The Quartets dedicated to Haydn and other good friends
Wed, Nov 16 2011, 2:13PM
Hi,
I want to acquire all Mozart's Haydn Quartets. Who will I go for and why?
Wed, Nov 16 2011, 4:29PM
#2
RE: The Quartets dedicated to Haydn and other good friends
Thanks Parla. This is greatly appreciated. I'd have a preference for the ragged but atmospheric as opposed to the polished and perfect. To give you an example, my first choice for the Schumann/Brahms Piano Quintets always involved the Budapesters on late form with Robert Serkin as opposed to the more famous alternatives with say, Andsnes. I'm also the lucky owner of a collection of Mozart String Quartets recorded by the Vegh Quartett on EMI France. Heaven. (As a result I am still awaiting the re-release of their Beethoven output, now genreally unavailable).
Thanks for the guidance. I admit that I'm a novice in this area.
Wed, Nov 16 2011, 5:53PM
#3
RE: The Quartets dedicated to Haydn and other good friends
How could I call Rudolf Robert. Apologies.
This is my field of great interest, HMV.I'm very glad you embark on the field of Chamber Music, which, I believe, might be the end station in our listening experience journey.
For the very sensitive, difficult in balance, very demanding musically String Quartets of Mozart (particularly the "Haydn" ones), I'm afraid there is no definitive performance as a cycle. For three of them (in d minor, in Bflat and C major) the best possible and a great recording altogether is the one with the very solid Prazak Quartet, in the best label for Chamber Music, namely Praga Digitals (in superb SACD sound). For the E flat, the best so far performance came lately with the great Hagen Quartet, in a celebration SACD on their 30 years in the business, on the very marginal but quite reliable label of Myrios (along with Beethoven's op.59,2 and Webern!).
As a cycle, the Talich have always been a kind of "sure thing" (on the rather marginal label of Caliope). I personally appreciate very much the Suske Quartet on Berlin label (I hope it's still available). Possibly, you may like the Emmerson's view, which has something of the american way to secure artistry. However, the individual discs might be a better (if not the best) choice.
Good hunting and eventual listening. (Next necessary stop should be the amazing String Quintets of the great Amadeus. Of course, before the String Quartets, you had to get through the most beautiful Violin Sonatas, the incredibly subtle Piano Trios, and the sophisticated Piano Quartets: all true and solid masterpieces).
Parla