Beethoven: String Quartets

 

Many write off the Alban Berg Quartet as a rather old-fashioned, oaken style ensemble. Indeed, they have a warm, singing Viennese touch in their performances, yet there is  also power and attack, never ever underplayed, and I appreciate their weight and go-at-it impact and attitude in so many of the ABQ's recordings.

So it is in the string quartets of Beethoven. These recordings are collected from between 1978 to 1983, coming from the earlier portion of the quartet's existence. Sure, these will never be confused with a HIP approach, which is popular today, but I am always pleased with this entire set.

A review from 2020

Beethoven’s 16 String Quartets might not have the monumental reputation of his 9 Symphonies, but I think they show Beethoven’s journey of musical language more adeptly. Reissued on Warner Classics across 7CD’s from their EMI original, the Alban Berg Quartett’s (ABQ) early cycle spanning the 70’s into the 80’s was a must-have in its day, although today the competition has certainly grown.

The ABQ, a Viennese string quartet that mix classic repertoire with the modern masters in concert, are known for their rather intense readings of string quartet classics, with taut, machine-oiled ensemble rhythms and furious attentiveness to dynamic and articulation details. Yet, they honor their Viennese lineage with warm, singing lines as opposed to an edgy, steely tone. Their detailed look at Beethoven has been considered calculated, especially in the slower portions, portions which never reach the event horizon of magical spirituality, but these performances are quite bracing.

The early quartets (1-6) are tough to give personality, especially since Beethoven’s voice isn’t as efficacious yet. The ABQ are good here, the 2nd mvt. of Quartet 1, for example, is icily restrained, yet they pounce on Beethoven’s multitude of sforzandos with relished vigour. These are not lushly Romantic portrayals, nor do they have lean, sparse, modern period tendencies, so I think these lack a bit of personality, but that could be attributed more to Beethoven than ABQ.

The middle quartets (7-11) are firmly in Beethoven land, even right at the outset with that marvelous opening cello tune in Quartet 7. The virtuosity Beethoven requires of his string quartets hits a high precipice compared to the previous six, and it is here that the ABQ shines with their precise ensemble work, all-in attacks, and musical readings. The sound is a bit better on the lower end here too, those plucked cello lines in mvt. 2 of Quartet 9 are humongous, as are the cross-instrument pluckings of the “Harp” Quartet for that matter. Nor will you hear a more intense “Quartetto Serioso”, in which, ABQ throw themselves at Beethoven’s gear changes with great relish.

The late quartets (12-16) find Beethoven challenging his audiences as well as his performers and expands his musical language towards modernism. The epic-length slow movements, ones which equal the other movements in length combined, broker between charm and befuddlement. Quartet 13 is unduly melodic in its 4th movement, followed by the heavenly cavatina, yet the opening of 14 looks backwards to the Baroque with an old-fashioned fugue-type setting, although the ABQ excel with wonderful long, singing lines peppered with those sforzandos. ABQ comes closest to full-on Romanticism in Quartet’s 15’s beautiful slow movement, but dive in to 14’s concluding Allegro with an angry, edgy bluster. ABQ include Beethoven’s rather ugly Große Fugue as well.

Set down in a small, audience-less, rural Swiss church over six years from 1978-1983, it is nice that the ABQ spent a decent span of time with these works as opposed to setting them down in a weekend as they do today; it smells less of a marketing cash grab and more of a musical journey. It should be noted that these are not new remasterings, so if you have the original collection, these are the exact same recordings, although the updated packaging is nice and appreciably comes with the original covers. I think I hear faint echoes of the outside world in their Swiss church location - birds (those long rests during mvt. 1 of Quartet 8), children at play (in one of the early SQ’s), vehicles, but it was imperceptible enough that I could have been imagining things. Otherwise, the sound is good, if not favouring a bit of the high end in these late stereo and early digital recordings.

There are many fine collections of Beethoven’s String Quartets, both new and old, each delivering their own brand of playing style. The Alban Berg Quartett has a bit more bite and grit than some, but they also stay true to the sweet singing style of Vienna, and even if they don’t lay into highly-Romanticized musical stylings, there is enough character from movement to movement. This is an excellent string quartet set, and I have no qualms offering it as a solid recommendation for those who want to explore Beethoven’s SQ’s. I also prefer this set compared to their later live one on EMI, one where their spontaneity and flexibility may appeal more to some, but the acoustic isn’t as tight as it is here.

 

 

 
Performers
Alban Berg Quartet
   Günter Pichler, violin
   Gerhard Schulz, violin
   Hatto Beyerle, viola (op. 18 - 95)
   Thomas Kakuska, viola (op. 127 - 135)
   Valentin Erben, cello

Label: EMI; Warner
Year: 1978-83; 2019
Total Timing: 8.17.08

 

 

 

Really, a stellar set from beginning to end.

Those averse to modern instruments played in an intense fashion may not like these performances, but these are a knockout for me.

 

 

 

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