In the 1960s and in the decades following, the Budapest String Quartet’s mantle at Columbia was passed on to the Juilliard String Quartet. Over the years, with some changes in personnel, the ensemble repeatedly set down it’s famously lean, energetic and expressive interpretations of the Beethoven quartets in New York recording studios. These have remained catalogue staples. Less well known is the Beethoven cycle they recorded live in Washington at the Library of Congress in 1982. Gramophone singled out this complete traversal for it’s special depth and flexibility. Presented here on 9 albums, this is its first Sony release.
Beethoven: Grosse Fuge in B flat major, Op. 133
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 1 in F major, Op. 18 No. 1
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 2 in G major, Op. 18 No. 2
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 3 in D major, Op. 18 No. 3
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 4 in C minor, Op. 18 No. 4
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 5 in A major, Op. 18 No. 5
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 6 in B flat major, Op. 18 No. 6
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 7 in F major, Op. 59 No. 1 ‘Rasumovsky No. 1’
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 8 in E minor, Op. 59 No. 2 ‘Rasumovsky No. 2’
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 9 in C major, Op. 59 No. 3 ‘Rasumovsky No. 3’
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 10 in E flat major, Op. 74 ‘Harp’
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 11 in F minor Op. 95 ‘Serioso’
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 12 in E flat major, Op. 127
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 13 in B flat major, Op. 130
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 131
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 15 in A minor, Op. 132
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 16 in F major, Op. 135