Busch Quartet: Absolute Must-Have???

[euphony131]

Hi all,

Wow, has it really been a few years since I've posted on this site?!

Recently, I have poked around into alternate recordings of B's Late String Quartets. I currently have LaSalle, Amadeus, and a few each by Lindsay, Juilliard, Vegh, Yale and op. 130 by the Italiano Quartet.

My favorite may be Juilliard. Their playing is so ferocious and gutsy. Though I don't have their Grosse Fuge (the ultimate litmus test for any quartet).

Still, I've heard so much about the Busch Quartet, their "soulful readings" of "amazing expressivity." Though I've also heard their intonation and technique could be sloppy. And that maybe they linger too much on the slow mvts, draining them of forward momentum.

I've been sampling them a bit. The EMI remastering sounds pretty good considering the age of these performances: http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/EMI/5096552

My question to the Quartet Connoisseurs is: Are these guys truly the BEST? And why?

Thnx!

PS -- Oh, I should clarify: I'm not a musician. I'm actually not sure what is meant when saying their "intonation" is off.

[Michael]

I have the Busch recordings of the first Razumovsky and Opus 130. As I bought them about 20 years ago, they haven't been fully remastered but sound quite good. However, I find stereo very necessary for string quartet music, and, of course, all the Busch recordings are in mono. I haven't played them for some years but I do recall the old-fashioned use of portamento which is slightly distracting.

I was not aware of their intonation being terribly off, but bear in mind the fact that those recordings were most likely transcribed from old 78 rpm shellacs, which were not noted for pitch conisistancy. The Vegh quartet (if I remember correctly) have been criticised for wobbly pitch and these are later recordings.

Sadly, the Grosse Fuge was not included in my Busch disc - I'm not sure if they even recorded that alternative ending.
I have numerous recordings of the String Quartets and I think my favourites would be the Quartetto Italiano and the Lindsays. I have the La Salle versions of the late quartets and they are absolutely refreshing: they don't handle them with kid gloves.

(Welcome back, by the way. )



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[euphony131]

I have the Busch recordings of the first Razumovsky and Opus 130. As I bought them about 20 years ago, they haven't been fully remastered but sound quite good. However, I find stereo very necessary for string quartet music, and, of course, all the Busch recordings are in mono. I haven't played them for some years but I do recall the old-fashioned use of portamento which is slightly distracting.

Hi Michael, yes, it's good to be back.

If you ever get around to playing Busch again, could you give me a few examples of their use of portamento? I want love to compare with the ones I have.

That's interesting what you say about LaSalle. Because I've only read lukewarm reviews about them, saying their performances were too "clinical" or "cold." But I never had a problem myself.

[Chris]

I've always preferred The Tallich Quartet's recordings of the Beethoven string quartets. They have an especially nice Grosse Fuge, taken at a nice tempo. The Quartetto Italiano's cycle is very good, but they take the Grosse Fuge far too slowly for my taste, and that puts a damper on the whole set for me.

[Michael]

Hi Michael, yes, it's good to be back.

If you ever get around to playing Busch again, could you give me a few examples of their use of portamento? I want love to compare with the ones I have.

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If you forward this link to the opening of the third movement - about 20 minutes in - there is so much sliding that I hope they weren't playing it standing up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzz3mfWMQec




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[Michael]

I've always preferred The Tallich Quartet's recordings of the Beethoven string quartets. They have an especially nice Grosse Fuge, taken at a nice tempo. The Quartetto Italiano's cycle is very good, but they take the Grosse Fuge far too slowly for my taste, and that puts a damper on the whole set for me.

There's no accounting for preferences, Chris. I think they take the Grosse Fuge just right - especially the euphonious middle section. It's the third movement of Opus 130 that I find a bit slow.

[PDG]

Hi Michael, yes, it's good to be back.

If you ever get around to playing Busch again, could you give me a few examples of their use of portamento? I want love to compare with the ones I have.

That's interesting what you say about LaSalle. Because I've only read lukewarm reviews about them, saying their performances were too "clinical" or "cold." But I never had a problem myself.

Hi Euphony.

How's that Beethoven world tour going that you were planning, I think in 2001 it was?

[euphony131]

Hi Euphony.

How's that Beethoven world tour going that you were planning, I think in 2001 it was?

Oh my gosh! I'm embarrassed to think about that now. Jeez, I was just a kid then. Didn't we actually talk about that over the phone once? Or am I thinking of someone else? Well, feel free to PM me about it and anything else.

PS -- I'm not getting email notifications about updates to this thread. Is there some option I need to click?

[euphony131]

If you forward this link to the opening of the third movement - about 20 minutes in - there is so much sliding that I hope they weren't playing it standing up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzz3mfWMQec
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Thanks for that! First thing I noticed was how remarkable they sounded for such an ancient recording. So this is the famed Dutton re-master? The guy must be a genius.

As for the portamento -- is there a FLAGRANT section you might point out that'll make someone REALLY stand up and notice it? I've always had a hard time discerning "string sliding."

[Michael]

Thanks for that! First thing I noticed was how remarkable they sounded for such an ancient recording. So this is the famed Dutton re-master? The guy must be a genius.

As for the portamento -- is there a FLAGRANT section you might point out that'll make someone REALLY stand up and notice it? I've always had a hard time discerning "string sliding."

Well, the slow movement I have described is where it's most pronounced. I also find a trace of it in the A minor slow movement by the La Salle quartet but there it (to me) suits the archaic modal feel of the music. It's not a major issue with me - just a distraction. (I don't go around listening for it.)

These remasters are remarkable and my copy is 15 years old. Today they can remove almost every trace of background noise from a recording without affecting the music - although I confess I like a smidgeon of surface noise on vintage recordings (if only just to account for the slight pitch issues).



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[Sorrano]

PS -- I'm not getting email notifications about updates to this thread. Is there some option I need to click?

Is it possible that you've changed your email since you registered with the forum? That might be a possibility. You could make sure your email is correct under your profile.