Search - Ludwig van Beethoven, Quartetto Italiano :: Late String Quartets, Vol. 2

Revolutionary Music Played To The Extreme

A. Michaelson | Bay Area, CA | 08/08/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The late quartets are undoubtedly the most revolutionary works Beethoven ever penned. Not only do they totally break the structural mold by having more than just four movements, they also introduce new harmonic, melodic, and contrapuntal techniques which Beethoven uses to elicit extremes in emotion, the likes of which music had previously never experienced. Beethoven said of his late quartets that they were not meant for his time but rather another time. Perhaps now is that time. We have come to an age where we can finally begin to understand the emotion and sentiment that this music is infused with, and we can finally appreciate these masterpieces that his contemporaries viewed as nothing more than the last attempts of a deaf man to keep his legacy alive. These quartets are simply spectacular, and the Quarteto Italiano do an incredible job of playing these masterpieces. They play the music immaculately and they bring for the emotional extremes that Beethoven intended. The playing is really just perfect. I guess the one issue with these recordings is that they're from the 1970s, which means that there is a slight balance issue (as with all recordings of the era) in that the treble is slightly more emphasized than the ever important bass. However, this is a minor blemish and is not enough to detract from the overall good sound quality and the exceptional playing. This is a recommended CD, as is its sister CD, which features the incredible Grosse Fuge."

Superb

A. Michaelson | 06/17/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I first purchased these performances of the late quartets on vinyl back in the early to mid 1970's. I have listened to these wonderful performances many times over the years, and I just don't get tired of them. I have four of five other versions of the Beethoven quartets, and certainly, there are other great recordings of these works, but for clarity, precsion, attack, pesuasive power, sheer beauty of sound, I just keep coming back to the QI. At a cost of two CD's for the price of one, this is a terrific deal on arguably the best version of these quartets ever recorded. I can't think of any reason not to purchase this -- except that you can buy a boxed set of all the quartets for about [price]."

The way Beethoven would have wanted it

A. Michaelson | 03/07/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"One of the truly amazing recordings of one of Beethoven's greatest works. The quartet plays with simplicity, eloquence and with a lyrical tone that few can hope to match. Each of the movements is carefully crafted, and the playing is a window into the composer's soul, as also the wonderful interplay between the members of the quartets. I especially love the adagio, where each theme is a shining gem; these players imbue it with a brilliance that makes me breathless for more."