COMPOSERS: Beethoven
LABELS: Sony
WORKS: String Quartets Op.18/1-6 Budapest String Quartet
PERFORMER: Budapest String Quartet
CATALOGUE NO: MP2K 52531
Intelligent performances from one of the most celebrated and long-lived of all string quartets. Some things work more successfully than others, and fast movements generally fare better than slow ones (the dashing finale of No. 5 is especially well done). It’s a shame that a few more repeats aren’t observed, but the playing is so well-blended and civilised that I’ll forgive them. The 1951/52 sound is clean rather than especially vivid. Stephen Maddock
Beethoven: String Quartets Op.18/1-6 Budapest String Quartet
Intelligent performances from one of the most celebrated and long-lived of all string quartets. Some things work more successfully than others, and fast movements generally fare better than slow ones (the dashing finale of No. 5 is especially well done). It’s a shame that a few more repeats aren’t observed, but the playing is so well-blended and civilised that I’ll forgive them. The 1951/52 sound is clean rather than especially vivid. Stephen Maddock
Our rating
4
Published: January 20, 2012 at 2:30 pm