String Quartets (Complete)

Ludwig van Beethoven

String Quartet

Lindsay String Quartet

late 70s, early 80s Very well recorded.

Gil's number one choice. They have an utter commitment to the spirit of the music and what is being said. They are 'really communicating the music.' An excellent starting point.

Végh Quartet

early 70s Pretty well recorded.

A very famous, deeply felt version from a very introspective group. More conventional in tempo and more polished than the Lindsays, but in no way mechanical.

Takács Quartet

early 2000s Wonderful clarity, wonderful fullness.

A modern classic with wonderful sound. The Takács are very expressive and dramatic, communicating the deep feeling in the music.

Talich Quartet

late 70s, early 80s

A Czech quartet known for their deeply felt interpretations. They really thought through the music, especially the introspective parts.

Quartetto Italiano

late 60s, early 70s

One of the proverbial classics. An immaculate string quartet with a wonderful singing tone, intensity, and real commitment.

Лейбл: Philips

Alban Berg Quartet

late 70s, early 80s Excellent sound.

Immaculate finesse, polish, and beauty. More grounded in interpretation than the Lindsays, letting the music speak for itself.

Dover Quartet

2020s Modern digital cycle.

A revelation. Excellent sound, wonderful fullness and clarity. Wonderful commitment, expression, and polish. Slower movements are a bit quicker but never sound rushed.

Budapest String Quartet

1951-1952 Mono recordings. A little on the rough side, but fairly clear.

A very famous version. Wonderful insights, wonderfully expressive music from a very intelligent group that had been playing together for decades.

Лейбл: Sony

Busch Quartet

1930s Historic mono recordings. Fairly limited and dim sound.

One of the truly great recorded classical music sets of all time. Known for their deep insights and deep feeling for the music, with an authority of knowing exactly where they were going interpretively.