Bartók's six quartets are the greatest set in that form since Beethoven; they have attracted most of the great quartets since the mid-century, and several complete recordings deserve consideration. The Tokyo String Qu... more »artet plays with high energy and dazzling technique in this, its second recording (notable for the presence of its newest, non-Japanese member, Peter Oundjian). It takes three discs, comparted with two for some other recordings, but it includes two of the century's most striking, original, and emotionally appealing quartets, composed by Janácek when he was involved in an intense, doomed, and reluctantly platonic love affair with a much younger woman. --Joe McLellan« less
Bartók's six quartets are the greatest set in that form since Beethoven; they have attracted most of the great quartets since the mid-century, and several complete recordings deserve consideration. The Tokyo String Quartet plays with high energy and dazzling technique in this, its second recording (notable for the presence of its newest, non-Japanese member, Peter Oundjian). It takes three discs, comparted with two for some other recordings, but it includes two of the century's most striking, original, and emotionally appealing quartets, composed by Janácek when he was involved in an intense, doomed, and reluctantly platonic love affair with a much younger woman. --Joe McLellan
"I have to disagree. This performance is best characterized by the old joke: "they're playing Bartok, and Bartok is losing." It's not the fault of the core TSQ members, but rather that of Oundjian, whose playing I find agressive rather than spirited or assertive. Better to save your money for the (also OOP) *first* TSQ recording which was released, for about fifteen minutes, by Deutsche Grammophon in the early 1990s. It's worth a long crawl through broken glass: luxuriant, warm, extremely intelligent, and reasonably well recorded. The only other performance that does these pieces justice - by making them beautiful as well as dynamic - is an LP released by RCA Victor in the late 1970s. The performers? The Guarneri String Quartet, whose performance may not be the equal of that put out by the original TSQ, but it is quite good. Too bad it has yet to be released on CD."
Since this is OOP:Review updated/Sept 3,2006
paul best | new orleans | 12/17/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"You'll have to "settle for" the New Budapest on Hyperion. I've compared the 2 one day and found both sets to be exceptional. , though the Tokyo/RCA group is my first pick. The Tokyo /DG group I didn't care for, too analytical, sharp, the music got lost in the technical mastery. i actually bought the Tokyo/DG set twice, just to double ck my comparison to the RCA group.
Not so with the RCA group.
This is a difficult set to come by, hopefully RCA will re-release it.
I see on Feburary 8th there is one copy avaliable at a very fair price of $99.
All you with the various recordings, Decca, Hungratron, Surpaphon, DG, EMI etc.
Think you have the best?
Wait til you hear this Tokyo/RCA group.
I have my copy otherwise I'd snap it up at a bargain price of $100.
This is the greatest recording of Bartok's SQ's , and I personally feel will never be equalled.
Ever.
EDIT: I had a chance to sit down this weekend and give both this Tokyo/RCA and the New Budapest/Hyperion sets a further review.
Seems I may have to slightly alter my above opinions. As finesly crafted as this set is performed, the New Budapest seems to have a deeper grasp of the emotional element that Bartok is trying to express. Not to say this Tokyo groups is not feeling the music. But in some sense a certain "hungarian earthiness" is revealed with the New Budapest players. No I am not favoring the "hometown team" as though i am biased.
Read my review on the New Budapest set. i'm still in listening session with both this weekend and will post any further comments, if need be.
EDIT: Sept 4, 2006, you can ck my further comments on the New Budapest/Hyperion release.
The 5 stars still remain for this recording.
"
One of the best Bartok sets
PI57 | USA | 04/08/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"It's a shame that this set is out of print, it really is superbly played, on a par with the reference set by the Hungarian Quartet. The Janacek is a nice addition, although be warned that these are not mainstream performances - they are taken much more quickly than usual. The Bartok, however, really sings. It may be less authentic than those produced by the Hungarian, Vegh and Tatrai quartets, but they do a fabulous job in making the music understandable, perhaps less formidable than it can sometimes seem. A classic recording."
A serious mismatch of artists and repetoire
C.D. Wexler | 01/07/2007
(2 out of 5 stars)
"I've listened to this album repeatedly and can find little to recommend it. The playing is, for the most part, soft focus, with retrained dynamics, slow tempi, and little understanding of the ethnic music basis of Bartok's composition. On the other hand, the performance of the 5th quartet, which was the last recorded, is good. However, there are much better two disc sets of the six Bartok quartets by the Berg, Emerson, Keller, and Takacs Quartets. Similar reservations apply to the performances of the Janacek quartets."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1
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