Bartok: Six String Quartets

On this CD:

1. String Quartet, No. 1 in A Minor, Sz. 40, BB 52 (Op. 7)
Composed by Bela Bartok
Performed by Ramor Quartet

2. String Quartet, No. 2 in A minor, Sz. 67, BB 75 (Op. 17)
Composed by Bela Bartok
Performed by Ramor Quartet

3. String Quartet, No. 3 in C sharp Major, Sz. 85, BB 93
Composed by Bela Bartok
Performed by Ramor Quartet

4. String Quartet, No. 4 in C Major, Sz. 91, BB 93
Composed by Bela Bartok
Performed by Ramor Quartet

5. String Quartet, No. 5 in B flat Major, Sz. 102, BB 110
Composed by Bela Bartok
Performed by Ramor Quartet

6. String Quartet, No. 6 in D Major, Sz. 114, BB 119
Composed by Bela Bartok
Performed by Ramor Quartet

Tracks:

The Six String Quartets: String Quartet No.1, Op.7 - Lento - Bartok
The Six String Quartets: Allegretto - Bartok
The Six String Quartets: Allegro Vivace - Bartok
The Six String Quartets: String Quartet No.2, Op.17 - Moderato - Bartok
The Six String Quartets: Allegro Molto Capriccioso - Bartok
The Six String Quartets: Lento - Bartok
The Six String Quartets: String Quartett No.3 - Prima Parte: Moderato - Bartok
The Six String Quartets: Seconda Parte: Allegro - Bartok
The Six String Quartets: Ricapitulazione Della Prima Parte: Moderato - Bartok
The Six String Quartets: Coda: Allegro Molto - Bartok
The Six String Quartets: String Quartet No.4 - Allegro - Bartok

Tracks:

The Six String Quartets: String Quartet No. 4 - Prestissimo, Con Sordino - Bela Bartok
The Six String Quartets: Non Troppo Lento - Bela Bartok
The Six String Quartets: Allegretto Pizzicato - Bela Bartok
The Six String Quartets: Allegro Molto - Bela Bartok
The Six String Quartets: String Quartet No. 5 - Allegro - Bela Bartok
The Six String Quartets: Adagio Molto - Bela Bartok
The Six String Quartets: Scherzo - Alla Bulgarese - Bela Bartok
The Six String Quartets: Andante - Bela Bartok
The Six String Quartets: Finale - Allegro Vivace - Bela Bartok
The Six String Quartets: String Quartet No. 6 - Mesto- Vivace - Bela Bartok
The Six String Quartets: Mesto - Marcia - Bela Bartok
The Six String Quartets: Mesto - Burletta - Moderato - Bela Bartok
The Six String Quartets: Mesto - Bela Bartok

Amazon.com essential recording

The Juilliard Quartet burst upon the international musical scene in the 1950s with a series of acclaimed performances of the six Bartók string quartets. Five decades later they are still renowned for their performances of this music, and no one interested in this superb group can afford to pass up this set, digitally recorded in 1981 and now available at budget price. These quartets have been very frequently recorded over the years, but few more recent versions match the Juilliard in terms of both interpretive and technical excellence. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Compositions: Outstanding! Performance: Mixed........2007-06-04

These are great pieces of music and the Juilliard Quartet performs the slow movements beautifully. The fast movements are accurate, but lacking impact. The recording quality is fairly good. Bela Bartok: The 6 String Quartets - Emerson String Quartet does a better job of the fast movements, but not as well on the slow movements. I would recommend the Hungarian String Quartet Bartók: 6 String Quartets recording instead.

P.S. I saw the Juilliard String Quartet perform Bartok's 5th string quartet in 2005 and it was phenomenal. I'm just reviewing the recording here, not today's quartet!

Doesn't compare to the 1963 Juilliard version.......2003-11-11

It is a shame that the 1981 Juilliard cycle has been the only available Juilliard cycle for some time, because it is by far the weakest of the three. Sure, it is a relatively cheap CD set, but I don't really feel it is worth the money. The playing, compared to the Juilliard's incomparable 1963 recording, is positively anemic. The sound quality also leaves a lot to be desired. Overall, this is an unsatisfying listening experience.

If you want the 1963 Juilliard version, good luck. It is available only as an import, and is generally a challenge to acquire. The same can be said of the Alban Berg Quartett cycle. Probably the best domestically available version would be the Emerson Quartet's cycle.

Some people may be thinking that they are getting the 1963 version with this CD set. Don't be fooled --- this version is significantly inferior and should definitely not be your first choice.

Beautiful music, poor rendition.......2003-08-06

It has been said that Bartok's string quartets together are the best thing to happen to classical music since Beethoven's string quartets. There are many wonderful quartets out there performing these quartets, but this recording by the Juilliard Quartet just doesn't rank up there. I swear by the Emerson Quartet's rendition on Deutsche Grammophon which has wonderful recording quality and an amazing performance. I've heard the Takacs Quartet live and they indeed have their own wonderful way of interpreting the music that's different from the Emerson Quartet. I'd recommend either quartet's work heartily over the Juilliard's version, which is thin, lifeless, and simply unsatisfying. Don't think you're saving money -- you'll just end up buying one of the better versions anyway!

Julliard interprets Bartok's works excellently.......2002-12-10

There are better interpretations of these seminal works available -- Takacs Quartet and Emerson Quartet do excellent versions, I'm told -- but for someone on a budget who would love to hear six great, innovative string quartets, you can't beat this disc.

A two-disc set recorded in 1981 by the famed Julliard String Quartet, this collection takes what are considered by many to be the finest string quartets ever written and gives them a clear, beautiful interpretation. While the first two (and last) quartets are quiet and contemplative, things get really exciting in the middle portion, with 3, 4 and 5 bristling with energy and tension. This is "modern" classical at its finest.

Julliard shows why Bartok was such a revered composer. If you want to go all out and get the aforementioned Takacs or Emerson versions, I'm sure you'll be sonically rewarded. But two excellent discs for under $15 is a great deal.

a neoclassical reading at a bargain price.......2001-08-16

Bartok composed the great string quartet cycle of the early 20th century. Of the various available recordings, this Juilliard from 1981 has one obvious advantage -- it's cheaper. By all means, listen, it's a fine version, but you'll never know what you're missing if you don't hear the Takacs Quartet's "gypsy" version!

The 3rd, 4th, and 5th quartets are sheer modernist genius. The 1st and 2nd are less innovative -- the 1st is in the romantic tradition. The 6th is calm and tragic, written as Bartok prepared to leave Hungary for the USA.

Here are some comparisons between the Juilliard and Takacs recordings -- an advantage of the Juilliard is that the quartets are in order, while the Takacs changes the order. The resulting disadvantage of the Juilliard is that #4 is split. The Juilliard has perfunctory liner notes, while the Takacs has superb, extensive liner notes describing each piece and how it was written. As for the music, these are very different interpretations. The Juilliard Quartet sounds quite neoclassical -- light, even thin, restrained, and emphasizing the ensemble more than individual lines. In dramatic contrast, the Takacs Quartet sounds rougher, earthier, "gypsy" -- they are heavier, thicker, more passionate, and sound more like four individuals playing together than a unified ensemble. So far, a matter of interpretation. Both are valid, and the differences highlight the rich potential of the scores. BUT, there is a serious problem with the Juilliard, and that is why I give it only 4 stars -- the recording seems to slight the bass end, with a faint cello. The Juilliard recording of Carter's quartets doesn't suffer from this problem, and so I have to conclude that the problem is in the recording, not the playing. The recording of the Takacs disc is superb and balanced, and is probably partly responsible for the sound of four distinct lines.

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 1 In A Minor, Op. 7: 1. Lento
String Quartet No. 1 In A Minor, Op. 7: 2. Allegretto
String Quartet No. 1 In A Minor, Op. 7: 3. Introduzione. Allegro - Allegro vivace
String Quartet No. 3: Prima parte. Moderato
String Quartet No. 3: Seconda parte. Allegro
String Quartet No. 3: Ricapitolazione della prima parte. Moderato
String Quartet No. 3: Coda. Allegro molto
String Quartet No. 5: 1. Allegro
String Quartet No. 5: 2. Adagio molto
String Quartet No. 5: 3. Scherzo
String Quartet No. 5: 4. Andante
String Quartet No. 5: 5. Finale

Tracks:

String Quartet No. 2 In A Minor, Op. 17: Moderato
String Quartet No. 2 In A Minor, Op. 17: Allegro molto capriccioso
String Quartet No. 2 In A Minor, Op. 17: Lento
String Quartet No. 4: 1. Allegro
String Quartet No. 4: 2. Prestissimo, con sordino
String Quartet No. 4: 3. Non troppo lento
String Quartet No. 4: 4. Allegretto pizzicato
String Quartet No. 4: 5. Allegro molto
STRING QUARTET NO. 6: 1. Mesto -Vivace
STRING QUARTET NO. 6: 2. Mesto - Marcia
STRING QUARTET NO. 6: 3. Mesto - Burletta. Moderato
STRING QUARTET NO. 6: 4. Mesto

Customer Reviews:

Adequate but not stirring.......2006-10-09

One has to respect any quartet that can deliver decent performances of these difficult works, but I can't say that this performance rises above merely adequate. The recording is lacking in clarity, but the real problem is the performance. Rhythmically hazy, texturally obscure and with only mediocre ensemble, my search for a good version of these quartets continues.

Very consistent, from start to finish over 2 CD's.......2006-04-17

The strength of this 2 CD release, is the CONSISTENT
style, audio quality, mood from start to finish.

There are 6 compositions on this release, lasting
well almost 2 hours.

This release definitively shows the composer's
ability to exude the moody and dark emotions that
humans can go through, at times. And to be exposed
to such an audio experience for well over an hour,
at very high audio quality, with the full "aching"
of the wood instruments to reflect on one's emotions
is exceptional and unique.

I feel these compositions are unique, in that sense...
they take the listener to a mental and emotional landscape
where the listener is very much alive, yet very much
aware of the sad emotions that are shown, which is
totally different to other music, that often is nihilist,
negative, self-destructive which is totally unrelated to
this work.

As such, much like a physical wound is medically damaged
and on the mend, these 2 CD's offer a musical experience
that is rich in sound and vitality, yet painful to listen
in its beauty.

Great music, OK performance.......2000-11-22

There is no question, at least in my mind, that the 20th century master of the string quartet was Bela Bartok. The remarkable thing to note is that Bartok did not even play strings! He was a virtuosic pianist. So how does someone who doesn't even play strings end up with a technique named after him (The Bartok Pizzicato)? The man was a genius, that's all I can say.

These quartets should appeal to a broad base of listeners, especially today. I think that more teens would be into "classical music" if they were introduced to these quartets (especially those into "heavy metal") and realized the potential of the medium. Our ears are much less sensitive to dissonance than they were when these debuted, so most people should be fairly comfortable with the material. Perhaps not on the first listen, but after a little exposure.

This particular performance, however, I have found rather lacking. It just doesn't grab me. It seems to be a rather cold interpretation that lacks any spirit (in material where it abounds!). I don't like the sonic quality of the recording either -- it sounds very flat and one-dimensional.