Mozart String Quartets

[Barbirollians]

To my shame - apart from a Mosaiques recording of a couple of the quartets I have none of these on CD

Recommendations please - the Hagen set looks very reasonably priced and they were well reviewed in Gramophone. The Q/I appears to be deleted (outrageous) I have some of their recordings on old cassettes and I loved them .

[Karafan]

Maybe if you like the Q/I (am equally disgusted at their absence from the current catalogue), you might find some rewards in the Amadeus's approach? Now in one of Universal's "postal livery" cheapish boxsets.....

K.

[Gordon]

I have the QI set and am quite happy with it. I have a couple of the Mosaiques and although they are well done there is something not quite right - but if someone gave me them for Xmas I would not complain! Don't know the the Amadeus but I also have a partial Alban Berg Qt set on Teldec and they are quite good - the Teldec recording is a bit harsh though - and an odd couple done later on EMI which are good. Here are 3 separate recommendations from the BBC BAL web site:

Mozart: Quartet No 15 in D minor K 421
Reviewer - Piers Burton-Page
Broadcast - 27th March 2010
 First Choice Recommendation:
 Cleveland Quartet
 Telarc CD80297 (CD, mid price)

Mozart: String Quartet No. 19 in C K465, "Dissonance"
Reviewer - Misha Donat
Broadcast - 7th June 2008
 First Choice Recommendation:
 (c/w String Quartet No. 15 K. 421; String Quartet No. 17 K. 458, "The Hunt")
 Emerson String Quartet
 Deutsche Grammophon 477 5751 (CD, Mid Price)

Mozart: String Quartet No. 23 in F K590
Reviewer - Peter Quantrill
Broadcast - 9th February 2008
 Overall choice:
 Quatuor Mosaiques
 Naive E8888 (CD)
 Traditional Instrument Choice:
 Tokyo Quartet
 Buddulph BID80215)
Hope that helps a bit. If it's a set you want then perhaps the Amadeus is a good bargain at present.

[Thropplenoggin]

I thought I'd resurrect this thread and see if any old/new members have suggestions for Mozart, as I also don't own any of his string quartets though I am familiar with the Quatuor Mosaïques version of the 'Dissonance' quartet K.465. I keep coming back to this recording on YouTube and Spotify and am toying with buying it.

There was a box set of QM playing Mozart. Was it a complete cycle? It appears on Amazon for £80, so I assume it's no longer available.

Any other recommendations out there played in a similar vein - minimal vibrato, not necessarily HIP, etc?

This Jerusalem Quartet was warmly praised a year ago.

[EdgeleyRob]

you might find some rewards in the Amadeus's approach? Now in one of Universal's "postal livery" cheapish boxsets.....

K.

I've had that DG box for years,it's a lovely set.

[hafod]

To my shame - apart from a Mosaiques recording of a couple of the quartets I have none of these on CD

Recommendations please - the Hagen set looks very reasonably priced and they were well reviewed in Gramophone. The Q/I appears to be deleted (outrageous) I have some of their recordings on old cassettes and I loved them .

I have had the Q/I set for years and have never felt the need to look elsewhere. It is available from Amazon.es for €19.49 or €26.32 delivered.

http://www.amazon.es/Quartetti-Per-Archi--Strings-Quartets/dp/B005FB82WC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347913040&sr=8-1

Off topic, I noticed en passant, that the Aeolian set of the Haydn SQs was just €36.23 (no extra delivery charge if added to the Mozart).

http://www.amazon.es/The-Complete-String-Quartets-Aeolia/dp/B001QBXFTA/ref=pd_sim_m_14

[Bryn]

I thought I'd resurrect this thread and see if any old/new members have suggestions for Mozart, as I also don't own any of his string quartets though I am familiar with the Quatuor Mosaïques version of the 'Dissonance' quartet K.465. I keep coming back to this recording on YouTube and Spotify and am toying with buying it.

There was a box set of QM playing Mozart. Was it a complete cycle? It appears on Amazon for £80, so I assume it's no longer available.

...

Wow! I paid just £25.99 for my set a couple of years ago, from amazon.co.uk. I got it because I had temporarily mislaid the set I bought for even less a year or so earlier. Perhaps I should unload my spare set via the amazon.co.uk marketplace. £79.99 anyone?

Oh, and no, it is not a complete survey of the Mozart string quartets, just the mature ones.

[gurnemanz]

The Chilingirians are very good. I have this set:

http://www.mdt.co.uk/mozart-the-ten-great-string-quartets-chilingirian-quartet-crd-5cds.html

[Thropplenoggin]

Thanks for the suggestions. One of the Quatuor Mosaïques CDs was available s/h for £2.49 down at the The Big South American River's market - the one featuring 'Dissonance' quartet. A gateway drug, perhaps?

[french frank]

I have the Chilis set, but for a HIPP version, this 5CD set by the Smithson Quartet was recommended to me by the late 'arcades' and I now prefer it. It has the Haydn quartets and two quintets,

[Bryn]

I have the Chilis set, but for a HIPP version, this 5CD set by the Smithson Quartet was recommended to me by the late 'arcades' and I now prefer it. It has the Haydn quartets and two quintets,

A fine set of discs indeed, and not to be missed at the prices on amazon.fr. Even lower than what I paid for them a few years ago, and that was a bargain.

[Barbirollians]

I have enjoyed the Jerusalem Quartet's recent record of K 157,458 & 589 a great deal on the few spins I have given it so far. I am delighted to see the QI back though .

The Hagens I have not played all yet but they struck me as a bit glossy.

[MickyD]

The Salomon String Quartet (HIP) recorded the six 'Haydn' quartets for Hyperion some years back, but they are no longer in the catalogue. Currently selling as a box set at a high price on Amazon.

[Stephen Smith]

The Salomon recordings are available from Hyperion - their archive service - 2 physical discs each at £14. Search "Mozart Salomon". Also as downloads.

http://www.hyperion-records.co.uk/

If you are tempted to buy (may be download only, not sure = I've only used it for downloads) be aware of their pre-pay discount facility. (Their August sale has ended - even greater discounts on all formats throughout the Catalogue. Apparently their summer sale is a regular = only 11 months to wait!).

[verismissimo]

The Salomon String Quartet (HIP) recorded the six 'Haydn' quartets for Hyperion some years back, but they are no longer in the catalogue. Currently selling as a box set at a high price on Amazon.

Bit milk and water for my taste, Micky.