Schubert: String Quintet/String Quartets

On this CD:

1. String Quartet No. 14 in D minor ("Death and the Maiden"), D. 810
Composed by Franz Schubert
Performed by Lindsay String Quartet

2. String Quartet No. 12 in C minor ("Quartettsatz"), D. 703
Composed by Franz Schubert
Performed by Lindsay String Quartet

3. Quintet for 2 violins, viola & 2 cellos in C major, D. 956 (Op. posth. 163)
Composed by Franz Schubert
Performed by Douglas Cummings, Lindsay String Quartet

Customer Reviews:

FULL APPRECIATION.......2007-03-20

Until this bargain priced recording on three discs of the Emerson Quartet playing Schubert`s last four string quartets (included also is the String Quintet in C major, D956 featuring Rostropovich on cello), down through the years, I really did not have too much of an appreciation for Schubert's Quartets # 12, 13, 14, 15. For some reason their beauty eluded me. Now, with this recording, I love the works especially the #15 in G major. It is indeed filled with drama, pathos and great beauty. I don't think I can blame this "new found" appreciation on any maturation on my part. I really believe, it's soley due to the exquisite playing of the Emerson Quartet. They really play these works not like they are "walking on eggshells" but with vigor, passion and beauty. Also, I'm sure, that the wonderful recorded sound helped in my appreciation too.

I plan on seeking out more Schubert performed by the Emerson Quartet--they are so very good!!

Franz Schubert: String Quartets D 804 "Rosamunde", D 810 "Death and the Maiden", D 887, D 703 and String Quintet D 956

Average customer rating:

SO MUCH THAT I WANT EVEN MORE
Schubert's late chamber masterpieces
Awesome music, interesting performance
Schubert + Emerson = Listener Satisfaction
Good but not Best

Franz Schubert: String Quartets D 804 "Rosamunde", D 810 "Death and the Maiden", D 887, D 703 and String Quintet D 956
Franz Schubert , Emerson String Quartet , and Mstislav Rostropovich
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Box Sets | Stores | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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The Haydn Project
Webern: Works for String Quartet
Mendelssohn: The Complete String Quartets / Emerson String Quartet
Schumann: Op. Nos. 44 & 47
Intimate Voices

ASIN: B00000I0L8
Release Date: 1999-02-09

Tracks:

String Quartet In A Minor, D 804, Op. 29: Allegro ma non troppo
String Quartet In A Minor, D 804, Op. 29: 2. Andante
String Quartet In A Minor, D 804, Op. 29: 3. Menuetto. Allegretto - Trio
String Quartet In A Minor, D 804, Op. 29: 4. Allegro moderato
String Quartet In D Minor, D 810 'Death And The Maiden': 1. Allegro
String Quartet In D Minor, D 810 'Death And The Maiden': 2. Andante con moto
String Quartet In D Minor, D 810 'Death And The Maiden': 3. Scherzo. Allegro molto - Trio
String Quartet In D Minor, D 810 'Death And The Maiden': 4. Presto

Tracks:

String Quartet In G Major, D 887: 1. Allegro molto moderato
String Quartet In G Major, D 887: 2. Andante un poco mosso
String Quartet In G Major, D 887: 3. Scherzo. Allegro vivace - Trio. Allegretto
String Quartet In G Major, D 887: 4. Allegro assai
Quartet Movement In C Minor, D 703: 5. Allegro assai
Quartet Movement In C Minor, D 703: 6. Andante (fragment)

Tracks:

String Quintet In C Major, D 956: 1. Allegro ma non troppo - Franz Schubert
String Quintet In C Major, D 956: 2. Adagio - Franz Schubert
String Quintet In C Major, D 956: 3. Scherzo, Presto - Trio, Andante sostenuto - Franz Schubert
String Quintet In C Major, D 956: 4. Allegretto - Franz Schubert

Customer Reviews:

SO MUCH THAT I WANT EVEN MORE.......2007-05-24

To say the least, nobody purchasing this set is likely to regret it. Just at the pedestrian level of value-for-quantity the value is brilliant, and at the artistic level it is more brilliant still. The professionalism and technical proficiency of the Emerson group probably needs little highlighting by now, but these players are musicians first and foremost. Apart from perfect intonation and ultra-perfect ensemble they have added variety to their unfailing beauty of sound. The start of the G major quartet, which can sometimes be a bit of an assault on the ears, is done ideally, with the exploding chords sonorous and majestic. At the other end of the volume-scale there is a wonderful breathless hush near the end of the variations in the D minor, and in this same quartet I don't think I ever heard the enchanting second subject of the first movement phrased so beautifully.

How do they relate to Schubert? For me, Schubert is a composer apart. All his compositions are early works, and in the five pieces comprised in this set I sense a steady advance in certainty and consistency. By the time of the quintet he is fully inside his own individual style, but at every stage of his development there are sequences in which someone or something beyond the merely human seems to be speaking or singing, using him as a mouthpiece, and it taxes even the greatest of his exponents to detect and express these. They are not a matter of one specific idiom, but of several, and the better the interpreters handle such passages the more I find myself longing for some ideal that I refuse to consider unreachable, because I have always heard it reached by someone at some time. One issue is represented by the second subject in the G major's first movement. When this comes round for the second time, in the recapitulation with new counterpoint, the Emersons are perfect for me. However at its first appearance this theme, with its muttering self-repetitions, has a somnambulistic air to it that the Novak quartet on my old LP capture ideally for me, and I wonder whether the Emersons are just a little bright-eyed and clean-limbed. The sense of that grew on me as the set progressed. The great melody from the first movement of the quintet (with Rostropovich on the second cello) suits me fine as they do it, but in the trio of the G major's scherzo while they sing the melody like angels what I want is not people like angels but the angels themselves. I have heard them in this movement before. In a different mode of expression there is the G major's last movement. Schubert produced a similar finale to his late C minor piano sonata, and I would have been more than satisfied with the Emersons here, particularly with the magnificent tone at the end, if I did not know Ogdon's performance of the sonata movement, one of the greatest interpretations I ever heard, with the whole huge piece seemingly taken in a single breath.

The very first and the very last things on this set are especially testing for interpreters of Schubert. The last movement in the quintet, a piece in a very special Schubertian idiom, is my idea of unqualified perfection here. The speed is not too fast, the variations in pace are superbly judged, there is the right sense of a heavy and almost dragging undertow to the rhythm in the accompaniment, and the phrasing of the second theme is something to live for. The set starts with the A minor quartet, and here I held my breath, because with that opening theme we are communing with something not of this world. Verdi, so immune in general to German influence and so gifted with melody himself, explicitly takes off his hat to it at the start of his Requiem. The balance of the melody against the hypnotic wavy accompaniment is perfect here, so is it my absolute ideal? It's somewhere near it at least.

Only one movement out of the whole eighteen seems to me not quite right. The last movement of the D minor is a little fast for my liking, but I could live with that. However the Emersons' fast tempo really does seem symptomatic of a sense that they have missed a deeper tone to the movement, and I felt that in the cadence-theme to the exposition and recapitulation in particular. My thoughts reverted to how this is done by the Gabrieli Quartet on my beloved old LP, with the impression of an apparition of the four horsemen of somewhere that makes me catch my breath to this day. On the other hand, for many people the high spot of such a set is likely to be the slow movement of the quintet, and I can report a reading to rank with the finest here, time held in abeyance as it should be and the control of the sustained long notes perfect beyond perfection.

The set dates from as long ago as 1988, I see, and I wonder how these divinely gifted artists do these pieces nearly twenty years on. The recording is excellent, an absolute necessity for playing like this. The liner notes are also good, except for the one on the quintet, and I seem not to have mentioned so far that we are given the outstandingly lovely fragment of the intended slow movement to the Quartettsatz. Altogether, an outstanding issue in nearly every way. I am reminded of Schubert's epitaph `A rich treasure and still fairer hopes'. These players are young enough to do these quartets again, as they are to do Beethoven's again, and I hope I am still young enough to hear how they do them.

Schubert's late chamber masterpieces.......2005-10-29

The strong points of this 3-CD set are: (1) the immeasurably rich compositions from Schubert, (2) the excellent coupling of the last four quartets with the quintet, (3) the above-average Emerson Quartet performance and (4) the superb value from DG. If you are not familiar with Schubert's chamber works, these four quartets and string quintet are very late masterpieces and some of Schubert's most intricate, mature and monumental compositions. These, along with Schubert's late piano sonatas, reveal glimpses into his deep struggles and pain (through the explosive, dissonant outbursts) but also tender moments of joy and repose as well. It seemed in his final year or two that he was emerging into a consumate maturity as a composer - which tragically was cut short by his early death (supposedly due to complications from Syphilis). The quintet is especially magnificant with each movement being as towering as the next.

There is no arguing that the Emerson Quartet stands among the finest current quartets around. Whether you gravitate to their particular style and sound is quite a personal matter. Certainly, the Emersons get strong accolades for their late Beethoven and recordings of more modern (and 'edgy') composers. In such bold, purcussive and chromatic music they seem to excel and find their greatest expression. Schubert - while 'edgy' in his own way in these late chamber works - still composed in the somewhat-restrained Vienesse tradition (being born and bread in Vienna himself) although parallels to Beethoven are abundent in the music here. Consequently, Schubert's chamber music has still a strong classical flavor and typical Schubertian lyricism. Like another reviewer mentioned, the Emerson Quartet's style is a bit more "direct" and "sharp" in terms of phrasing, articulations and tonality somewhat. Some call their style "A Manhattan style" - I guess suggesting the directness that people from Manhattan are known for (no offense to New Yorkers).

Regardless, the Emerson's style becomes more apparent when comparing with European quartets like the Alban Berg, the Quartetto Italiano and the Quatuor Mosaiques - all of which perform this music with what is often described as a more traditional "Old World Austrian style" (particular the Alban Berg Quartet who hails from Austria). So, while the Emerson's put forth dramatic, precise and interesting readings here, I think at times they "attack" the music too aggressively for its intent and period in history. Schubert was first and foremost a master of melody and lyricism - which does not go away even in his most dissonant and explosive momements. There just seems - at times - an overly-direct expressiveness and tempos that are driven a bit too quickly from the Emersons and a lack of the needed elegance and lyrical smoothness of Schubert's music when called for. But, such things are nuance and not a matter of right or wrong really. However, this quartet dynamic brings out the needed emotive effect in pieces like the potent G-major scherzo movement or the electifying Quartetsalz. Ditto that as well for the great quintet in C major - which a live recording with the legendary cellist, Rostropovich. So, the Emerson's playing here on the whole is impeccably precise and consumately professional so it is more a question whether you like their style nuances as compared to others.

Part of this above conclusion may be colored in part by the sound quality here on DG, which I found to be deficient in tone richness and resonant depth. It just sounds stark and dry - lacking the resonant, harmonic fullness and proper sound stage that allow music to "breath" more and sound more expansive and dramatic. But on the positive side, the instrument balance is great and the sound is full in volume and not "hissy" with a close-miked ambiance allowing clear differentiation of instruments if you like that kind of sound.

The Quartets who to me best capture these most complex and emotive quartets most fully are the (1) Alban Berg (quartets and especially the quintet), (2) the Quatuor Mosaiques (who play a most expressively and nuanced Rosamunde) and (3) the Quartetto Italiano (all quartets, especially the G major quartet which is truly staturesque in its harmonic depths). And for the great quintet, the Marlboro Festival recording (Sony) is highly recommended for its spirited live performance, along with the Alban Berg's "Great Recording of the Century" on EMI.

This DG 3-CD set is a fine recording and value - I just don't think it is the music in which this top quartet shines the brightest. I think the others listed above represent Schubert on a higher plane of excellence and more idiomatic to the composition. But, this DG coupling of the last four great quartets plus the monumental string quintet is fairly unique and priced to be the best value out there. Either way, what is most important is to explore these most wonderful chamber masterpieces.

Awesome music, interesting performance.......2004-07-22

These five compositions--Schubert?s last quartets and nearly his last work, the string quintet--have got to be one of the most underappreciated achievements in the history of artistic endeavor. Who else ever captured such an incredible spectrum of emotions in such exquisite poetry, without Romantic excess? Only Shakespeare comes to mind.

The Emerson performances of the quartets are extremely interesting?very high on the drama, maybe not so high on the poetry. There is immense energy and passion, the usual Emerson technical excellence, but not warmth exactly. Someone reviewing the Berg Quartet?s version of D.887 said he hasn?t gone back to Emerson after hearing ABQ (?honey has replaced the razor blades?). I feel like I couldn?t go back to ABQ after Emerson. The way the Emerson four do the first movement of D.887?I just get a lump in my throat and a little shiver down my spine every time I hear it. If the music can be played this way, why wimp out? I guess I?ll take the razor blades?.

The performance of the quintet with Rostropovich is of a different order: brilliant AND warm. I suggest checking out the reviews of the separately issued CD. This is music-making of a very high order indeed. If the set was the only way to get this performance of the quintet, I?d recommend buying the set. With the quality of the other performances, a fantastic deal.

Schubert + Emerson = Listener Satisfaction.......2002-02-23

First, these quartets are some of the best written to date so if you've not heard them, you should. Second, This is a great set to start with.
From the subtle first movement of Rosemunde, to the confused fury of Death and the Maiden, Emerson's interpretations are immense and multi-dimensional, constantly engaging the listener to jump further into the music. Not bad for a thirty some-odd dollar CD set.
The shining moment is the Quartettsatz. Already (in my opinion) THE BEST nine minutes of chamber music ever, Emerson adds to its appeal taking a bold flirty approach with it; Like a good crime novel, building an undeniable forward motion. It's so sad when after two minutes, the second movement cuts off. If the reader has no idea what I'm talking about, take my word. It will effect you.
The reason for the subtracted star is that, although Emersons in-your-face approach works well for the fast, bold movements, they can not fully shake it in the slower movements, where it sounds clumsey and innapropriate. The second movement in Rosamunde and D 703 could've done with more delicate treatment. For experienced Schubert listeners, Emerson adds a refreshing twist to these quartets. For the beginner, this is an exciting starting point.

Good but not Best.......2000-12-12

Unless you are in a hurry or care about the modern, digital sound, wait for Sony to release the Budapest Quartet version of these quartets on CD. That is the version to have; its absence from CD is one of the great gaps in the catalog.

Mozart: Piano Quartets; Trio "Kegelstatt"; Schubert: Piano Quintet "The Trout"

Average customer rating:

Academic Schubert and Mozart

Mozart: Piano Quartets; Trio "Kegelstatt"; Schubert: Piano Quintet "The Trout"
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Franz Schubert , Timothy Boulton , Richard Lester , Krysia Osostowicz , Susan Tomes , and Domus
Manufacturer: Virgin Records Us
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B00000632J
Release Date: 1998-05-05

Tracks:

Piano Quartet No. 1 In G Minor, K.478: I. Allegro - Mozart W. A.
Piano Quartet No. 1 In G Minor, K.478: II. Andante - Mozart W. A.
Piano Quartet No. 1 In G Minor, K.478: III. Rondo allegretto - Mozart W. A.
Trio For Clarinet, Viola And Piano In E-Flat Major 'Kegelstatt', K.498: I. Andante - Mozart W. A.
Trio For Clarinet, Viola And Piano In E-Flat Major 'Kegelstatt', K.498: II. Menuetto - Mozart W. A.
Trio For Clarinet In E-Flat Major, K.498 'Kegelstatt': III. Rondo: Allegretto - Mozart W. A.
Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-Flat Major, K.493: I. Allegro - Mozart W. A.
Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-Flat Major, K.493: II. Larghetto - Mozart W. A.
Piano Quartet No. 2 in E-Flat Major, K.493: III. Rondo: Allegretto - Mozart W. A.

Tracks:

Piano Quintet In A Major, D.667, 'The Trout': I. Allegro vivace - Franz Schubert
Piano Quintet In A Major, D.667, 'The Trout': II. Andante - Franz Schubert
Piano Quintet In A Major, D.667, 'The Trout': III. Scherzo: Presto - Franz Schubert
Piano Quintet In A Major, D.667, 'The Trout': IV. Theme And Variations: Andantino - Allegretto - Franz Schubert
Piano Quintet In A Major, D.667, 'The Trout': V. Finale: Allegro Giusto - Franz Schubert
Adagio And Rondo concertante In F Major, D.487 - Franz Schubert

Customer Reviews:

Academic Schubert and Mozart.......1998-10-27

This was a disappointing album for me. While all the notes are there, and they are well recorded, the performances in both the Schubert and the Mozart lack the spark that would give them life. The Adagio and Rondo Concertante in F, however, is worth hearing, and rarely recorded.

Schubert: Complete String Quartets, Vol. 3

Average customer rating:

Schubert: Complete String Quartets, Vol. 3

Manufacturer: MD&G Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Schubert: Complete String Quartets, Vol. 1
Franz Schubert: Complete String Quartets, Vol. 4 - Quartet D.810 "Death & the Maiden" / Minuets & German Dances D.89 / Minuet D.86 - Leipzig String Quartet
Schubert: Complete String Quartets, Vol. 2
Complete String Quartets, Vol. 8
Franz Schubert Complete String Quartets

ASIN: B0000021F8
Release Date: 1996-05-21

Tracks:

Str Qnt in C, D956: Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Str Qnt in C, D956: Adagio
Str Qnt in C, D956: Scherzo: 1. Scherzo. Presto/2. Trio. Andante Sostenuto/3. Scherzo Da Capo
Str Qnt in C, D956: Allegretto
Ov, D8a: 1. Largo/s. Allegro
Movement (Fragment) D3

Amazon.com

The Leipzig ensemble's approach to the Great C Major Quintet is somewhat unconventional. The expression of the first movement is relatively muted, although still effective, setting us up for the harrowing tragedy of the magnificent Adagio that follows. This shifting of weight and emphasis works out very well, and makes our ears even more welcoming to the dark humor of the Scherzo, which sometimes seems almost trivial in its context. Like most very early Schubert, the Overture (written when Schubert was 14) is naive music with touches of genius. (You can ignore the even earlier fragment unless you're writing a thesis.) Another winner in this wonderful series. --Leslie Gerber

Schubert String Quartets 13-15/String Quintet/Trout Quintet

Average customer rating:

fantastic performance by the Alban Berg Quartet

Schubert String Quartets 13-15/String Quintet/Trout Quintet
Alban Berg Quartet , Heinrich Schiff , and Elisabeth Leonskaja
Manufacturer: Angel
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000005GTH
Release Date: 2005-07-13

Tracks:

Str Qt No.14 in d, D.810, 'Death And The Maiden': I. Allegro
Str Qt No.14 in d, D.810, 'Death And The Maiden': II. Andante Con Moto
Str Qt No.14 in d, D.810, 'Death And The Maiden': III. Scherzo (Allegro Molto) & Trio
Str Qt No.14 in d, D.810, 'Death And The Maiden': IV. Presto
Str Qt No.13 in a, D.804 (Op.29/1), 'Rosamunde': I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
Str Qt No.13 in a, D.804 (Op.29/1), 'Rosamunde': II. Andante
Str Qt No.13 in a, D.804 (Op.29/1), 'Rosamunde': III. Menuetto (Allegretto) & Trio
Str Qt No.13 in a, D.804 (Op.29/1), 'Rosamunde': IV. Allegro Moderato

Tracks:

Str Qt No.15 in G, D.887 (Op.161): I. Allegro Molto Moderato
Str Qt No.15 in G, D.887 (Op.161): II. Andante Un Poco Moto
Str Qt No.15 in G, D.887 (Op.161): III. Scherzo (Allegro Vivace)
Str Qt No.15 in G, D.887 (Op.161): IV. Allegro Assai

Tracks:

Qnt in A, D.667 (Op.114), 'The Trout': I. Allegro Vivace - Elisabeth Leonskaja/Georg Hortnagel
Qnt in A, D.667 (Op.114), 'The Trout': II. Andante - Elisabeth Leonskaja/Georg Hortnagel
Qnt in A, D.667 (Op.114), 'The Trout': III. Scherzo (Presto) - Elisabeth Leonskaja/Georg Hortnagel
Qnt in A, D.667 (Op.114), 'The Trout': IV. Thema Mit Var (Andantino) - Elisabeth Leonskaja/Georg Hortnagel
Qnt in A, D.667 (Op.114), 'The Trout': V. Finale (Allegro Giusto) - Elisabeth Leonskaja/Georg Hortnagel

Tracks:

Str Qnt in C, D.956 (Op.163): I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo - Heinrich Schiff
Str Qnt in C, D.956 (Op.163): II: Adagio - Heinrich Schiff
Str Qnt in C, D.956 (Op.163): III. Scherzo (Presto) & Trio (Andante Sostenuto) - Heinrich Schiff
Str Qnt in C, D.956 (Op.163): IV. Allegretto - Heinrich Schiff

Customer Reviews:

fantastic performance by the Alban Berg Quartet.......1999-10-06

This set is something special: I have heard many performances of this beautiful music, but this one is my favorite (better than the Julliard, Emerson, Melos, Hugarian, etc. performances that I'm familiar with).

Schubert: String Quartets 13 - 15 & String Quintet; Hungarian Quartet

Average customer rating:

Schubert: String Quartets 13 - 15 & String Quintet; Hungarian Quartet
Laszlo Varga , Hungarian Quartet , and Franz Schubert
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0000CE7FV
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Tracks:

I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
II. Adagio
III. Scherzo: Presto - Trio: Andante Sostenuto
IV.Allegretto - Piu Allegro - Piu Presto
I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
II. Andante
III. Menuetto E Trio: Allegretto
IV. Allegretto Moderato

Tracks:

I. Allegro Molto Moderato
II. Andante Un Poco Molto
III. Scherzo: Allegro Vivace - Trio: Allegretto
IV. Allegro Assai
I. Allegro
II. Andante Con Moto
III. Scherzo E Trio: Allegro Molto
IV. Presto - Prestissimo

Schubert: The Late String Quartets; String Quartets

Average customer rating:

THE LINDSAYS: A ONE-STAR ENSEMBLE
Don't be silly, just buy it.
Jolly Ol'Schubert, made in England

Schubert: The Late String Quartets; String Quartets

Manufacturer: Asv Living Era
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B0001Z2RSW
Release Date: 2004-08-24

Tracks:

I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
II. Adagio
III. Scherzo (Presto) - Trio (Andante Sostenuto)
IV. Finale: Allegretto

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Andante Con Moto
II. Scherzo (Allegro Molto) - Trio
IV. Presto
String Quartet No. 12 in C Minor, D703 'Quartettsatz'

Tracks:

I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
II. Andante
III. Menuetto - Allegretto
IV. Allegro Moderato
I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo
II. Andante Sostenuto
III. Menuetto - Allegretto
IV. Presto

Tracks:

I. Allegro Molto Moderato
II. Andante Un Poco Moto
III. Scherzo: Allegro Vivace - (Trio: Allegretto)
IV. Allegro Assai

Customer Reviews:

THE LINDSAYS: A ONE-STAR ENSEMBLE.......2005-01-05

To compare the Lindsays to the Busch Quartet, as a few do, is like saying that Maya Angelou is Walt Whitman -- only someone with the most ill-informed or execrable taste could make such a statement.

Praising performers for their "warmth" -- a virtue the Lindsays supposedly possess -- is rather like answering the question "Is she an attractive woman?" with "She has a good sense of humor." In other words, no, she is not attractive. Similarly, by praising performers for their "warmth," a critic essentially means, "No, they can't play, but they supposedly have these other, more meaningful, less superficial virtues." When I see the word "warmth" used to describe a performance, I have learned to look elsewhere for an attractive performance.

Spend your money and decide for yourself. Personally, I find the Lindsays consistently wretched, neglecting and disfiguring the longer melodic lines by dwelling far too much on incidental detail. They deliberately "uglify" their sound to pander to those critics who -- in a self-congratulatory sort of way -- pride themselves on seeing through mere surface beauty. If that describes you, the Lindsays just possibly might suit you. They absurdly, self-consciously, and over-obviously strive to seem "wise" or "warm" a la the Busch, but this doesn't really matter because, oh yeah, they can't play either. It gets confusing, really, trying to discern between what's deliberately ugly and what's just ugly...

Don't be silly, just buy it........2005-01-02

The Lindsays reputation for outstanding performance is sufficient not to be reiterated here (too late perhaps!). Having heard the Alan Berg Quartets sublime rendering of the Quintet I had almost unreasonable demands upon any other recording. Happily the lindsays came through - though i still prefer the Berg; probably for no other reason than that I heard it first! The Rosamunde is exceptional possibly the standout - such a brooding and flawless introduction. However my real litmus test was to be D810 and I wasn't dissapointed - the control of tone at the lowest dynamic level is remarkable.

The sound is excellent and the music swells and recedes flawlessly.

Anyway, I have rabbited on long enough just buy it or suffer until you do.

Jolly Ol'Schubert, made in England.......2004-11-22

Judging by output in any one given year, Schubert has to be the greatest composer ever to have put the pen to the paper-by some margin. The proof in the pudding is the String Quintet, an hour of inspired, painfully beautiful chamber music. The slightly earlier string quartets are no mean feat either. "Death and the Maiden" and the Quartettsatz will make you fall in love with the genre if you are not already. The economic Lindsays set - as far as sets are concerned - is probably the finest available: emotional and vivacious, leading with a rendition of the quintet that has few, if any, rivals. Another famous quartet (on DG) has a similar set out, but the uninspired (if technically perfect) playing only shows why The Lindsays are the ones to go with.

P.S. There are cleaner accounts available on single discs that are just as spirited... the Quatour Mosaiques (Astree) would be worth your attention if you are not hunting for all of them at once!

Average customer rating:

Schubert: Complete String Quartets

Manufacturer: Camerata
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000001ZL9
Release Date: 1997-11-18

Tracks:

String Quintet In C Major D.956, Op.163: Allegro Ma Non Troppo
String Quintet In C Major D.956, Op.163: Adagio
String Quintet In C Major D.956, Op.163: Scherzo. Presto-Trio. Andante Sostenuto
String Quintet In C Major D.956, Op.163: Allegretto
String Quartet Movement In C Minor D.103: Grave-Allegro

Average customer rating:

Complete String Quartets

Manufacturer: MD&G Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Franz Schubert Complete String Quartets
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Schubert: Complete String Quartets, Vol. 2

ASIN: B0000021FE
Release Date: 1998-01-20

Tracks:

String Quartet D 353 In E Major: Allegro con fuoco
String Quartet D 353 In E Major: Andante
String Quartet D 353 In E Major: Minuetto
String Quartet D 353 In E Major: Rondo. Allegro vivace
String Quartet D 32 In C Major: Presto
String Quartet D 32 In C Major: Andante
String Quartet D 32 In C Major: Menuetto
String Quartet D 32 In C Major: Allegro con spirito
Overture D 8 (For Quintet) In C Minor: 1. Largo - 2. Allegro
Fragment D 87A

Amazon.com

D. 32 is Schubert's third String Quartet, composed at age 15. It's not a work of genius, but it's surprisingly appealing and includes an elaborate, lengthy finale that points towards his later works. By the time he wrote D. 353, he was 19 and already the creator of masterpieces. This isn't quite one of them, but it's mature Schubert and thoroughly engaging. The Overture, Schubert's first chamber work, is an imitation of music by Cherubini, very well done for a 14-year-old. We could have done without the fragmentary minute's worth of incomplete music. This was supposed to be the final volume of the series, but it will be followed by at least one more, including the Trout Quintet. --Leslie Gerber

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Portrait
Petersen Quartet , Ludwig van Beethoven , Edvard Grieg , Franz Joseph Haydn , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Franz Schubert , Erwin (Ervin) Schulhoff , Robert Schumann , Hans-Jakob Eschenburg , and Friedemann Weigle
Manufacturer: Capriccio
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Str Qt in F, Op.18,1: I. Allegro Con Brio
Str Qt in c#, Op.131: I. Adagio Ma Non Troppo E Molto Espressivo
Str Qt in c, Op.18,4: IV. Allegro
Str Qt in B flat, Op.1,1: III. Adagio
Str Qt in B flat K 589 'Prussian Qts': IV. Allegro Assai
Str Qnt in C, Op.163 D 956: II. Adagio - Petersen Quartett Hans-Jacob Eschenburg
Str Qt in a, Op.41,1: II. Scherzo, Presto
Str Qt in g, Op.27: II. Romanze. Andantino-Allegro Agitato
Str Qt Op.25 in G: II. Langsam, Getragen Und Ausdrucksvoll
Five Pieces: V. Alla Tarantella (Prestissimo Con Fuoco)

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