Beethoven: The Complete String Quartets - Gewandhaus Quartett (10 CDs)

The Leipzig Gewandhaus-Quartett is the world's oldest ensemble of its kind. Shortly after its foundation in 1808 by Heinrich August Matthä the former leader of the Gewandhaus Orchestra, the ensemble established itself as a permanent part of the Leipzig concert scene. During its history the ensemble has played with such important composers and musicians as Clara Schumann, Johannes Brahms, Edvard Grieg and Arthur Nikisch. This tradition is still kept alive today, and the Gewandhaus-Quartett works regularly with internationally renowned artists such as Yo-Yo Ma, Menahem Pressler, and Sabine Meyer.
This 10-CD box set presents the current line-up of the Gewandhaus-Quartett, which according to ‘Klassikheute (ClassicToday) belongs ‘quite rightly, to the world’s leading quartet ensembles’, with their award-winning recording of the complete Beethoven String Quartets.

CD 1

■ STRING QUARTET IN F MAJOR OP. 18 NO. 1
STREICHQUARTETT F-DUR OP. 18 NO. 1
1 Allegro con brio 8.45
2 Adagio affettuoso ed appassionato 9.29
3 Scherzo: Allegro molto 3.27
4 Allegro 6.22

■ STRING QUARTET IN G MAJOR OP. 18 NO. 2
STREICHQUARTETT G-DUR OP. 18 NO. 2
5 Allegro 7.40
6 Adagio cantabile 5.31
7 Scherzo: Allegro 4.28
8 Allegro molto, quasi Presto 5.16
Total Time 51.08


CD 2

■ STRING QUARTET IN D MAJOR OP. 18 NO. 3
STREICHQUARTETT D-DUR OP. 18 NO. 3
1 Allegro 8.05
2 Andante con moto 7.16
3 Allegro 3.41
4 Presto 6.50

■ STRING QUARTET IN C MINOR OP. 18 NO. 4
STREICHQUARTETT C-MOLL OP. 18 NO. 4
5 Allegro ma non tanto 8.24
6 Scherzo: Andante scherzoso quasi Allegretto 6.52
7 Menuetto: Allegretto 3.49
8 Allegro 4.14
Total Time 49.23


CD 3

■ STRING QUARTET IN A MAJOR OP. 18 NO. 5
StreichQuartett A-Dur op. 18 Nr. 5
1 Allegro 9.51
2 Menuetto 5.13
3 Andante cantabile 8.39
4 Allegro 6.45

■ STRING QUARTET IN B FLAT MAJOR OP. 18 NO. 6
StreichQuartett b-Dur op. 18 Nr. 6
5 Allegro con brio 9.07
6 Adagio, ma non troppo 6.56
7 Scherzo: Allegro 3.23
8 La Malinconia: Adagio - Allegretto quasi Allegro 7.52
Total Time 57.56


CD 4

■ STRING QUARTET IN F MAJOR OP. 59 NO. 1
STREICHQUARTETT F-DUR OP. 59 NR. 1
1 Allegro 9.30
2 Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando 8.32
3 Adagio molto e mesto 11.14
4 Finale (Thème russe): Allegro 8.10
Total Time 37.27


CD 5

■ STRING QUARTET IN E MINOR OP. 59 NO. 2
STREICHQUARTETT E-MOLL OP. 59 NR. 2
1 Allegro 14.22
2 Molto Adagio 12.42
3 Allegretto 7.14
4 Finale: Presto 5.37

■ STRING QUARTET IN E FLAT MAJOR OP. 74
(‘HARP QUARTET’)
STREICHQUARTETT ES-DUR OP. 74 (‘HARFENQUARTETT‘)
5 Poco Adagio - Allegro 9.32
6 Adagio ma non troppo 9.46
7 Presto 5.06
8 Allegretto con Variazioni 6.33
Total Time 71.02


CD 6

■ STRING QUARTET IN C MAJOR OP. 59 NO. 3
STREICHQUARTETT C-DUR OP. 59 NR. 3
1 Introduzione: Andante con moto - Allegro vivace 10.43
2 Andante con moto quasi Allegretto 9.45
3 Menuetto: Grazioso 5.01
4 Allegro molto 6.09

■ STRING QUARTET IN F MINOR OP. 95
STREICHQUARTETT F-MOLL OP. 95
5 Allegro con brio 4.15
6 Allegretto, ma non troppo 6.31
7 Allegro assai vivace, ma serioso 4.40
8 Larghetto espressivo - Allegretto agitato 4.54
Total Time 52.09

CD 7

■ STRING QUARTET IN E FLAT MAJOR OP. 127
STREICHQUARTETT ES-DUR OP. 127
1 Maestoso - Allegro 6.17
2 Adagio, ma non troppo e molto cantabile 15.59
3 Scherzando vivace 7.36
4 Finale 7.34

■ STRING QUARTET IN C SHARP MINOR OP. 131
STREICHQUARTETT CIS-MOLL OP. 131
5 Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo 6.23
6 Allegro molto vivace 3.00
7 Allegro moderato 0.49
8 Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile 13.50
9 Presto 5.56
0 Adagio quasi un poco andante 1.53
ß Allegro 6.25
Total Time 75.55


CD 8

■ STRING QUARTET IN B FLAT MAJOR OP. 130
STREICHQUARTETT B-DUR OP. 130
1 Adagio ma non troppo - Allegro 8.56
2 Presto 2.01
3 Andante con moto, ma non troppo 6.38
4 Alla danza tedesca: Allegro assai 3.27
5 Cavatina: Adagio molto espressivo 6.40
6 Finale: Allegro 8.14

■ GREAT FUGE IN B FLAT MAJOR OP. 133
7 GROSSE FUGE IN B FLAT MAJOR OP. 133 16.04
Total Time 52.08


CD 9

■ STRING QUARTET IN A MINOR OP. 132
STREICHQUARTETT A-MOLL OP. 132
1 Assai sostenuto - Allegro 9.18
2 Allegro ma non tanto 9.17
3 Molto adagio („Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenen 16.21
an die Gottheit, in der lydischen Tonart”)
4 Alla Marcia, assai vivace 2.12
5 Più allegro - Allegro appassionato 6.51
STRING QUARTET IN F MAJOR OP. 135

■ STREICHQUARTETT F-DUR OP. 135
6 Allegretto 6.06 7 Vivace 3.21
8 Lento assai, cantante e tranquillo 6.34
9 „Der schwer gefaßte Entschluß” 6.31
Grave: Muß es sein? · Allegro: Es muß sein! - Es muß sein!
Grave, ma non troppo tratto · Allegro
Total Time 66.40


CD 10

FORMER MEMBERS OF THE GEWANDHAUS-QUARTET
IN CONVERSATION WITH MARTIN HOFFMEISTER
EHEMALIGE MITGLIEDER DES GEWANDHAUS-QUARTETTS IM GESPRÄCH MIT
MARTIN HOFFMEISTER

■ STRING QUARTET IN C SHARP MINOR OP. 131
STREICHQUARTETT CIS-MOLL OP. 131
1 Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile (Excerpt | Auszug) 4.03
2 Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile - Presto (Excerpt | Auszug) 3.59
GEWANDHAUS-QUARTETT (E. WOLLGANDT, K. WOLSCHKE, C. HERRMANN, J. KLENGEL)
Recorded | Aufgenommen: 1916
3 Prof. Gerhard Bosse (Primarius 1955 – 1977) 1.38
STRING QUARTET IN E FLAT MAJOR OP. 74
STREICHQUARTETT ES-DUR OP. 74
4 Poco Adagio - Allegro (Excerpt | Auszug) 2.31
5 Prof. Gerhard Bosse 4.22
6 Presto (Excerpt | Auszug) 3.36
7 Prof. Dietmar Hallmann (Viola 1959 – 1993) 3.20
8 Allegretto con Variazioni (Excerpt | Auszug) 2.12
9 Prof. Dietmar Hallmann 4.06
GEWANDHAUS-QUARTETT (G. BOSSE, G. GLASS, D. HALLMANN, F. ERBEN)
Recorded | Aufgenommen: 1968

■ STRING QUARTET IN C SHARP MINOR OP. 131
STREICHQUARTETT CIS-MOLL OP. 131
10 Allegro moderato - 8.04
Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile (Excerpt | Auszug)
GEWANDHAUS-QUARTETT (K. SUSKE, G. KRÖHNER, D. HALLMANN, J. TIMM)
Live concert recording | Konzertmitschnitt: 1985
11 Prof. Karl Suske (Primarius 1977 – 1993) 3.59


■ STRING QUARTET IN F MAJOR AFTER THE PIANO
SONATA IN E MAJOR OP. 14 NO. 1
STREICHQUARTETT F-DUR NACH DER KLAVIERSONATE E-DUR OP. 14 NR. 1
12 Allegro moderato 6.21 13 Allegretto 3.40 14 Allegro 3.45
GEWANDHAUS-QUARTETT (F.-M. ERBEN, C. SUSKE, V. METZ, J. TIMM)
Total Time 55.36