigor one adds, the better. Tempos are middle of the road, execution ... Read More

4.Béla Bartók: The 6 String Quartets - Takács Quartet by: Edward Dusinberre, Andras Fejer, Karoly Schranz, Roger Tapping, Takács Quartet January 13, 1998
Average Rating: >>More Details		List Price: $33.98 Off The Bookshelf's Price: $30.49 You Save: $3.49 (10%) Prices subject to change. Used Price: $22.50
One popular dictionary of classical music refers to Béla Bartók's 'driving, anxious rhythms, angular melodies, brackingly sharp dissonances, and folklike modal harmonies'. All of which to say, Bartok does not make for easy listening. If one must or chooses to fall into the hands of Bartók's six string quartets, he may do no better than to surrender himself to a very long drive and the expertise of the Hungary-rooted Takács Quartet. After hearing the Takásc perform in Indianapolis--their vigor in performance means that one is left as much with a visual as an aural impression--I invested in this acclaimed presentation of the full cycle of Bartók string quartets. Something was perturbing the European soul in the first quarter of the 20th century. History suggests a number of motors of this angst, bloodstained ... Read More

5.The Essential Joshua Bell from: Decca September 13, 2005
Average Rating: >>More Details		List Price: $16.98 Off The Bookshelf's Price: $14.99 You Save: $1.99 (12%) Prices subject to change. Used Price: $2.57
and I can not play like Joshua Bell. For this, he better consider himself damn lucky as the world could not handle two of us Joshua Bells. This was my first exposure to this phenom. Sorry, I had never heard of him until I got my first issue of STRINGS magazine and he was on the cover. My wife liked the cover and wanted to know if I got better would I not only sound like him but would I also look like him? I guess we'll never know how that will actually turn out. Safe to say, I'll end up not looking like him as I can never be quite as good as him. Again, damn lucky for Josh as I don't think the world could handle two of us. This disc is an absolute gem not only for the Joshua Bell and violin fan, but the arrangements and the sound quality is superb. What this disc made me realize is that there are truly only a few out ... Read More

6.Brahms: String Quartet, Op. 51 & Piano Quintet, Op. 34 by: Brahms, Takacs Quartet, Stephen Hough November 13, 2007
Average Rating: >>More Details		Off The Bookshelf's Price: $23.98 Prices subject to change. Used Price: $16.01
Brahms' "Piano Quintet" is my absolute favorite piece of classical chamber music. It is the composition that "opened the door" to my intense "love affair" with chamber works by especially Brahms and for my insatiable appetite to listen to same. This recording is simply marvelous (I own quite a few.) Mr. Hough along with the Takacs String Quartet are at the top of their talented forms. The aforesaid performers really do give Brahms' quintet a splendid reading that is filled with beautiful tones, a keen since of rhythm along with emphasizing Brahms' many sonorous harmonies. For the first time I was made very aware of the many beautiful "inner voices" of the work--gorgeous! Stephen Hough and the Takacs are really up to the many challenges of the work expressing Brahms' fierceness as well as his tenderness so very well. In summation, Bravo ... Read More

7.Schubert: String Quartets Nos. 13 & 14 from: Hyperion UK November 14, 2006
Average Rating: >>More Details		Off The Bookshelf's Price: $23.98 Prices subject to change. Used Price: $13.90
This is a great CD. But it doesn't change my life. And I know that this is a silly, childish and unfair thing to say. But I've tried to find something more useful to write and I haven't come up with it. They are, IMHO, the greatest String Quartet of our time, playing two of the great masterpieces of the genre, and I feel somewhat like I felt when I was listening to one of those Bernard Haitink records on Philips in the '70's: "Wow, this sounds amazing!" And, you know, good Adorno-ist that I am, I'm not satisfied if it just stays there. Let others listen happily to Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martins - In - The - Fields. Let others enjoy FM Satellite Classical Radio. What am I, a Nineteenth - Century Music Experience Junkie? Maybe...What can I tell you? Something is missing, something that takes you beyond the dutiful variations ... Read More

8.Haydn: String Quartets, Op. 76 [Germany] by: Haydn, Takacs Quartet September 24, 2004
Average Rating: >>More Details		Off The Bookshelf's Price: $32.99 Prices subject to change. Used Price: $112.71
I can not stop listening to anything recorded by the Takacs Quartet lately, and these cd's are no exception. I do not own the import double disc, but have the two separate discs with 1-3 on one and 4-6 on the other. That may be cheaper than this disc. I'm not sure. Anyways, as far as the music and recording goes I don't know that it gets much better that this. Like I said it seems to me anything the Takacs' touch turns to gold. The are extremely great players with a very intense sound. If you are a fan of Haydn I would seriously look into getting these quartets. They are arguably some of the most beautiful quartets written. Although I don't really like to compare music like that. But just listening to these pieces puts a smile on my face.

9.Midnight Adagios from: Decca May 13, 2003
Average Rating: >>More Details		Off The Bookshelf's Price: $17.98 Prices subject to change. Used Price: $3.76
"Midnight Adagios" advertises itself as featuring "over two-and-a-half hours of the world's most relaxing music" and while it is beautiful music it is not particularly relaxing. The dynamic changes from track to track--something I find in all musical compilations from disparate sources--are too great. I constantly have to fiddle with the volume control when going from track to track. For instance, on CD 2 of this two-CD set, if I get the volume just right for track 1, Bach's "Air on a G String," then track 2 (Debussy's "Clair de Lune") is almost completely inaudible. 'Adagio' means 'at ease' or 'slow'--somewhere in between 'largo' and 'andante'--but it doesn't necessarily mean 'soft.' There are a few forte movements on both CDs that seem to occur just as I am finally drifting off to sleep. That's why I wouldn't recommend this album to those who are looking ... Read More

10.Beethoven: The Early String Quartets (Op. 18, Nos. 1-6) from: Decca January 13, 2004
Average Rating: >>More Details		List Price: $33.98 Off The Bookshelf's Price: $30.49 You Save: $3.49 (10%) Prices subject to change. Used Price: $26.16
These very smart performances of op. 18 leave absolutely nothing to be desired as far as I am concerned. I don't listen to any other quartet anymore, when it comes to the op. 18.

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