Ludwig van Beethoven - Beethoven The String Quartets (71 tracks) +Album Reviews

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Ludwig van Beethoven
Beethoven: The String Quartets [Hybrid SACD] [Box Set]
Genre: Classical

Track Listings (12) - Disc #1
1. I. Allegro Ma Non Tanto
2. II. Scherzo. Andante Scherzoso Quasi Allegretto
3. III. Menuetto. Allegretto
4. IV. Allegro - Prestissimo
5. I. Allegro
6. II. Menuetto
7. III. Andante Cantabile. Thema - Variations I-IV. Coda. Poco Adagio
8. IV. Allegro
9. I. Allegro Con Brio
10. II. Adagio Affetuoso Ed Appassionato
11. III. Scherzo. Allegro Molto
12. IV. Allegro
Track Listings (12) - Disc #2
1. I. Allegro
2. II. Andante Con Moto
3. III. Allegretto
4. IV. Presto
5. I. Allegro
6. II. Adagio Cantabile - Allegro - Tempo Primo
7. III. Scherzo. Allegro
8. IV. Allegro Molto Quasi Presto
9. I. Allegro Con Brio
10. II. Adagio Ma Non Troppo
11. III. Scherzo. Allegro
12. IV. Adagio (La Malinconia) - Allegretto
Track Listings (8) - Disc #3
1. I. Allegro
2. II. Allegretto Vivace E Sempre Scherzando
3. III. Adagio Molto E Mesto - Attacca
4. IV. Theme Russe. Allegro
5. I. Allegro
6. II. Molto Adagio. Si Tratta Questo Pezzo Con Molto Sentimento
7. III. Allegretto
8. IV. Finale: Presto
Track Listings (8) - Disc #4
1. I. Introduzione. Andante Con Moto - Allegro Vivace
2. II. Andante Con Moto Quasi Allegretto
3. III. Menuetto. Grazioso - Attacca
4. IV. Finale: Allegro Molto
5. I. Poco Adagio - Allegro
6. II. Adagio Ma Non Troppo
7. III. Presto - Attacca
8. IV. Finale: Allegro Con Variazioni
Track Listings (11) - Disc #5
1. I. Allegro Con Brio
2. II. Allegretto Ma Non Troppo
3. III. Allegro Assai Vivace Ma Serioso
4. IV. Larghetto Espressivo - Allegro Agitato
5. I. Adagio Ma Non Troppo - Allegro
6. II. Presto
7. III. Andante Con Moto, Ma Non Troppo
8. IV. Alla Danza Tedesca : Allegro Assai
9. V. Cavatina : Adagio Molto Espressivo
10. Overtura: Allegro - Meno Mosso E Moderato - Allegro - Fuga: (Allegro) - Meno Mosso E Moderato - Allegro Molto E Con Brio - Allegro
11. Finale : Allegro (Op. 130) (Alternative Finale)
Track Listings (11) - Disc #6
1. I. Maestoso - Allegro Teneramente
2. II. Adagio, Ma Non Troppo E Molto Cantabile - Andante Con Moto - Adagio Molto Espressivo - Tempo Primo
3. III. Scherzando Vivace - Presto
4. IV. Finale
5. Adagio, Ma Non Troppo E Molto Espressivo - Attacca
6. Allegro Molto Vivace - Attacca
7. Allegro Moderato - Attacca
8. Andante, Ma Non Troppo E Molto Cantabile - Piu Mosso - Andante Moderato E Lusinghiero - Adagio - Allegretto - Adagio, Ma Non Troppo E Semplice - Allegretto
9. Presto - Molto Poco Adagio - Attacca
10. Adagio Quasi Un Poco Andante - Attacca
11. Allegro
Track Listings (9) - Disc #7
1. I. Assai Sostenuto - Allegro
2. II. Allegretto Ma Non Tanto
3. III. Heiliger Dankgesang Eines Genesenden An Die Gottheit, In Der Lydischen Tonart. Molto Adagio. Mit Innigster Empfindung
4. IV. Alla Marcia, Assai Vivace - Piu Allegro - Attacca
5. V. Allegro Appassionato
6. I. Allegretto
7. II. Vivace
8. III. Lente Assai E Cantante Tranquillo
9. Der Schwer Gefasste Entschluss. Grave (Muss Es Sein?) - Allegro (Es Muss Sein) - Grave, Ma Non Tratto - Allegro

CD Details

All Artists: Ludwig van Beethoven
Title: Beethoven: The String Quartets [Hybrid SACD] [Box Set]
Members Wishing: 1
Total Copies: 0
Label: Praga Digitals
Original Release Date: 1/1/2006
Re-Release Date: 1/10/2006
Album Type: Box set, Hybrid SACD - DSD, Import
Genre: Classical
Styles: Chamber Music, Historical Periods, Classical (c.1770-1830)
Number of Discs: 7
SwapaCD Credits: 7
UPC: 794881791828

CD Reviews

Must be heard to be believed !

Denis | 04/10/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Beethoven's String Quartets are well known for their inventiveness. The mold of the string quartet form, established by Haydn, was shattered by Beethoven's profound expression and expansion of the "rules." Between 1999 and 2003, the renowned Praz?k Quartet recorded all of the Beethoven string quartets, and this match of program and performers is one made in heaven.

The Praz?k ensemble approaches each quartet with a Bohemian flair for passion and perfection that must be heard to be believed. The interpretations are paradoxically respectful and irreverent, as if the ensemble was channeling the composer's desire to push the boundaries of the status quo while still remaining faithful to the spirit of what has been established. One of the many highlights of the set is the "Grosse Fuge Op.133" - written when the composer was completely deaf - which inspired Stravinsky to exclaim that the composition was "an absolutely contemporary piece of music that will be contemporary forever."

Praga Digitals has packaged together all of the quartet recordings in a box comprised of hybrid stereo/multi-channel SACDs. In fact, only three of the seven discs contain multi-channel mixes; nonetheless, the performances are so exceptional that the entire set is recommended. The sound quality on each disc is consistent and of very high quality, with only a tinge of edginess affecting the strings.

The hybrid discs include standard resolution layers for regular CD players, and the set also provides a english booklet liner notes analyzing each opus.

A must"

The finest modern cycle.

Iyer | Bethesda, MD | 12/13/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"A complete review will follow soon, but I am posting a rating now since it is the season of giving. Give yourself, or someone you love, this astonishingly fine traversal of the Beethoven quartets. Forget the excessively-hyped, though still very good, Takacs set. This is the one to get!

(I am curious as to what passages in what quartets Mr. Goretsky finds "unnecessarily fortissimo"? He bases this on Beethoven's instructions, presumably?)"