Before passing on to questions of interpretation I must go into other matters. The Berg and the Melos (on DG) play the first movement exposition repeat in both works, whereas the Takacs on Hungaroton and Grumiaux's group on Philips do not. In K5 15 the old difference of opinion as to the correct order of the movement persists. The Takacs and the Melos play the Minuet as the second movement and the Andante as the third movement, whereas the other two ensembles reverse the order of these movements. EMI's issue contains notes which give incorrect information on this point: only the timings suggest the order in fact played. The Grumiaux is on mid-price LP only in this coupling (though their recordings of the complete quintets are available as a three-CD set— 416 486-2PH3, 7/86).
I fear that the Takacs performances can be eliminated at once, for although good musicianship is very much in evidence the playing itself is too fallible, with frequent lapses of intonation. Nor is the recording quality quite so good as that provided for the other groups. The Berz are given a very good but slightly close recording, with yet quite a degree of reverberation, so that the sound is not entirely comfortable. While it would be an exaggeration to say that their playing is inexpressive there is a certain rigidity of phrase and rhythm. In the first movements one is aware of chugging accompaniments rather more than in the other versions, the slow movements are a little chilly and impatient, the minuets a little charmless. In K516 the last movement Allegro rounds the work off well, but through its own natural vivacity rather than through any merit of the playing, and this section of the movement is preceded by a somewhat plodding introductory Adagio. The Melos have a warmer, more natural recording and their playing is more expressive, more sensitive than the Berg. But as SP suggested last November this group do not quite give the impression that they have experienced the music very deeply. A certain elegance and warmth are present, but not any strong characterization. Grumiaux and his colleagues provide readings which are larger in scale, with more contrasts of mood, more expression and more weight. Though their tempos are not particularly measured the music seems to have more time to breathe, and the playing itself is beautiful, shown off well in a very good recording.
LP users who can tolerate the loss of those first movement repeats and who favour the K515 Andante played as the second movement would do well to investigate the Grumiaux performances as a first choice, CD users will gain a good deal of pleasure from the Melos disc.'