Melos Quartet: Schubert – The String Quartets (6 CD box set, APE)

Performer: Melos Quartett
Composer: Franz Schubert
Audio CD
SPARS Code: A-D
Number of Discs: 6 CD box set
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Size: 1.53 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

String Quartet No. 1 in G minor/B flat major, D. 18
String Quartet No. 2 in C major (fragment), D. 32
String Quartet No. 3 in B flat major, D. 36
String Quartet in C minor (one movement: Grave & Allegro), D. 103
String Quartet No. 4 in C major, D. 46
String Quartet No. 5 in B flat major (fragment), D. 68
String Quartet No. 6 in D major, D. 74
String Quartet No. 7 in D major, D. 94
String Quartet No. 8 in B flat major, D. 112 (Op. posth. 168)
String Quartet No. 9 in G minor, D. 173
String Quartet No. 10 in E flat major, D. 87 (Op. 125/1)
String Quartet No. 13 in A minor (“Rosamunde”), D. 804 (Op. 29)
String Quartet No. 11 in E major, D. 353 (Op. posth. 125/2)
String Quartet No. 14 in D minor (“Death and the Maiden”), D. 810 Unspecified excerpt
String Quartet No. 12 in C minor (“Quartettsatz”), D. 703
String Quartet No. 15 in G major, D. 887 (Op. posth. 161)

Disc 1:
01. String Quartet (in various keys) D 18 (No.1) – 1. Andante – Presto vivace
02. String Quartet (in various keys) D 18 (No.1) – 2. Menuetto
03. String Quartet (in various keys) D 18 (No.1) – 3. Andante
04. String Quartet (in various keys) D 18 (No.1) – 4. Presto
05. String Quartet in C major D 32 (No.2) – 1. Presto
06. String Quartet in C major D 32 (No.2) – 2. Andante
07. String Quartet in C major D 32 (No.2) – 3. Menuetto. Allegro
08. String Quartet in C major D 32 (No.2) – 4. Allegro con spirito
09. String Quartet in B flat major D 36 (No.3) – 1. Allegro
10. String Quartet in B flat major D 36 (No.3) – 2. Andante
11. String Quartet in B flat major D 36 (No.3) – 3. Menuetto. Allegro ma non troppo
12. String Quartet in B flat major D 36 (No.3) – 4. Allegretto
13. Quartet Movement in C minor D 103 – Grave – Allegro

Disc 2:
01. String Quartet in C major D.46 (No.4) – 1. Adagio – Allegro con moto
02. String Quartet in C major D.46 (No.4) – 2. Andante con moto
03. String Quartet in C major D.46 (No.4) – 3. Menuetto. Allegro
04. String Quartet in C major D.46 (No.4) – 4. Allegro
05. String Quartet in B flat major D 68 (No.5) – 1. Allegro
06. String Quartet in B flat major D 68 (No.5) – 2. Allegro
07. String Quartet in D major D 74 (No.6) – 1. Allegro ma non troppo
08. String Quartet in D major D 74 (No.6) – 2. Andante
09. String Quartet in D major D 74 (No.6) – 3. Menuetto. Allegro
10. String Quartet in D major D 74 (No.6) – 4. Allegro

Disc 3:
01. String Quartet in D major, D.94 – 1. Allegro
02. String Quartet in D major, D.94 – 2. Andante con moto
03. String Quartet in D major, D.94 – 2. Menuetto and Trio – Allegretto
04. String Quartet in D major, D.94 – 4. Presto
05. String Quartet in B flat major, D112 (Op.Post.168) – 1. Allegro ma non troppo
06. String Quartet in B flat major, D112 (Op.Post.168) – 2. Andante sostenuto
07. String Quartet in B flat major, D112 (Op.Post.168) – 3. Menuetto: Allegro
08. String Quartet in B flat major, D112 (Op.Post.168) – 4. Presto
09. String Quartet in G minor, D173 – 1. Allegro con brio
10. String Quartet in G minor, D173 – 2. Andantino
11. String Quartet in G minor, D173 – 3. Menuetto: Allegro vivace
12. String Quartet in G minor, D173 – 4. Allegro

Disc 4:
01. String Quartet No.10 in E flat, D.87 – 1. Allegro moderato
02. String Quartet No.10 in E flat, D.87 – 2. Scherzo: Prestissimo
03. String Quartet No.10 in E flat, D.87 – 3. Adagio
04. String Quartet No.10 in E flat, D.87 – 4. Allegro
05. String Quartet No.13 in A minor, D.804 – “Rosamunde” – 1. Allegro ma non troppo
06. String Quartet No.13 in A minor, D.804 – “Rosamunde” – 2. Andante
07. String Quartet No.13 in A minor, D.804 – “Rosamunde” – 3. Menuetto (Allegretto)
08. String Quartet No.13 in A minor, D.804 – “Rosamunde” – 4. Allegro moderato

Disc 5:
01. String Quartet in E major, D353, op.post.125, no.2 – 1. Allegro con fuoco
02. String Quartet in E major, D353, op.post.125, no.2 – 2. Andante
03. String Quartet in E major, D353, op.post.125, no.2 – 3. Menuetto: Allegro vivace
04. String Quartet in E major, D353, op.post.125, no.2 – 4. Rondo: Allegro vivace
05. String Quartet No.14 in D minor, D.810 -“Death and the Maiden” – 1. Allegro
06. String Quartet No.14 in D minor, D.810 -“Death and the Maiden” – 2. Andante con moto
07. String Quartet No.14 in D minor, D.810 -“Death and the Maiden” – 3. Scherzo (Allegro molto)
08. String Quartet No.14 in D minor, D.810 -“Death and the Maiden” – 4. Presto

Disc 6:
01. String Quartet No.12 in C minor, D.703 – “Quartettsatz”
02. String Quartet No.15 in G, D.887 – 1. Allegro molto moderato
03. String Quartet No.15 in G, D.887 – 2. Andante un poco mosso
04. String Quartet No.15 in G, D.887 – 3. Scherzo (Allegro vivace)
05. String Quartet No.15 in G, D.887 – 4. Allegro assai

Wonderful performances–and I doubt most folks will notice the sonic limitations.

If this is “only pretty good” Schubert, what does the good stuff sound like? I do hear and understand the complaints about harshness of sound here and there from the violins. But this is pretty great, dramatic Schubert. I have the Complete Quartetto Italiano incoming, and they do it all as well, in recordings predating these. So I’ll report back when I’ve heard those, as well as the Auryn box I just ordered. I certainly don’t think Quatuor Mosaiques, on their one Schubert disc, beats Melos for lyricism and loveliness. Actually, what surprises me is how few complete Schubert String Quartets sets there are, at least available in one box. Am I missing something, or doesn’t this stuff rival his lieder? Am I missing something–to go further–or doesn’t this stuff rival pretty much anything in the cosmos of musical composition?