BaL 30.04.11 - Dvorak: String Quartet in G, Op.106

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Jan Smaczny with a personal recommendation from the available recordings of Dvorak's String Quartet in G, Op.106

Available versions

Pavel Haas Quartet
Kocian Quartet
The Lindsays
Tanja Tetzlaff, Gustav Rivinius (cello) & Antje Weithaas, Christian Tetzlaff (violins)
Pacifica Quartet
Vlach Quartet Prague
Prazák String Quartet
Alban Berg Ouartet
Emerson String Quartet
Panocha Quartet
The Smetana Quartet?
Stamitz Quartet
Panocha Quartet
Prague String Quartet
Pacifica Quartet
Melos Quartet
Chilingirian Quartet

Downloads:
Artemis Quartet
Vlach Quartet Prague
Audubon Quartet
Wister Quartet

No longer available:
Talich Quartet (nla)
Travnicek Quartet (nla)

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

As the following week's BaL will be a general round-up of a composer's recordings, it may be as well to enjoy this one. (I've yet to hear the work.)

[aeolium]

I have the Talich version which will presumably be excluded from consideration - very good though. I've heard the work many times live and on R3 - Chilingirian and Prazak Quartets in particular stood out, but I don't know their recordings.

It's a wonderful work, as is its companion the A flat quartet op 105 - I much prefer them to the overplayed 'American' quartet op 96.

[mikealdren]

Alpine, you're in or a treat, it's a masterpiece and one of my favourite quartets. I have the Prague set on DG and they are very good. The sound is not the latest, but it's perfectly ok.

Mike

[verismissimo]

I've only ever had the Vlachs in this quartet. Very enjoyable.

[verismissimo]

I missed it. What was recommended?

[aeolium]

Pavel Haas Quartet was the top choice. It was another of those BaLs where I could have happily listened to any of the versions played, judging from the extracts.

[mikealdren]

I enjoyed the PH but there were quite a few that I was not comfortable with. For my taste, too many of the quartets 'over interpreted' the music with too much attention so minor detail and not enough for the overall sweep of the work.

I'll stick with the Prague set which I suspect were largely ignored because it's a large box set and dates from 1975. Nothing I heard was better and the set contains so many other treasures.

Mike

[gurnemanz]

For cheapskates the very good Stamitz 10CD complete set of Dvorak quartets is available for less than the 1CD recommended version.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dvor%C3%A1k-Complete-Quartets-Stamitz-Quintet/dp/B00007B9P2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1304208403&sr=8-1

[verismissimo]

Ordered. Thanks gurnemanz.

[Nick Armstrong]

For cheapskates the very good Stamitz 10CD complete set of Dvorak quartets is available for less than the 1CD recommended version.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Dvor%C3%A1k-...4208403&sr=8-1

Not quite less - I ordered my copy of 'the winner' (for once, as I don't own it and was attracted by what I heard) for £9.99... along with the v good value Glazunov concerto set....

[rauschwerk]

I downloaded the whole album from emusic.com (a subscription service which I use intermittently) for £3.36, in high bit rate mp3. Very satisfactory to my ears.

[verismissimo]

I thought I knew Dvorak's string quartets, but, lapping up the newly-acquired 10 CD set from the Stamitzes, I realise that, having reached the end of CD5, I've only ever previously heard the Cypresses on CD3. Where did they all spring from?

More familiar territory to come.

[Chris Newman]

I thought I knew Dvorak's string quartets, but, lapping up the newly-acquired 10 CD set from the Stamitzes, I realise that, having reached the end of CD5, I've only ever previously heard the Cypresses on CD3. Where did they all spring from?

More familiar territory to come.

Verismissimo,

I am sure you have heard the original songs (B.11) from which Dvorak arranged his Cypresses. If not I recommend them as a complement to the B.152 Quartet. The much missed Philip Langridge recorded them with Radoslav Kvapil (and the Quartet) on the bargain Alto label. ALC 1038. They are gorgeous. Dvorak loved his quartet version dating from 1887. The songs, dating from the 1860s were an unrequited love token to a pupil and remained unsung in public until 1983.

bws
Chris.

[Barbirollians]

It is a superb record but the Op 106 is a better than the American - there are some slight agogic pauses in the slow movement that are very slightly annoying but they don't spoil the record but I do still prefer my long time favourites the Hollywood Quartet.