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What is a good performance of this work. I heard it live yesterday and surprisingly don't have a version of it on my shelf. TIA.
By denying scientific principles, one may maintain any paradox.
Galileo Galilei
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"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" -Michael McClure
I have the SACD set with the Fine Arts Quartet - some have found this recording to be overly resonant, but the performances are, IMO, superb.
I discovered that I do own this work by the Takács Quartet w/ Denés Koromzay on Hungaroton. I now have some other performances to hunt down.
By denying scientific principles, one may maintain any paradox.
Galileo Galilei
I'm also a big fan of the Griller/Primrose recording; last time I checked, it was ridiculously cheap.
Other favorites include the Denon recording with the Smetana Quartet, with Josef Suk. This may be a little hard to find domestically. If you are into HIP, L'Archibudelli on Sony is excellent.
I'm not fond of Heifetz et al or Grumiaux et al. The fact that they're referred to in that fashion tells you why - they're a little too "superstar with quartet accompaniment".
One of the glories of the early digital catalog! - I think some of those quintet recordings were only 14-bit masters, but I can't remember if K. 516 was one of them. Whatever, these are fine, satisfying recordings just as you note.
These are my favorite versions.
I've had this for a long while on LP coupled with Mendelssohn's Octet, and I just love the music making.
Light, airy, infinitely charming, with Heifetz soaring over the ensemble like a bird in flight.
I don't care if it's Mozart or Joe Schmoe - I just think those guys had a style of their own. I'm a big Piatigorsky fan too.
It's kind of second-hand, but I don't have any reason to doubt its authenticity. Gabor Rejto, who played second cello in some of those Heifetz recordings, told it to my teacher, Adolph Baller, who in turn told it to me.
Some of the rehearsals for those recordings were held at Heitetz' house, and they usually spanned the late morning to early afternoon, with a break for lunch. Heifetz made sure that everyone else brought their own lunches, and for most of them, this consisted of some kind of sandwich and a bag of chips. So Rejto was at one of these rehearsals (must have been for the Schubert Quintet or whichever Brahms Sextet they did), and lunch time arrived. Everybody pulled out their cold sandwiches out of their lunch bags and began eating - that is, everybody except for Heifetz, who had his maid bring him a serving platter with a gourmet hot lunch! ;-)
Yup, I've read several Heifetz stories similar to that one. In short, he was a @#$%. But those who start out in life as dirt-poor nobodies often have chips on their shoulders, and he was working full time to support his family by the age of seven. (Groucho Marx' response to learning that during an interview of Heifetz was, "But before that, you were a bum!")
Musicians stories .....
You can always rely on musicians for a sick sense of humour. It's what I love about them.
the Alban Berg + Heinrich Schiff on EMI and the Tokyo + Pincas Zuckerman (I think) on RCA
Both also have the wonderful K 515.
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I have (and enjoy) two recordings (different performances) with the Prazak Quartet, one with Jan Talich, and one with Hatto Beyerle. I think both of these recordings used to be available from BRO for cheap, but I just checked Amazon and the one with Beyerle seems have a $61 asking price now. This kind of madness should be eliminated once we're all streaming everything! ;-)
Another recording I like is by the Takacs Quartet and Denes Koromzay, but it's the earlier one on the Hungaroton label. (I haven't heard the group's later recording on Decca recommended below.)
I suspect I haven't heard as many recordings of this work as a couple of other folks who posted in this thread. The work itself is of course a masterpiece - I feel that Mozart's music really benefits from the added fifth part (compared to a string quartet) in terms of complexity, interest and richness.
I like the tone of their instruments.
The Q I are my favorite quartet. Thanks.
If you find it, please post the relevant information. The set Jay refers to seems to have the Quartetto Italiano performing only the quartets, with the quintets performed by the Grumiaux Trio [+2 players, obviously!], despite the (mis?)information in the link he provides. In any case, the Grumiaux version, while not my top favorite, is the top favorite of many and is excellent. Grumiaux does seem to have the market nearly cornered in refinement, taste and elegance when it comes to Mozart.
Edits: 11/23/15
Personnel: Arthur Grumiaux, Arpad Gérecz, Georges Janzer, Max Lesueur, Eva Czako
nt
I have many versions, and have heard many more on the radio and in live concerts. But for me, this is a rare case where one version of a very famous classical standard stands alone -- that of the Griller Quartet with William Primrose. Ironically, the one famous version that imvho opinion should be avoided also features violist William Primrose -- the one by Jascha Heifetz on RCA.
But there are many great versions. You almost can't miss with this great piece.
After a quick review of what's available on Spotify, this one sounds pretty good to me, but I haven't heard them all.
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