Album

The Tokyo String Quartet is one of the world's leading interpreters of Beethoven, and although its 1993 RCA release of the complete string quartets is one of the most admired of modern digital sets, the ensemble offers a refreshed presentation of the late string quartets on this 2010 triple SACD package from Harmonia Mundi. This release follows albums of Beethoven's early and middle quartets, issued by the group between 2005 and 2009, and while the Tokyo's personnel differs from past lineups, the group has maintained great consistency of tone, superb technique, and refined expression since its founding in 1969. The same warmth of feeling and burnished sonorities that are characteristic of the earlier Beethoven recordings are still found here, and the added benefit of multichannel DSD recording gives the ensemble a heightened sense of separation and clarity, so anyone who is unable to find the older box set will be amply rewarded with these polished renditions. As is always the case with performances of these revered works, connoisseurs will have their preferences for one or another ensemble's recordings, but because the Tokyo String Quartet ranks so highly in most experts' estimation, any comparisons that can be made are merely in degrees of excellence. Highly recommended.

© Blair Sanderson, Rovi

CD 1 of 3
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.12 in Eb, Op.127 Work Recorded 2008 35:31 Tokyo String Quartet String Quartet
1	1.Maestoso. Allegro	6:32			$0.99
2	2.Adagio, ma non troppo e molto cantabile	13:40			Album Only
3	3.Scherzando vivace	8:19			$0.99
4	4.Finale: Allegro	7:00			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.14 in C#-, Op.131 Work Recorded 2008 37:17 Tokyo String Quartet String Quartet
5	1.Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo	6:17			$0.99
6	2.Allegro molto vivace	2:57			$0.99
7	3.Allegro moderato	0:45			$0.99
8	4.Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile	13:47			Album Only
9	5.Presto	5:02			$0.99
10	6.Adagio quasi un poco andante	1:55			$0.99
11	7.Allegro	6:34			$0.99
CD 2 of 3
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.13 in Bb, Op.130 ('Lieb') Work Recorded 2008 31:52 Tokyo String Quartet String Quartet
1	1.Adagio ma non troppo. Allegro	13:03			Album Only
2	2.Presto	2:02			$0.99
3	3.Andante con moto ma non troppo	6:58			$0.99
4	4.Alla danza tedesca: Allegro assai	3:33			$0.99
5	5.Cavatina: Adagio molto espressivo	6:16			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Grosse Fuge for String Quartet in Bb, Op.133 Work Recorded 2008 Tokyo String Quartet String Quartet
6	Grosse Fuge for String Quartet in Bb, Op.133	16:18			Album Only
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.13 in Bb, Op.130 ('Lieb') Work Recorded 2008 Tokyo String Quartet String Quartet
7	6.Finale: Allegro	10:06			Album Only
CD 3 of 3
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.15 in A-, Op.132 ('Heiliger Dankgesang') Work Recorded 2008 43:34 Tokyo String Quartet String Quartet
1	1.Assai sostenuto. Allegro	9:16			$0.99
2	2.Allegro ma non tanto	9:09			$0.99
3	3.Molto adagio ('Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenen an die Gottheit, in der lydischen Ton')	16:03			Album Only
4	4.Alla marcia, assai vivace	2:17			$0.99
5	5.Allegro appassionato	6:49			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.16 in F, Op.135 Work Recorded 2007 23:30 Tokyo String Quartet String Quartet
6	1.Allegretto	6:25			$0.99
7	2.Vivace	3:20			$0.99
8	3.Lento assai e cantante tranquillo	6:49			$0.99
9	4.Der schwer gefasste Entschluß: Grave ma non troppo tratto. Allegro	6:56			$0.99