Quartet recording using B's own instruments!

[Rod]

Keep an eye (and ear) out for a new recording by the Schuppanzigh Quartet of op18/4 and op59/3 using B's own (authentically strung) instuments! I haven't seen it in the shops yet but its received a first rate review in Gramophone magazine.

Rod

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[Peter]

Appropiate that The Schuppanzigh quartet are playing the very instruments that Prince Lichnowsky presented to Beethoven in 1800 on the suggestion of Schuppanzigh.Presumably Beethoven would at the very least have heard his Op.18 quartets played on these instruments? or were they stored away as museum pieces never to be played?

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'Man know thyself'

[Rod]

Originally posted by Peter:

Appropiate that The Schuppanzigh quartet are playing the very instruments that Prince Lichnowsky presented to Beethoven in 1800 on the suggestion of Schuppanzigh.Presumably Beethoven would at the very least have heard his Op.18 quartets played on these instruments? or were they stored away as museum pieces never to be played?

I'm not sure what B did with them. I suspect he would have used them personally to assist his compositional process. I've hever heard of them being played by a quartet until now. I have seen photos of these instruments in a display case, presumable in a museum. It's good that they are being put to use, I hate seeing instruments in poor condition suspended in museum cases. In the Victoria & Albert Museum (London) there is a magnificent ornate Viennese fortepiano, caged for decades, never to be played. What a crime beyond imagination!

Rod

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[Peter]

I agree entirely - to my knowledge these instruments are kept at the Beethovenhaus Bonn, and they comprise a Violin by Giuseppe Guarneri(1718), a 'cello by Andrea Guarneri(1712), a violin by Amati(1667) and a Viola by Vincenzo Ruger(1690) - although I think there is some debate as to these facts.It's quite amazing that with all the different addresses Beethoven occupied in Vienna that they were not stolen,damaged or lost altogether !

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'Man know thyself'

[Rod]

Originally posted by Peter:

I agree entirely - to my knowledge these instruments are kept at the Beethovenhaus Bonn, and they comprise a Violin by Giuseppe Guarneri(1718), a 'cello by Andrea Guarneri(1712), a violin by Amati(1667) and a Viola by Vincenzo Ruger(1690) - although I think there is some debate as to these facts.It's quite amazing that with all the different addresses Beethoven occupied in Vienna that they were not stolen,damaged or lost altogether !

It is amazing, as it is easy for a violin to just 'dissappear'! Also residing at the Beethovenhaus is his Graf piano, in less than perfect condition as far as I am aware. It should be restored to playing condition like his Broadwood (with which Melvyn Tan has made a good recording of B piano pieces on EMI).

Rod


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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin

[Rod]

Originally posted by Rod:
Keep an eye (and ear) out for a new recording by the Schuppanzigh Quartet of op18/4 and op59/3 using B's own (authentically strung) instuments! I haven't seen it in the shops yet but its received a first rate review in Gramophone magazine.

Rod

For those interested, I managed to get my hands on this disk. It seems only one shop in London has it (Tower Records, Picadilly Circus)! But it may be more accessible via the internet, or just order it from a store. Anyway the details are:

Ludvig van Beethoven Streichquartette op18/4 & op59/3
Schuppanzich-Quartett
Ars Musi Ci, AM 1281-2

I must say these instruments sound very nice even though they are not 'strads'. The recording sound is good. Op18/4 is competently played, first movement very good, but last movement a bit leisurely for my taste. Op59/3 is a real revelation. I have never liked the first Allegro vivace on modern instruments, the exuberant high notes sound too 'shrill' on steel strings. On my recording by the Lindsays, it sounds absolutely awfull. Its all too much, but with these gut strings you can really go for it as the high strings are less brilliant and noisy and the music has never sounded so good. They play the other movements well also. Definitly one for the A-list just for op59/3 alone!

Rod

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"If I were but of noble birth..." - Rod Corkin