Beethoven String Quartets employing judicious use of vibrato

[rkyburz]

Why not email him and ask?

As I realized that there's traffic from here to my blog, I thought I might as well join this forum (even though I'm in Switzerland and not a regular listener of BBC Radio 3 — yet ... ).

To answer your question: I can assure you: I very much enjoy listening to music — even if I'm making critical remarks! There are various aspects to the apparent overrepresentation of critical remarks in my reviews:
These reviews represent my personal view, and (just to pick an example) if you just look at comments on "traditional" string quartet recordings, then you may indeed just see negative remarks (excess vibrato is one of the things I dislike).
Then, my blogs are long enough already, plus I don't want to repeat myself too much, so I concentrate on the essentials, and with some artists, that's the things I dislike —which very often are also easier to pinpoint and differentiate.
Also, if you read the full blog entries (apologies for their length), you will find positive remarks.

Note also that I don't try to match any existing forum / music discussion standards: these are my personal opinions, no less, no more; I try to support my views with specifics on a given performance, but there are limitations in space and time.
One hint, finally: within the Beethoven string quartets, you may want to read the first recording (in opus number chronology) for a given ensemble —there, I'm usually a bit more verbose on why I picked these artists etc.

At last, a contribution to this particular discussion: for op.131, one of the recordings that I'm about to examine is with Brooklyn Rider: no vibrato at all —though unfortunately with loads of portamento and an excess of reverberation (allegedly natural to the recording location), both of which are putting me off a fair bit, from what I've heard so far.

[Bryn]

... for op.131, one of the recordings that I'm about to examine is with Brooklyn Rider: no vibrato at all —though unfortunately with loads of portamento and an excess of reverberation (allegedly natural to the recording location), both of which are putting me off a fair bit, from what I've heard so far.

Welcome, and thanks for flagging this recording up. Looks intriguing. I have just ordered it from an amazon.co.uk marketplace supplier. The final movement of Op. 131 from Brooklyn Rider is available on You tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pLCyhRbYec

[Thropplenoggin]

Welcome, rkyburz!

I've enjoyed reading through the lengthy and detailed exploration/comparative reviews of Beethoven string quartets on your blog, especially since, as you will know from this thread, I share your problem with excessive vibrato. Indeed, in my search for interpretations where vibrato is more judiciously applied, your reviews have been invaluable, albeit inevitably far from conclusive (No Endellions, etc.)

I look forward to your contributions to this forum and your forthcoming comparative review of op.131.

Incidentally, here are the Endellion String Quartet playing op.131

p.s. Thanks for the link, Bryn.

[Dave2002]

As I realized that there's traffic from here to my blog, I thought I might as well join this forum (even though I'm in Switzerland and not a regular listener of BBC Radio 3 — yet ... ).

I second Bryn's welcome - thanks for joining us. We won't insist that you post every day, but we are I'm sure grateful for the link to your blog. I found what I read interesting. There seems to be particular interest in Beethoven String quartets right now, and your contribution on these is valuable. I also hope you'll sample some of the R3 offerings - you might find something enjoyable. A reasonable place to start is the schedule - http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/programmes/schedules - though there isn't always enough detail. Which Bartok and Mahler from Edinburgh tonight, for instance? Some here really like TTN - Through the Night, though you can probably get your own localised version in Switzerland via the EBU. If so, it'll probably be called Nocturne or Nottturno, and the running order may be different.

[verismissimo]

Brooklyn Rider: no vibrato at all —though unfortunately with loads of portamento

As we've learned to appreciate less vibrato (or at least more judiciously applied) over recent decades, so maybe the next is to learn to value more portamento.

Early recordings tell us that both were standard practice, but somehow or other portamento got labelled "vulgar" in the twentieth century. It would have been a surprise to, say, Joachim to be told this.

[Bryn]

As we've learned to appreciate less vibrato (or at least more judiciously applied) over recent decades, so maybe the next is to learn to value more portamento.

Early recordings tell us that both were standard practice, but somehow or other portamento got labelled "vulgar" in the twentieth century. It would have been a surprise to, say, Joachim to be told this.

Agreed, though listening to the final movement of Op. 131 on YouTube I did find the use of portamento somewhat the wrong side of judicious. An interesting approach however.

[verismissimo]

Oh, yes. Welcome, rkyburz! Consistently interesting blog.

[Russ_H]

As I realized that there's traffic from here to my blog, I thought I might as well join this forum (even though I'm in Switzerland and not a regular listener of BBC Radio 3 — yet ... ).

Many thanks for your thoughtful reply, and I'm pleased that you continue to
gain pleasure from your listening.

[rkyburz]

Agreed, though listening to the final movement of Op. 131 on YouTube I did find the use of portamento somewhat the wrong side of judicious. An interesting approach however.

I can only agree with you, Bryn: I have no problem with the occasional portamento (such as used by the Quatuor Mosaïques, for instance), but once it becomes a prominent / dominant feature, it's putting me off —same with the use of reverberation: acoustics (hopefully not electronically generated reverb!) can support a performance, but once it becomes a dominant / ubiquitous feature, to me it starts to be distracting rather than supporting (organ music in a large church is a different story, of course).

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

As we've learned to appreciate less vibrato (or at least more judiciously applied) over recent decades... .

Hmm... Who is "we"?

[verismissimo]

Hmm... Who is "we"?

Not you, Eine. I'll try to remember to exclude you next time I make an absurd sweeping statement involving HIP matters.

[rkyburz]

Thanks everybody for the warm welcome — and for the pointer to R3: I'll see how much time I can devote to this!
Thanks also for the Endellion pointer: in one of the blog entries, a commenter has already pointed me to that ensemble, and I have briefly listened to snippets — Amazon previews, if I remember correctly (not enough to make any comments yet); it's interesting that this quartet appears to be virtually absent on the continent; I'm pondering a purchase, though retrofitting another quartet to my existing reviews would be a lot of work ... :)

[Bryn]

The main claim to fame of the Endellion set is their use of editions prepared by Jonathan Del Mar, and the inclusion of most of the incomplete fragments for string quartet and quintet. I would characterize the performances as serviceable rather than great. I'm glad to have the set but would not wish it to be my only one by any means.

[Thropplenoggin]

rkyburz: if you use Spotify, the complete Endellion box set is available to stream on there.

[rkyburz]

The main claim to fame of the Endellion set is their use of editions prepared by Jonathan Del Mar, and the4 inclusion of most of the incomplete fragments for string quartet and quintet. I would characterize the performances as serviceable rather than great. I'm glad to have the set but would not wish it to be my only one by any means.

Thanks, Bryn — that was pretty much my initial impression, too — but that's all I would say without further listening!