String Quartets

Claude Debussy & Maurice Ravel

String Quartet

Melos Quartet

1979 Very good sound.

Gil's top choice. Impeccable interpretations. They move very well, with plenty of lushness without being overly romantic. They sound so perfectly natural.

Alban Berg Quartet

1984

A little more of a drier approach, very dramatic and assertive. Less romantic lushness, more of a 'just the facts' quality that is very effective, especially in rhythmic sections.

Quatuor Ébène

2008 Beautiful sounding recording.

A modern classic. A very suave version that handles the ebbs and flow beautifully. They are individuals and very convincing, 'really seductive.'

Quartetto Italiano

mid-60s

The 'old classic.' Impeccable playing and beautiful sound. A little more held back slightly in tempo, but the main thing is the way the beauty of the works comes across.

Calvet Quartet

1930s Primitive, limited sound.

For interpretive reasons, this is the one Gil returns to more than any other. They have a 'feel' for the music not heard in any other recording. Really captivating and beautifully judged.