Quartetto Italiano: Beethoven – Complete string quartets (10 CD box set, APE)

Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Quartetto Italiano
Audio CD
SPARS Code: ADD
Number of Discs: 10 CD box set
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Philips
Size: 2.29 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: no

# String Quartet No. 1 in F major, Op. 18/1
# String Quartet No. 2 in G major (“Compliments”), Op. 18/2
# String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 18/3
# String Quartet No. 4 in C minor, Op. 18/4
# String Quartet No. 5 in A major, Op. 18/5
# String Quartet No. 6 in B flat major, Op. 18/6
# String Quartet No. 7 in F major (“Rasumovsky 1”), Op. 59/1
# String Quartet No. 8 in E minor (“Rasumovsky 2”), Op. 59/2
# String Quartet No. 11 in F minor (“Serioso”), Op. 95
# String Quartet No. 9 in C major (“Rasumovsky 3”), Op. 59/3
# String Quartet No. 10 in E flat major (“Harp”), Op. 74
# String Quartet No. 12 in E flat major, Op. 127
# String Quartet No. 16 in F major, Op. 135
# String Quartet No. 13 in B flat major (“Lieb”), Op. 130
# Fugue for string quartet in B flat major (“Grosse Fuge”), Op. 133
# String Quartet No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 131
# String Quartet No. 15 in A minor (“Heiliger Dankgesang”), Op. 132

Disc: 1
1. 1. Allegro con brio
2. 2. Adagio affettuoso ed appassionato
3. 3. Scherzo. Allegro molto
4. 4. Allegro
5. 1. Allegro
6. 2. Adagio cantabile – Allegro – Tempo 1
7. 3. Scherzo. Allegro
8. 4. Allegro molto, quasi presto

Disc: 2
1. 1. Allegro
2. 2. Andante con moto
3. 3. Allegro
4. 4. Presto
5. 1. Allegro ma non tanto
6. 2. Andante scherzoso, quasi allegretto
7. 3. Menuetto. Allegretto
8. 4. Allegro

Disc: 3
1. 1. Allegro
2. 2. Menuetto
3. 3. Andante cantabile
4. 4. Allegro
5. 1. Allegro con brio
6. 2. Adagio ma non troppo
7. 3. Scherzo. Allegro
8. 4. La Malinconia. Adagio – Allegretto quasi allegro – Adagio – Allegretto – Poco adagio – Prestissi

Disc: 4
1. 1. Allegro
2. 2. Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando
3. 3. Adagio molto e mesto
4. 4. Thème russe. Allegro

Disc: 5
1. 1. Allegro
2. 2. Molto adagio
3. 3. Allegretto
4. 4. Finale. Presto
5. 1. Allegro con brio
6. 2. Allegretto ma non troppo
7. 3. Allegro assai vivace ma serioso
8. 4. Larghetto espressivo – Allegretto agitato

Disc: 6
1. 1. Introduzione. Andante con moto – Allegro vivace
2. 2. Andante con moto quasi allegretto
3. 3. Menuetto. Grazioso
4. 4. Allegro molto
5. 1. Poco adagio – Allegro
6. 2. Adagio ma non troppo
7. 3. Presto – Più presto quasi prestissimo
8. 4. Allegretto con variazioni

Disc: 7
1. 1. Maestoso – Allegro
2. 2. Adagio, ma non troppo e molto cantabile
3. 3. Scherzando vivace
4. 4. Finale
5. 1. Allegretto
6. 2. Vivace
7. 3. Lento assai, cantante e tranquillo
8. 4. Der schwer gefaßte Entschluß. Grave – Allegro – Grave ma non troppo tratto – Allegro

Disc: 8
1. 1. Adagio ma non troppo – Allegro
2. 2. Presto
3. 3. Andante con moto ma non troppo. Poco scherzando
4. 4. Alla danza tedesca. Allegro assai
5. 5. Cavatina. Adagio molto espressivo
6. 6. Finale. Allegro

Disc: 9
1. 1. Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo
2. 2. Allegro molto vivace
3. 3. Allegro moderato
4. 4. Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile – Più mosso – Andante moderato e lusinghiero – Adagio
5. 5. Presto
6. 6. Adagio quasi un poco andante
7. 7. Allegro

Disc: 10
1. 1. Assai sostenuto – Allegro
2. 2. Allegro ma non tanto
3. 3. Canzona di ringraziamento. Molto adagio – Sentendo nuova forza. Andante
4. 4. Alla marcia, assai vivace – Più allegro – Presto
5. 5. Allegro appassionato

Outstanding performances that have stood the test of time

I first got to know these performances in the 1970’s, when I particularly valued the insights the Quartetto Italiano gave into the late string quartets. I thought their performance of Op 132 was wonderful then; having just reacquainted myself with it after buying the set of CDs, I still think theirs is a glorious performance, all the better for nor being rushed or over-played. The sound on LP was on the warm side – on these CDs, the transfers seem to have gained in internal clarity while not losing much in warmth, and the illusion of eavesdropping on the performances is uncanny. I don’t believe it’s desirable to suggest that any one group has all the answers to these quartets, but the set by the Quartetto Italiano makes an excellent library version. To my mind it’s as good in its own way as the set by the illustrious Vegh Quartet (originally on Audivis Valois, now re-released on Naive I believe).