BaL 21.01.17 - Beethoven: String Quartet no. 12 in E flat, Op. 127

[underthecountertenor]

Yes, we all have some exposed nerves at the moment!

I'll 'get over it'!

[underthecountertenor]

If we don't have exposed nerves, how are we going to respond credibly and meaningfully to the music that we discuss here - especially a work as moving as this particular Beethoven Quartet?!...

Well said!

[Mal]

From what I heard, the Busch was said not to have been bettered, but that is not the same thing as making it the library choice. That I took to be the Belcea.

SJ says the Belcea is the best of the moderns, by a hair's breadth, but adds, "for a version that soars to even greater heights,... I don't think you can beat the Busch quartet..." and goes on to sing its praises in the highest terms. How can you take this as meaning the Belcea is the library choice? OK, SJ didn't make it explicit by saying, "Busch is the BAL choice." But I don't think you could draw any other conclusion from what he does say. In post #110 I give the timings for SJs encomium, if you want to check.

[Bryn]

SJ says the Belcea is the best of the moderns, by a hair's breadth, but adds, "for a version that soars to even greater heights,... I don't think you can beat the Busch quartet..." and goes on to sing its praises in the highest terms. How can you take this as meaning the Belcea is the library choice? OK, SJ didn't make it explicit by saying, "Busch is the BAL choice." But I don't think you could draw any other conclusion from what he does say. In post #110 I give the timings for SJs encomium, if you want to check.

I drew my conclusion by listening to the words in context. There was some equivocation which is reflected in the programme's listing thus:

Building a Library: Beethoven's String Quartet No 12, Op. 127

Recommended recording (historic / mono): Busch Quartet
Adolf Busch & The Busch Quartet: The Complete Warner Recordings
Warner 2564601931 (16CD)

Recommended recording (modern / stereo): Belcea Quartet
Beethoven: String Quartets Nos. 1-16
ALPHA 262 (8CD)

[Sir Velo]

SJ says the Belcea is the best of the moderns, by a hair's breadth, but adds, "for a version that soars to even greater heights,... I don't think you can beat the Busch quartet..." and goes on to sing its praises in the highest terms. How can you take this as meaning the Belcea is the library choice? OK, SJ didn't make it explicit by saying, "Busch is the BAL choice." But I don't think you could draw any other conclusion from what he does say. In post #110 I give the timings for SJs encomium, if you want to check.

Don't forget the objective is to find the "library" choice, which is not necessarily the same as the "best" performance.

[Nick Armstrong]

What a superlative BAL.

I've nothing to add to this

A very good BaL, I thought, with SJ at his best, absorbed by the Music rather than (as can be his wont) using it as a vehicle to fashion a learnéd turn of phrase.

And a Historic first choice, too - if AMcG does give reviewers Chinese burns until they elect a modern recording, SJ was having none of it; sivestrione, uct and others will be very pleased. I was also greatly impressed with most of the excerpts played from the Busch 4tet (that box has been in my Wish List for far too long) - with the exception of that from the slow movement: the "scoops" between large intervals, and the overt vibrato were not at all what I want to hear. I literally shied away from the radio, so repulsive did I find the effect - no doubt, it sounds more convincing in the context of the whole performance, and when it isn't heard so soon after the same Music played by the Belceas.

That was the recording that immediately grabbed and held my attention, and is the one I'm going to buy - stupidly, I haven't bought their recordings; coming so soon after the Takacs (which is magnificent) I couldn't believe that another set of Beethovens as fine could appear - it must be hype, mustn't it? (After all, I'd heard the Belceas Live twice in Ilkley - we don't get world-beaters in Ilkley!) What a twonk!

Terrific BaL.

except to say that, like Mal, I find the Alban Berg Quartet recording a much more difficult (unpleasant) listen than the Busch.

A Berg in the hand is definitely not worth two of the Busch.

It's ok, I've already got my coat.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

A Berg in the hand is definitely not worth two of the Busch.

- furious that that didn't occur to me!

[Mal]

I drew my conclusion by listening to the words in context. There was some equivocation which is reflected in the programme's listing thus:

I think you heard wrong. There is no equivocation.

[visualnickmos]

- furious that that didn't occur to me!

You came a Cropper!

[Mal]

I wish people would stop beating about the Busch and admit I'm right :)

[ahinton]

I wish people would stop beating about the Busch and admit I'm right :)

A real Busch fire seems to be developing here...

[Nick Armstrong]

- furious that that didn't occur to me!

It was in my mind as I typed that it was a ferney tribute gag!

.... now they're all at it!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Don't forget the objective is to find the "library" choice, which is not necessarily the same as the "best" performance.

It was still a fib.

[Beresford]

Hagen Quartett for me in the late Beethoven quartets... Their disc of op.127 and 132 is brilliant in every way.

Yes - I admire their op.131 recording on DG (which includes the score - but I've never been able to display it on screen. Did they do this for all their DG recordings)?
They play a lot cooler than the high powered Takacs, or the high emotion of the Hungarian - as I remember from my long lost LP - but in my view this makes them better for repeated listening. And is their recent Op135 on the Myrios label similarly good?

My wife likes the Busch best - sheer musicality - but she is not so keen on the string quartet sound in general, having been dragged to a few too many in her youth.

Presto say that the Hagens are coming to Edinburgh and the Wigmore in March. Is this true?

[pastoralguy]

No sign of an Edinburgh gig on their website unless its March 2018. I saw the Hagen's play many years ago and was really impressed. I went round to say 'Hi' afterwards and their viola player, Veronica, threw her arms round me! I remember she was so apologetic but, inevitably, I've been a huge fan ever since!

A very fine group, imho.