Our Summer BaL, Number 53: Schubert's Last String Quartets

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The new season of BaL isn't that far off, now, so I'd like to sneak in a request for recommendations for these three (four, including the Quartettsatz D. 703) works; the a minor (Rosamund) D.804; the d minor (Death & the Maiden), D.810; and the G major, D.887.

I have three very good recordings of these works - the Italians, the Brandis, and the Taneyev S4tets - and the Busch in the d minor & G major - but none of them quite create that last degree of "connection" that happens with one' favourite recordings, so I shall be very interested to read Forumistas' views and opinions (on these and other recordings of the works).

[LeMartinPecheur]

fhg: was just poised to tell you all the fantastic recordings of these works on the LMP shelves, and then paused...

Not because I decided all my versions were rubbish, but because I wouldn't really pick any out as the 'Answer to Schubertian prayer'.

But isn't that the nature of these works - always fascinating, many insightful, moving performances, but never quite the clincher? Maybe this in in the nature of Schubert's style: so many passages are happy and sad at the same time, so many permissible shades, inflections, but very little that is ever definitively 'right'.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

fhg: was just poised to tell you all the fantastic recordings of these works on the LMP shelves, and then paused...

Not because I decided all my versions were rubbish, but because I wouldn't really pick any out as the 'Answer to Schubertian prayer'.

But isn't that the nature of these works - always fascinating, many insightful, moving performances, but never quite the clincher? Maybe this in in the nature of Schubert's style: so many passages are happy and sad at the same time, so many permissible shades, inflections, but very little that is ever definitively 'right'.

- I had the feeling that this was going to end up an expensive Thread! I suspect that the performances I'm hoping to discover will be the conglomerates of the various versions I'll hear in my imagination after hearing dozens. - and yet also

[Richard Barrett]

Coincidentally I was listening a couple of days ago to the Mosaïques' recordings of Rosamunde and Death and the Maiden. These will do for me until something more enlightening comes along. For me the Schubert's chamber music benefits from a HIPP approach as much as does his piano music, letting its contradictory emotions coexist freely without being weighed down by heavy late-Romantic expression and sound.

[EdgeleyRob]

The Melos box of the complete Quartets (DG)contains super performances of those 4 works IMO.
I also have the Amadeus in Death and the Maiden and Tokyo in Rosamund.
I have a few D887s,Allegri,Emerson and Kodaly Quartets are excellent

[BBMmk2]

I need a new recording of Schubert's last string quartets, so this be rather helpful.

[CallMePaul]

The G Major D887 has always been my favourite of the late works; it is one of those late works by Schubert that seems to inhabit the same world as Bruckner and I would love to hear it on the same programme as Bruckner's String Quintet (yes I could arrange this with recordings!).

I have the Lindsay's recordings of these, in a box with D112, the Quartettsatz and the String Quintet with Douglas Cummings. I heard them play this repertoire more than once when they were resident at Manchester University and have always enjoyed their performances. I would certainly be interested in a period instrument recording of these and must look out for the Mosaiques and trawl the lists for any other HIPP options.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The G Major D887 has always been my favourite of the late works; it is one of those late works by Schubert that seems to inhabit the same world as Bruckner

I have the Lindsay's recordings of these, in a box with D112, the Quartettsatz and the String Quintet with Douglas Cummings. I heard them play this repertoire more than once when they were resident at Manchester University and have always enjoyed their performances.

I have very fond memories of the Lindsays' dual cycle of the Bartok Quartets, each coupled with one of the Late Beethovens in Leeds in 1981 - and I've enjoyed their Haydn recordings, so that's one I'd be interested in hearing.

I would certainly be interested in a period instrument recording of these and must look out for the Mosaiques and trawl the lists for any other HIPP options.

Yes - for the reasons Richard mentions, I'd be particularly interested in a HIPP recording.


EDGEY (#5) Am I right in "remembering" that you have the Taneyev set, too?

[EdgeleyRob]

EDGEY (#5) Am I right in "remembering" that you have the Taneyev set, too?

No,Taneyevs in Myaskovsky and even in Taneyev,but not in Schubert.
Just seen their Schubert set can be downloaded for a fiver,be rude not to.

[richardfinegold]

I've been relying on the Emersons but I would be open to new versions. Maybe I'll use Spotify or Apple Music to explore

[BBMmk2]

I have seen the Taneyev's and the Myaskovsky's, and strongly recommended?

[gurnemanz]

I only had the late quartets by the Italians on Philips in Duo until I got the Complete Quartets in a 9CD box from the Leipziger Streichquartett. I actually bought it in Leipzig and left the price label on it for nostalgic reasons - Sonderpreis DM79! (about £25 at the time - pre-Euro). It's a very good set and I see they got the BaL recommendation for D887 in 2006. Individual discs are full price and if you want them the box is easily the most cost-effective route.

[Bryn]

I only had the late quartets by the Italians on Philips in Duo until I got the Complete Quartets in a 9CD box from the Leipziger Streichquartett. I actually bought it in Leipzig and left the price label on it for nostalgic reasons - Sonderpreis DM79! (about £25 at the time - pre-Euro). It's a very good set and I see they got the BaL recommendation for D887 in 2006. Individual discs are full price and if you want them the box is easily the most cost-effective route.

The MDT price is very attractive. I paid around £7 more for the boxed set from amazon.co.uk four years ago. A fine set, agreed, including the Quintet with Michael Sanderling. I also have the Italians, of course.

[BBMmk2]

Just listening to the String Quintet, with Douglas Cummings and the Lindsays, fabulous! :)

[HighlandDougie]

This:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mozart-Quartet-Dissonances-Schubert-Rosamunde/dp/B005H8APS2/ref=sr_1_5?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1473154166&sr=1-5&keywords=chiaroscuro+quartet

has a very fine performance of the 'Rosamunde' but appears only to be available now at silly prices.