Beethoven: The Middle String Quartets / Tokyo Quartet

$34.99
Label
RCA
Release Date
March 27, 2008
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      BEETHOVEN, LUDWIG VAN
    • ORCHESTRA / ENSEMBLE
      Tokyo String Quartet
    • PERFORMER
      TOKYO STRING QUARTET
    Product Details ⌄
    Works ⌄

    1. I. Allegro

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet

    2. II. Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet

    3. III. Adagio molto e mesto -

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet

    4. IV. Thème russe: Allegro

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet

    5. I. Allegro

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet

    6. II. Molto adagio

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet

    7. III. Allegretto

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet

    8. IV. Finale: Presto

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet

    9. I. Poco adagio - Allegro

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet

    10. II. Adagio ma non troppo

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet

    11. III. Presto

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet

    12. IV. Allegretto con variazioni

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet

    13. I. Introduzione: Andante con moto - Allegro vivace

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet

    14. II. Andante con moto quasi allegretto

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet

    15. III. Menuetto grazioso

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet

    16. IV. Allegro molto

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet

    17. I. Allegro con brio

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet

    18. II. Allegretto ma non troppo

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet

    19. III. Allegro assai vivace, ma serioso

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet

    20. IV. Larghetto espressivo - Allegretto agitato - Allegro

      Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven

      Ensemble: Tokyo String Quartet


Let me say straight away that the Tokyo Quartet's set of the middle-period quartets is among the most impressive to have appeared in recent years. Although I would not necessarily recommend it in preference to the Vegh (Audivis Valois), the Talich (Calliope), or (in the case of the Rasumovsky Quartets) the Lindsay on ASV that have dominated the catalogue for so long, it is surely a set to reckon with. In terms of sheer technical perfection and ensemble it yields no ground to the Vermeer (Teldec), Orford (Delos), Alban Berg (EMI) or Guarneri (RCA). And their technical finesse, spot-on intonation and superb ensemble are all the more impressive for being at the service of the music. I started with the F major Rasumovsky, undoubtedly the greatest of the three, whose opening in the Tokyo's hands is magnificent in its breadth. They have a good feeling for the architecture and shape of each movement, and throughout the work they are fully aware of the depth of this music.

You may recall the hoary adage comparing a translation to a woman: if it is faithful, it is not beautiful, if it is beautiful, it is unfaithful. Similarly, if a performance sets greater store by beauty than fidelity, it risks gaining the former at the cost of the latter; if it sets its sights on truth first and beauty second, it stands to gain both. The Vegh and the Talich often risk beauty of finish in their search for truth. But at its best this sumptuously but truthfully recorded new issue has both ... I like it far more than any of the rival versions that have crossed the Atlantic in recent years.

-- Robert Layton, Gramophone [3/1992]