“The playing is highly polished and technically impeccable, phrases tend to be long and tempos correspondingly lively…If you’re collecting the Cleveland series, this is a worthy volume.” —American Record Guide
Beethoven: String Quartets, Op. 18, Nos. 4 & 5
In his first set of quartets, published as Opus 18, Beethoven showed that he had thoroughly understood and absorbed the compositional accomplishments of Mozart and Haydn in this genre. The conversational independence of the four instruments and the lyricism, drama, wit and suspense contained in these quartets make these pieces among Beethoven’s most extraordinary works.
Beethoven: Quartet Op. 18, No. 6 in B Flat Major & Op. 59, No. 1 in F Major “Razumovsky”
With the release of these two quartets, the Cleveland Quartet embarks on a recording cycle of Beethoven’s complete string quartets on Telarc. The Cleveland Quartet has been called “second to none” by the Boston Globe. The ensemble’s commitment, virtuosity, and refinement of tone and style have been widely noted by critics and performers, and are […]
Beethoven: String Quartets Op. 59, No. 2 “Razumovsky” & 59, No. 3, “Razumovsky”
“The absolute cleanliness of tone, even balance, and superbly sustained pacing produces as strong a pair of performances as have been issued on record by any quartet anywhere.” —Fanfare
Beethoven: String Quartets Op. 74 “The Harp” & Op. 95 “Quartetto Serioso”
“Few string quartets acheive such variously beautiful sonorities or such consistently impeccable intonation.” —Classic CD
Beethoven: String Quartets Op. 127 in E-Flat Major, Op. 131 in C-Sharp Minor
In 1995, the Cleveland Quartet recorded the complete Beethoven cycle for Telarc. With the release of this recording, the series is complete.
Beethoven: String Quartet, Op. 130 & Grosse Fuge, Op. 133
Beethoven’s last five string quartets were his final musical ideas and they were not particularly appreciated, or even understood, in his own time. This recording presents the Cleveland Quartet performing Beethoven’s Op.130 and Grosse Fuge, Op. 133.
Beethoven: String Quartets Op. 132 in A Minor Op. 135 in F Major
Following the disbanding of the Cleveland Quartet in 1996, Telarc released their farewell recording, featuring the debut of the String Quartet by Corigliano. The coupling on this release features the last complete composition Beethoven wrote: the Quartet in F Major.
Borodin: Quartet No. 2 & Smetana: Quartet No. 1
“The Cleveland Quartet play these two works admirably. A model for a fine record and a true musical experience.” —Audio
Brahms: The Complete String Quartets Op. 51, No. 1 in C minor; No. 2 in A minor; Op. 67 in B-flat major
Donald Weilerstein – Violin; Peter Salaff – Violin; Martha Strongin Katz – Viola; Paul Katz – Cello Label: RCA Red Seal