A couple favorite moments in B's String Qrtts

[The Dude]

Ed, The Dude recommends you take absolutely no notice of this kind of jealous remark, and continue your excellent work. The Dude has read books on music written by so-called 'experts' which don't come within a bull's roar, shall we say, of your work! Keep it up (so to speak). Now, saddle up Mr. Post-and-Delete - the posse is after you......

[Quijote]

Ed, The Dude recommends you take absolutely no notice of this kind of jealous remark, and continue your excellent work. The Dude has read plenty of books on the subject by so-called 'experts' which don't come within a bull's roar, shall we say, of your work! Keep it up (so to speak).

I'm afraid The Dude has completely misinterpreted what I said (we return to his/her problems with reading competence, as I pointed out before, elsewhere on this forum). There is no harm describing musical events, but let us not call it analysis. I said I had no better solution for those who cannot read music, and I intend (nor intended [that's a past tense, Tex]) no negative criticism of EdC's attempts to render transparence to musical structure. Try not to get so excited each time I post something, The Dude, if not it spoils the meat before I grill you.
I don't do jealousy, Tex. Do you? Is there really a posse after me? Gosh, I feel so anxious, suddenly ...

[Sorrano]

The Dude wants to discuss music on the forum but has noticed that other members, with a couple of exceptions, head for the hills faster than a cowpoke with a cactus in his saddle each time you appear!! You'll cook your own goose long before you leave a speck o-dust on The Dude, pardner.

I bet I could compose a quartet off that, but it wouldn't be in the style of a Beethoven Quartet, let alone a favorite moment.

[Peter]

It seems if I take my eyes off for 5 minutes off it goes again - the private message facility exists so you can dig at each other in private till your heart's content - this forum is for discussing music, and this thread I recall is about Beethoven quartets.

As mentioned in another thread I have been listening to Op.135 and I came across these notes I have about it:

Op. 135, the sixteenth and last complete string quartet that Beethoven wrote, represents a sharp departure from the other late quartets. In addition to the modest length of the quartet, the work has somewhat less of the emotional intensity displayed in the other late quartets, and a deeper sense of calmness and peaceful resignation. Those who hear it in a serene acceptance of the inevitability of death refer to a letter Beethoven sent with the quartet to his publisher, Moritz Schlesinger: “Here, my dear friend, is my last quartet. It will be the last; and indeed it has given me much trouble, for I could not bring myself to compose the last movement. But as your letters were reminding me of it, in the end I decided to compose it. And that is the reason why I have written the motto: “The difficult decision-must it be? It must be, it must be!”

The light and humorous Op. 135 following the profundity of Op. 131 (in order of composition) seems to fit Beethoven’s penchant for turning to amore buoyant work after creating music of great depth and personal involvement. The relaxed geniality of Op. 135 probably also provided Beethoven with a much needed release from the intensity and emotional involvement with the works that preceded it.

Beethoven composed his final quartet during August and September 1826, finishing it on October 30 at his brother’s country estate in Gneixendorf, Austria. It was published in September 1827, and the Schuppanzigh Quartet gave the premiere in Vienna on March 23, 1828, almost one year to the day after the composer’s death.

The opening movement’s warm, conversational tone derives in part from its first subject group of five separate motifs, each with its own inflection and character, and tossed from instrument to instrument as though engaged in informal discourse. An ascending staccato arpeggio and a frolicsome descending run are pitted against each other in the second subject. With supreme confidence and assuredness, Beethoven develops the material he has introduced; brilliantly expanding the various motifs and presenting them in intriguing new guises and combinations, before bringing them back for the recapitulation. A coda based on motifs from the first subject ends the movement.

The third movement, Lento assai, is a sublime example of Beethoven’s most inspired “interior music.” It was added as an afterthought to the originally conceived three-movement quartet. Over sketched for the simple main melody, in the key of D flat major, which Beethoven associated with the expression of sentiment, he wrote: Susser Ruhegesang. Friedengesang (“sweet restful, peaceful song”). Simply and lovingly, Beethoven puts this eight-measure, stepwise moving melody through four variations played without pause that never rise above piano (“soft”) dynamic level to create a section of rich, satisfying beauty and repose.

[Megan]

Yes Megan, you are right, The Dude isn't who I thought (s)he was. Anyway, back to Bruckner, oops, I mean Beethoven ...

Good idea Philip, and try not to get too distracted with trivialities, however frustrating they may seem.

[Quijote]

It seems if I take my eyes off for 5 minutes off it goes again - the private message facility exists so you can dig at each other in private till your heart's content - this forum is for discussing music, and this thread I recall is about Beethoven quartets. [...]

Yes, noted. As I posted elsewhere, I rather fancy the Alban Berg and Lindsay quartets when it comes to LvB. I'm sorry if this is squashing somebody's butterfly, but the Italian Quartet's playing leaves me cold, and I often detect ensemble problems with them.

[Chris]

Delinquent comments like this ought to be deleted !

They will be, as I have just done. However, it would be a great help if when you see something like this you just send me a private message instead of quoting it, since then I have to go and find all the places it was quoted and edit them too. Thanks!

[Megan]

[QUOTE=Chris;50663]They will be, as I have just done. However, it would be a great help if when you see something like this you just send me a private message instead of quoting it, since then I have to go and find all the places it was quoted and edit them too. Thanks!

Ok Chris thanks, will do, though I did say that it was a comment on the Major and Minor Scales thread. Now, If I were a moderator......
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[Sorrano]

Is anyone familiar with the Emerson String Quartet recordings of the quartets? I've picked that up (I'm thinking it either had good reviews at the time or possibly won an award for the recordings) and have gone through it once, but that is not really enough to make a good judgment on it.

[Michael]

I have the Emerson set of the three Razs plus the Harp and Opus 95. They were part of the DGG Complete Works set. Instead of including a single cycle, they had the early quartets performed by the Amadeus (quite good but no exposition repeats), the middle by the Emersons, and the late quartets by the Lasalle - who are very, very fast indeed - even in the A minor slow movement and the fugal opening of Opus 131. Their intent was to remove the excessive "awe" from this music and I'll be damned if it doesn't work, to a certain extent. They are useful alternative recordings.

However, this doesn't answer your question. The Emersons didn't register with me to any great extent, probably because I have too many recordings of the middle set and I always seem to gravitate to the Lindsays or the Italianos. I must dig them out soon and have a listen.

[Chris]

For my money, it is the Talich Quartet that brings the most to the Beethoven quartets. Satisfying from start to finish.

[Sorrano]

Ok Chris thanks, will do, though I did say that it was a comment on the Major and Minor Scales thread. Now, If I were a moderator......
.

[Megan]

[QUOTE=Chris;50670]For my money, it is the Talich Quartet that brings the most to the Beethoven quartets. Satisfying from start to finish.

I bought the Lindsay's quite some time ago. I particularly like the Lindsay's rhapsodic approach. They are so taken up with the music that they fulfull what T.S. Eliot said, which is that it's not them playing the music, but the music playing them. Because I bought the Lindsay's Beethoven quartets, I didn't see the need to buy anther version, though I have heard that that the Talich Quartet are superb.


A couple of years ago,here in my home town we went to a wonderful performance given by a brilliant the German Henschel Quartet.

[Megan]

I take that as a sign of approval Sorrano........ Oops no, I think you meant it the other way didn't you

[Ed C]

I have about 20 complete string quartet cycles and my favorite set which I come back to again and again is the Takacs Quartet. Incredible dynamics, impeccably recorded, fiery tempos, nary a misstep. Kind of like the Emerson set but with soul....

Guarneri takes a close second, just because on a few movements their voicings seem a tad better articulated...(GF 133 is probably the most coherent IMHO..)