Album

One might reasonably suppose that, having changed membership four times since its founding four decades earlier, the most recent incarnation of the Tokyo String Quartet's recordings of Beethoven's Opus 74 and 95 quartets would differ greatly from the group's earlier recordings. Not so: first-generation violist Kazuhide Isomura, second-generation violinist Kikuei Ikeda, third-generation cellist Clive Greensmith, and fourth-generation Martin Beaver on violin have remained remarkably faithful to the Tokyo's original sound, which was smooth, sweet, and well modulated. As before, the Tokyo's E flat major quartet is gratifyingly lovely with warm phrasing, poised balances, and sculpted forms. They bring exactly the same qualities to their F minor quartet, but the results in that work are disappointingly bland because, while warmth and grace are well suited to the lyrical E flat quartet, the excitable F minor work requires a more furious approach. But it was ever thus with the Tokyo String Quartet, and while its approach may not be to the tastes of listeners who like their Beethoven hard-edged and sharp-cornered, those who prefer him suave and silver-tongued will likely be interested in this disc. Harmonia Mundi's sound is like a great French cheese: rich and creamy.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.10 in Eb, Op.74 ('Harp') Work 31:07 Tokyo String Quartet String Quartet
1	1.Poco adagio. Allegro	9:36			$0.99
2	2.Adagio ma non troppo	9:42			$0.99
3	3.Presto	5:04			$0.99
4	4.Allegretto con variazioni	6:45			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.11 in F-, Op.95 ('Serioso') Work 21:20 Tokyo String Quartet String Quartet
5	1.Allegro con brio	4:38			$0.99
6	2.Allegretto ma non troppo	7:04			$0.99
7	3.Allegro assai vivace ma serioso	4:44			$0.99
8	4.Larghetto espressivo. Allegretto agitato	4:54			$0.99