Search - Arnold Schoenberg, Anton Webern, Alban Berg :: Neue Wiener Schule: Schoenberg, Berg, Webern Streichquartette

An essential collection

Sator | Sydney, Australia | 07/12/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This collection of music for string quartet by the Second Viennese School can now be said to have classical status. The LaSalle Quartet succeed fully in communicating the emotional, spiritual and intellectual depths the three composers of this school -Schönberg, Berg and Webern - commanded. Above all, these composers were through and through Viennese and these recordings show just how much their music grew out a continuum with the tradition handed down to them from Schubert, Beethoven, and Brahms.



First of all take the Second String Quartet by Schönberg with its fusion of the Quartet with the Lied. I have heard several versions of this, but none more beautiful than that sung by Margaret Price here. The otherworldly introspection and subtly visionary qualities of the music come across abundently. Yet at every moment the sense of the inheritance of the Viennese tradition remains omnipresent in the writing. Adorno thought this was the greatest thing Schönberg ever wrote and more than any other interpretion this one shows why Adorno might have thought that. It is a work of transcendent beauty that will appeal to lot of listeners, especially those who normally find Second Viennese School 'too difficult'. To have this along with the entire set of four quartets plus works by Berg and Webern is truly an embarrassment of riches!



The Webern pieces here are characterised by the Angst ridden darkness of their mood as well as their poignant brevity. These works were composed at a time when nearly every work was a response to the death of his mother - an event of enormous emotional impact for Webern. In this sense, the autobiographical elements recall the symphonies of Gustav Mahler, of whose music Webern was a powerful interpreter. Indeed, Berg even called him the greatest Mahler conductor since Mahler.



The thing that really makes this recording an essential set for every serious music lover's collection is the very substantial booklet that comes with this set. It is virtually a book rather than a booklet and is highly authoratative. I can only praise Deutsche Gramophon for maintaining their availability."

Reissued by Brilliant Classics at an attractive price

Y.P. | Mount Messiaen, Utah | 05/03/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This set of legendary performances by LaSalle Quartet of all string quartets by Schoenberg, Webern, and Berg has been reissued by Brilliant Classics Schoenberg; Berg; Webern - String Quartets at a very attractive price. Buy it now before it disappears again.



The performance here is outstanding, with well judged tempos and very tight ensemble. The sound is very polished, which is well captured in the CD transfer. There are only a few things I'd like to point out.



1. The first violin seems to have wider vibrato than commonly used these days.

2. The breathing is sometimes audible.

3. The soprano Margaret Price, with very wide vibrato, does not seem to have the right timber for Schoenberg's quartet in f sharp minor Op.10. (Yes, there is a soprano in the "string quartet"!)

4. If you have Alban Berg Collection, you already have 1 of the 4 discs.



However, these small quibbles need not deter you from buying this outstanding set at the current Brilliant Classics price. And by the way, if you like historic performances, the set In Honor of Rudolf Kolisch, which has almost all pieces performed here, is not to be missed. Kolisch Quartet premiered many of the pieces in the set, including Schoenberg's last 2 quartets, Webern's Op.28, Berg's Lyric Suite (and Bartok's 5th).



Most highly recommended."