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Hagen Quartett: Mozart – The String Quartets (7 CD box set, FLAC)

Hagen Quartett: Mozart - The String Quartets (7 CD box set, FLAC)
Hagen Quartett: Mozart – The String Quartets (7 CD box set, FLAC)

Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performer: Hagen Quartett
Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 7 CD box set
Format: FLAC (image+cue)
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Size: 2.21 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

CD 01
01. Divertimento in D, K.136 – 1. Allegro
02. Divertimento in D, K.136 – 2. Andante
03. Divertimento in D, K.136 – 3. Presto
04. Divertimento in B flat, K.137 – 1. Andante
05. Divertimento in B flat, K.137 – 2. Allegro di molto
06. Divertimento in B flat, K.137 – 3. Allegro assai
07. Divertimento in F, K.138 – 1. (Allegro)
08. Divertimento in F, K.138 – 2. Andante
09. Divertimento in F, K.138 – 3. Presto
10. String Quartet No.1 in G, K.80 – 1. Adagio
11. String Quartet No.1 in G, K.80 – 2. Allegro
12. String Quartet No.1 in G, K.80 – 3. Menuetto
13. String Quartet No.1 in G, K.80 – 4. Rondo
14. String Quartet No.2 in D, K.155 – 1. Allegro
15. String Quartet No.2 in D, K.155 – 2. Andante
16. String Quartet No.2 in D, K.155 – 3. Molto allegro
17. String Quartet No.3 in G, K.156 – 1. Presto
18. String Quartet No.3 in G, K.156 – 2. Adagio
19. String Quartet No.3 in G, K.156 – 3. Tempo di Menuetto

CD 02
01. String Quartet No.4 in C, K.157 – 1. Allegro
02. String Quartet No.4 in C, K.157 – 2. Andante
03. String Quartet No.4 in C, K.157 – 3. Presto
04. String Quartet No.5 in F, K.158 – 1. Allegro
05. String Quartet No.5 in F, K.158 – 2. Andante un poco allegretto
06. String Quartet No.5 in F, K.158 – 3. Tempo di Menuetto
07. String Quartet No.6 in B flat, K.159 – 1. Andante
08. String Quartet No.6 in B flat, K.159 – 2. Allegro
09. String Quartet No.6 in B flat, K.159 – 3. Rondo (Allegro grazioso)
10. String Quartet No.7 in E flat, K.160 – 1. Allegro
11. String Quartet No.7 in E flat, K.160 – 2. Un poco adagio
12. String Quartet No.7 in E flat, K.160 – 3. Presto
13. String Quartet No.8 in F, K.168 – 1. Allegro
14. String Quartet No.8 in F, K.168 – 2. Andante
15. String Quartet No.8 in F, K.168 – 3. Menuetto
16. String Quartet No.8 in F, K.168 – 4. Allegro

CD 03
01. String Quartet No.9 in A, K.169 – 1. Molto allegro
02. String Quartet No.9 in A, K.169 – 2. Andante
03. String Quartet No.9 in A, K.169 – 3. Menuetto
04. String Quartet No.9 in A, K.169 – 4. Rondeaux (Allegro)
05. String Quartet No.10 in C, K.170 – 1. Andante
06. String Quartet No.10 in C, K.170 – 2. Menuetto
07. String Quartet No.10 in C, K.170 – 3. Un poco adagio
08. String Quartet No.10 in C, K.170 – 4. Rondeaux (Allegro)
09. String Quartet No.11 in E flat, K.171 – 1. Adagio – Allegro assai
10. String Quartet No.11 in E flat, K.171 – 2. Menuetto
11. String Quartet No.11 in E flat, K.171 – 3. Andante
12. String Quartet No.11 in E flat, K.171 – 4. Allegro assai
13. String Quartet No.12 in B flat, K.172 – 1. Allegro spiritoso
14. String Quartet No.12 in B flat, K.172 – 2. Adagio
15. String Quartet No.12 in B flat, K.172 – 3. Menuetto
16. String Quartet No.12 in B flat, K.172 – 4. Allegro assai
17. String Quartet No.13 in D minor, K.173 – 1. (Allegro ma molto moderato)
18. String Quartet No.13 in D minor, K.173 – 2. Andantino grazioso
19. String Quartet No.13 in D minor, K.173 – 3. Menuetto
20. String Quartet No.13 in D minor, K.173 – 4. (Allegro)

CD 04
01. String Quartet No.14 In G, K.387 – 1. Allegro vivace assai
02. String Quartet No.14 in G, K.387 – 2. Menuetto. Allegro
03. String Quartet No.14 in G, K.387 – 3. Andante cantabile
04. String Quartet No.14 in G, K.387 – 4. Molto allegro
05. String Quartet No.15 in D minor, K.421 – 1. Allegro moderato
06. String Quartet No.15 in D minor, K.421 – 2. Andante
07. String Quartet No.15 In D Minor, K.421 – 3. Minuetto (Allegretto)
08. String Quartet No.15 in D minor, K.421 – 4. Allegro ma non troppo – Più allegro
09. Serenade in G, K.525 “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” – 1. Allegro
10. Serenade in G, K.525 “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” – 2. Romance (Andante)
11. Serenade in G, K.525 “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” – 3. Menuetto (Allegretto)
12. Serenade in G, K.525 “Eine kleine Nachtmusik” – 4. Rondo (Allegro)

CD 05
01. String Quartet No.16 in E flat, K.428 – 1. Allegro ma non troppo
02. String Quartet No.16 In E Flat, K.428 – 2. Andante con moto
03. String Quartet No.16 in E flat, K.428 – 3. Menuetto. Allegro
04. String Quartet No.16 in E flat, K.428 – 4. Allegro vivace
05. String Quartet No.17 In B Flat, K.458 -“The Hunt” – 1. Allegro vivace assai
06. String Quartet No.17 in B flat, K.458 -“The Hunt” – 2. Moderato
07. String Quartet No.17 in B flat, K.458 -“The Hunt” – 3. Adagio
08. String Quartet No.17 in B flat, K.458 -“The Hunt” – 4. Allegro assai
09. String Quartet No.21 in D, K.575 “Prussian No.1” – 1. Allegretto
10. String Quartet No.21 in D, K.575 “Prussian No.1” – 2. Andante
11. String Quartet No.21 in D, K.575 “Prussian No.1” – 3. Menuetto (Allegretto)
12. String Quartet No.21 in D, K.575 “Prussian No.1” – 4. Allegretto

CD 06
01. String Quartet No.18 in A, K.464 – 1. Allegro
02. String Quartet No.18 In A, K.464 – 2. Menuetto
03. String Quartet No.18 in A, K.464 – 3. Andante
04. String Quartet No.18 in A, K.464 – 4. Allegro non troppo
05. String Quartet No.19 In C, K.465 – “Dissonance” – 1. Adagio – Allegro
06. String Quartet No.19 in C, K.465 – “Dissonance” – 2. Andante cantabile
07. String Quartet No.19 in C, K.465 – “Dissonance” – 3. Menuetto. Allegro
08. String Quartet No.19 in C, K.465 – “Dissonance” – 4. Allegro molto
09. Bach: Fugue in C minor, BWV 871 (Arr. by Mozart)
10. Bach: Fugue in E flat major, BWV 876 (Arr. by Mozart)
11. Bach: Fugue in E major, BWV 878 (Arr. by Mozart)
12. Bach: Fugue in D sharp minor, BWV 877 (Arr. by Mozart)
13. Bach: Fugue in D major, BWV 874 (Arr. by Mozart)
14. Adagio and Fugue in C minor, K.546 – 1. Adagio
15. Adagio and Fugue in C minor, K.546 – 2. Fugue

CD 07
01. String Quartet No.20 in D, K.499 “Hoffmeister” – 1. Allegretto
02. String Quartet No.20 in D, K.499 “Hoffmeister” – 2. Menuetto (Allegretto)
03. String Quartet No.20 in D, K.499 “Hoffmeister” – 3. Adagio
04. String Quartet No.20 in D, K.499 “Hoffmeister” – 4. Allegro
05. String Quartet No.22 in B flat, K.589 “Prussian No.2” – 1. Allegro
06. String Quartet No.22 in B flat, K.589 “Prussian No.2” – 2. Larghetto
07. String Quartet No.22 in B flat, K.589 “Prussian No.2” – 3. Menuetto (Moderato)
08. String Quartet No.22 in B flat, K.589 “Prussian No.2” – 4. Allegro assai
09. String Quartet No.23 in F, K.590 “Prussian No.3” – 1. Allegro moderato
10. String Quartet No.23 in F, K.590 “Prussian No.3” – 2. Allegretto
11. String Quartet No.23 in F, K.590 “Prussian No.3” – 3. Menuetto (Allegretto)
12. String Quartet No.23 in F, K.590 “Prussian No.3” – 4. Allegro

This excellent set probably has more of Mozart’s String Quartet music than you’ll probably ever need. In addition to the early music for SQ that Mozart started composing at a very early age, this set offers a SQ version of Eine Kleine Nachtmusik as well as Mozart’s transcriptions of some of Bach’s Preludes and Fugues from the WTC, as well as Mozart’s own Adagio and Fugue, K. 546. I doubt that I’ll be listening to all those early “divertissements” once a week in future. The Bach transcripts and the K. 546 are another story, and represent the kind of quality “filler” that can sway a person to choose this over another equivalent set, when considering what to buy. Still it’s nice to have all of this, especially considering their usefulness for study purposes. But that is the nature of “complete” sets. There is always something you’ll listen to more than something else. So the question for a complete set is whether the interpretations/performances are reliable resources for the person seriously investigating a composer or category of music (or both).

I don’t know anything about the Hagen Quartett except that, during the last decade, they sometimes joined the Lucerne Festival Orchestra when Claudio Abbado was alive. Their approach to the Mozart SQs would probably be classified as Historically Informed Performance practice because they are very judicious when it comes to the use of vibrato and they observe all the repeats. Consequently, the interpretations, and that’s what they must be called, tend toward uniformity of expression. I don’t say “lack” of expression, because quite often, here, the playing is sweet, and the overall affect may be described as “fresh” – I’m thinking particularly of K. 387 with it’s fugal finale, and K. 499, which comes across here as good natured, if a little under-explored (I reference here two recordings: the wonderful Artis Quartet Haydn Quartets 14-19, and the Alban Berg Quartet – link below). I tend to prefer HIP recordings on some things and not so much on others. So, for example, I prefer listening to Bach cantatas recorded/performed with one voice per part (OVPP) in the choral sections because I think it sounds better. And I like the sound of that Charles Mackerras used to make playing Mozart’s operas, but I only found out well after I already loved them that Mackerras’s Mozart is considered to be in the HIP camp. All well and good. On the other hand, I don’t like it that HIP theory is being unitized for music farther and farther into the 19th century, examples being Gardiner’s Beethoven and Herreweghe’s recent Schubert re-visions. I know there are arguments to be made, but I don’t make them because I can’t be consistent, and in any case, I don’t want to be ideological when it comes to music. Still, it’s important to know that, if you’re looking for gravitas here, you have to find it in the music itself and not in any set of gestures or habits that musicians sometimes use to communicate it. It is often claimed that, while musical virtue is objective, one’s aesthetic preferences are generally based on initial encounters. According to this theory, I like OVPP in Bach because that’s how it was being played when I first heard it. But that isn’t actually true. OVPP was the performance practice being used on the recordings not that I heard first, but that I loved first. Sometimes hearing something familiar played in a new way is a harsh experience. Sometimes it’s a revelation.

That said, I don’t think there are any revelations here, although the readings are fresh and thoroughly considered. There is a uniformity of dynamic and expressive range that some will find annoying. I don’t. It’s good to hear something familiar a different way. So while this isn’t a desert island set (that would be Mozart: String Quartets, Nos. 14 – 23). Still, these are serious and thoughtful interpretations of some of the great masterpieces of Western music. And that music is great enough to sustain multiple approaches. Accordingly, if you only have room in your life for one recording of the Mozart String Quartets, you could do worse, but I still think the ABQ have the edge.

Enjoyable and witty Mozartean traversal

To properly perform Mozart complete string quartets (including the Divertimenti & celebrated Eine Kleine Nachtmusik) the string chamber ensemble daring to do it needs a special affinity with this kind of music. Besides technical skills and a refined musicality, a deep empathy is also required. It is exactly what Hagen Quartet exhibits in a very natural manner here. The 7-CD box set proves a robust craftsmanship designed to enchant the listener and get the very essence of this special music.

Outstanding performance, with all the energy and vitality one might expect in the music of Mozart!

These recordings were made some years ago. Still, the clarity, color and balance are superb. These are exciting works, which I had not yet discovered until hearing these discs. They rate, suddenly, among my top five favorite classical recordings. Every music lover should discover these joyful works, and learn the interesting background to them.

11 thoughts on “Hagen Quartett: Mozart – The String Quartets (7 CD box set, FLAC)”

  8. Bob

    Man-o-man, you weren’t kidding about less talk and more uploading!
    You had to have broken some kind of record with this last 2 months production!

    BRAVO, WHATEVER!

    Bob

    2. Bob

      http://www.allmusic.com/album/mozart-the-string-quartets-mw0001849312
      AllMusic Review by James Leonard
      Recorded between 1989 and 2004, the Hagen Quartet’s recordings of Mozart’s complete music for string quartet is clearly the finest set of the works released in the early digital age. For one thing, because the collection includes not only the 23 canonical string quartets but also the three early Divertimenti for string quartet, the five Fugues from Bach’s Well-Tempered Clavier arranged by Mozart, and the late Adagio and Fugue in C minor, their set really is the complete music for string quartet. For another thing, because the performances were recorded by Deutsche Grammophon in their finest translucent digital sound, this set is the cleanest and clearest available. But, most importantly, the Hagen’s performances are certainly among the finest ever given to the music. The wit, the charm, the poise, the elegance, the balance, the depth, the sheer ravishing beauty of Mozart’s string quartet writing have rarely been so fully realized — and then only in stereo sets that include only the 23 standard quartets. For performance, sound, and inclusiveness, this set is the one to get if you’re looking to get only one set of Mozart’s quartets.
      Thanks again
      from Bob

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