Alban Berg Quartet

The mighty Alban Berg Quartet

The Alban Berg Quartet disbanded soon after the death of their last violist, Thomas Kakusa, but not before visiting HK. Those who were present shall remember the perfectionism they had even if they might not have warmed to their somewhat icy interpretations.

I have followed this quartet since they first burst on the international scene. I have at least half of their early recordings on TELEFUNKEN LPs with fantatstic covers of the string instruments. The LPs now are worth some money. These recordings are now issued in a bargain TELDEC box that is almost mandatory purchase to string quartet lovers.

Some say the early ABQ have a warmer tone. I am not so sure. In a revealing system, the ABQ on Teldec and EMI sound very very similar. I recently compared their Haydn Op 76 quartets on both Teldec and EMI and found little difference in interpretation or tonal splendor. The reason for comments like this may have as much to do with the difference between analogue recordings and digital ones.

The TELDEC box contains the Haydn Op 76, Mozart "Haydn" quartets, some Dvorak, Berg, Schubert etc. All were immaculately played and most emotionally more generous than in their later EMI recordings.

The ABQ made integral recordings of Mozart and Beethoven for EMI, and they are available in bargain boxes. Some of the readings are rather mannered here, and the recordings are not always as fine as in the Teldec issues. Nonetheless, they are desirable.

The ABQ recxorded a large number of composers (like the excellent Wolfgang Rihm), and many CDs are sadly oop. For me, the best place to start with the EMI ABQ would be in the bargain Gemini issue of the most important piano quintets, played by 4 pianists, all with the ABQ.

For those more adventurous. Their Bartok series is worth explosring. With minimal duplication, I'd also recommend their Schubert box.

But the TELDEC box is the place to start.