Beethoven: Complete String Quartets - Le Quatuor Talich [BOX SET - LOSSLESS]

The string quartet is the highest achievement of classical music. How to describe what a great string quartet is/does? Four voices that sing, simultaneously dependently and independently. Or, as someone else once said, "a conversation among four very intelligent and witty persons." After almost 200 years, Beethoven's 16 quartets still stand as the acme of the form, notwithstanding brilliant contributions from just about every important composer since. There are many wonderful performances of the Beethoven quartets available on CD, but none are more distinguished than these performances by the Talich Quartet. More than any other ensemble in my experience, the Talich's performances proclaim that intimacy is the true experience of quartet playing (and listening). Every phrase is projected with exquisite attention to the constantly shifting balance of light and shadow that is the hallmark of the greatest quartet playing. Tempos are vigorous without being rushed, rubato is applied in the subtlest way imaginable, and dynamics seem to explore impossible distinctions between pp and ppp. In short, every performance in this set invites you to carefully listen to Beethoven's musical argument as you've never listened before. As a result, unless you own really sophisticated speakers, the best way to hear these performances is over headphones. (Sound quality is a bit dry, but the acoustic suits the Talich's style perfectly.) Last and certainly least: note the price. Originally available on seven premium-priced CDs, the new Soft Box format provides elegant packaging at a handsomely reduced cost. There is no one way or best way to play this music; Beethoven's accomplishment is too rich to be captured by any one performance or performing group. But the Talich recordings stand among the very best you'll ever hear. It's a very great privilege to listen in on their kind of conversation!

T. Beers – Amazon

Vol. I (1981)
Quartet F-dur op.18 #1
1. - Allegro con brio [6:41]
2. - Adagio affetuoso appasionato [9:00]
3. - Scherzo (Allegro molto) [3:16]
4. - Allegro [6:32]
Quartet G-dur op.18 #2
5. - Allegro [7:03]
6. - Adagio cantabile - Allegro [6:14]
7. - Scherzo (Allegro) [4:26]
8. - Allegro molto quasi presto [5:26]
Quartet D-dur op.18 #3
9. - Allegro [7:44]
10. - Andante con moto [8:02]
11. - Allegro [2:58]
12. - Presto [5:23]


Vol. II (1981)
Quartet c-mol op. 18 #4
1. - Allegro ma non tanto [9:06]
2. - Andante scherzo quasi allegretto [5:48]
3. - Menuetto (Allegretto) [4:05]
4. - Allegro [4:35]
Quartet A-dur op. 18 #5
5. - Allegro [7:44]
6. - Menuetto [5:34]
7. - Andante cantabile [9:04]
8. - Allegro [5:14]
Quartet B-dur op. 18 #6
9. - Allegro con brio [4:27]
10. - Adagio ma non troppo [5:48]
11. - Scherzo (Allegro) [3:11]
12. - Adagio: La Malinconia - Allegretto quasi allegro - Prestissimo [7:50]


Vol. III (1977)
1. Grosse Fuge B-dur op. 133 (oorspronkelijke finale van op. 130) [15:41]
Quartet f-mol op. 95
2. - Allegro con brio [4:37]
3. - Allegretto ma non troppo [7:02]
4. - Allegro assai vivace ma serioso [3:51]
5. - Larghetto espressivo - Allegro agitato [5:00]
Quartet Es-dur op. 127
6. - Maestoso - Allegro [6:28]
7. - Adagio ma non troppo e molto cantabile [17:02]
8. - Scherzando vivace [7:04]
9. - Finale [6:32]


Vol. IV (1980)
Quartet Es-dur op. 74
1. - Poco adagio - Allegro [9:40]
2. - Adagio ma non troppo [8:59]
3. - Presto [5:33]
4. - Allegro con variazioni [6:34]
Quartet F-dur op. 59 #1 "Rasumovsky"
5. - Allegro [10:48]
6. - Allegretto [9:12]
7. - Adagio molto e mesto - Allegro [21:08]


Vol. V (1980)
Quartet B-dur op. 130
1. - Adagio ma non troppo - Allegro [12:58]
2. - Presto [2:05]
3. - Andante con moto ma non troppo [6:01]
4. - A la danza tedesca (Allegro assai) [3:22]
5. - Cavatina (Adagio molto espressivo) [6:23]
6. - Finale: Allegro [7:39]
Quartet e-mol op. 59 #2 "Rasumovsky"
7. - Allegro [9:17]
8. - Molto adagio [10:52]
9. - Allegretto [8:38]
10. - Finale: Presto [5:48]


Vol. VI (1979)
Quartet cis-mol op. 131
1. - Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo [7:21]
2. - Allegro molto vivace [3:26]
3. - Allegro moderato - Adagio - Piu vivace [0:53]
4. - Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile [13:54]
5. - Presto [5:35]
6. - Adagio quasi un poco andante [1:57]
7. - Allegro [6:33]
Quartet C-dur op. 59 #3 "Rasumovsky"
8. - Andante con moto - Allegro vivace [10:51]
9. - Andante con moto quasi allegretto [9:34]
10. - Menuetto [4:55]
11. - Allegro molto [6:10]


Vol. VII (1979)
Quartet F-dur op. 135
1. - Allegretto [6:22]
2. - Vivace [3:22]
3. - Lento assai, cantate e tranquillo [6:55]
4. - Grave ma non troppo tratto - Allegro [6:40]
Quartet a-mol op. 132
5. - Assai sostenuto - Allegro [9:05]
6. - Allegro ma non troppo [8:51]
7. - Molto adagio ("Heiliger Danksagung eines Genesenden an die Gottheid") [16:45]
8. - Alla marcia, assai vivace - Piu allegro - Finale [9:05]