Album

This set of Beethoven string quartets by the Borodin Quartet reflects a mature perspective on the works. It's not that it lacks energy—the Vivaces are vivacious and the Allegros have plenty of brio—but it has wisdom and a maturity not generally characteristic of performances by younger quartets. These performances are comparable with the Budapest Quartet's last set of the quartets. The groups have more than richness of tone in common; they have a long history, both with the music and with each other, and the sympathetic understanding of their playing is unrivaled, particularly in the middle and later period quartets. The Borodin's searing Adagio molto e mesto from Opus 59, No. 1, or their deeply moving Lento assai from Opus 135 show them at their best. Less appealing to some, perhaps, will be their early period quartets. It's not that the Borodin Quartet doesn't grasp the soul of the music; a more beautifully played account of the D major Quartet Opus 18, No. 3 is hard to imagine. It's that their performances seem to be recollections rather than embodiments of the work's emotions. The Borodin cycle may not be the first choice for every listener, but it should certainly appeal to some. Chandos' digital sound is sumptuous.

© Jim Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 8
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.1 in F, Op.18, No.1 Work 31:44 Borodin Quartet String Quartet
1	1.Allegro con brio	9:49			$1.49
2	2.Adagio affettuoso e appassionato	12:01			$1.99
3	3.Scherzo: Allegro molto	3:24			$0.99
4	4.Allegro	6:30			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.2 in G, Op.18, No.2 Work 23:55 Borodin Quartet String Quartet
5	1.Allegro	7:33			$1.49
6	2.Adagio cantabile	5:54			$0.99
7	3.Scherzo: Allegro	4:42			$0.99
8	4.Allegro molto quasi presto	5:46			$0.99
CD 2 of 8
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.3 in D, Op.18, No.3 Work 26:09 Borodin Quartet String Quartet
1	1.Allegro	7:58			$1.49
2	2.Andante con moto	8:01			$1.49
3	3.Allegro	3:21			$0.99
4	4.Presto	6:49			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.4 in C-, Op.18, No.4 Work 24:37 Borodin Quartet String Quartet
5	1.Allegro ma non tanto	8:53			$1.49
6	2.Andante scherzoso quasi allegretto	6:47			$0.99
7	3.Menuetto: Allegretto	4:36			$0.99
8	4.Allegro	4:21			$0.99
CD 3 of 8
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.5 in A, Op.18, No.5 Work 32:11 Borodin Quartet String Quartet
1	1.Allegro	10:04			$1.99
2	2.Menuetto	5:53			$0.99
3	3.Andante cantabile (Theme and Variations)	9:10			$1.49
4	4.Allegro	7:04			$1.49
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.6 in Bb, Op.18, No.6 Work 28:01 Borodin Quartet String Quartet
5	1.Allegro con brio	9:41			$1.49
6	2.Adagio ma non troppo	6:47			$0.99
7	3.Scherzo	3:21			$0.99
8	4.La Malinconia: Adagio. Allegretto quasi allegro	8:12			$1.49
CD 4 of 8
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.7 in F, Op.59, No.1 ('Rasumovsky' 1) Work 40:01 Borodin Quartet String Quartet
1	1.Allegro	10:33			$1.99
2	2.Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando	8:43			$1.49
3	3.Adagio molto e mesto	12:10			$1.99
4	4.Thème russe: Allegro	8:35			$1.49
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.9 in C, Op.59, No.3 ('Rasumovsky' 3) Work 32:59 Borodin Quartet String Quartet
5	1.Introduzione: Andante con moto. Allegro vivace	10:59			$1.99
6	2.Andante con moto quasi allegretto	10:03			$1.99
7	3.Menuetto grazioso	5:23			$0.99
8	4.Finale: Allegro molto	6:34			$0.99
CD 5 of 8
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.8 in E-, Op.59, No.2 ('Rasumovsky' 2) Work 44:36 Borodin Quartet String Quartet
1	1.Allegro	15:52			$2.49
2	2.Molto adagio (Si tratta questo pezzo con molto di sentimento)	14:07			$2.49
3	3.Allegretto maggiore ('Thème russe')	8:51			$1.49
4	4.Finale: Presto	5:46			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.10 in Eb, Op.74 ('Harp') Work 33:17 Borodin Quartet String Quartet
5	1.Poco adagio. Allegro	9:46			$1.49
6	2.Adagio ma non troppo	10:40			$1.99
7	3.Presto	5:45			$0.99
8	4.Allegretto con variazioni	7:06			$1.49
CD 6 of 8
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.11 in F-, Op.95 ('Serioso') Work 22:15 Borodin Quartet String Quartet
1	1.Allegro con brio	4:54			$0.99
2	2.Allegretto ma non troppo	7:20			$1.49
3	3.Allegro assai vivace ma serioso	4:57			$0.99
4	4.Larghetto espressivo. Allegretto agitato	5:04			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.14 in C#-, Op.131 Work 37:58 Borodin Quartet String Quartet
5	1.Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo	6:10			$0.99
6	2.Allegro molto vivace	2:54			$0.99
7	3.Allegro moderato	0:47			$0.99
8	4.Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile	14:06			$2.49
9	5.Presto	5:09			$0.99
10	6.Adagio quasi un poco andante	1:52			$0.99
11	7.Allegro	7:00			$1.49
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Grosse Fuge for String Quartet in Bb, Op.133 Work Borodin Quartet String Quartet
12	Grosse Fuge for String Quartet in Bb, Op.133	16:52			$2.99
CD 7 of 8
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.12 in Eb, Op.127 Work 37:18 Borodin Quartet String Quartet
1	1.Maestoso. Allegro	6:46			$0.99
2	2.Adagio, ma non troppo e molto cantabile	15:39			$2.49
3	3.Scherzando vivace	7:31			$1.49
4	4.Finale: Allegro	7:22			$1.49
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.13 in Bb, Op.130 ('Lieb') Work 42:11 Borodin Quartet String Quartet
5	1.Adagio ma non troppo. Allegro	13:51			$2.49
6	2.Presto	2:00			$0.99
7	3.Andante con moto ma non troppo	6:28			$0.99
8	4.Alla danza tedesca: Allegro assai	3:30			$0.99
9	5.Cavatina: Adagio molto espressivo	6:40			$0.99
10	6.Finale: Allegro	9:42			$1.49
CD 8 of 8
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.15 in A-, Op.132 ('Heiliger Dankgesang') Work 46:17 Borodin Quartet String Quartet
1	1.Assai sostenuto. Allegro	9:43			$1.49
2	2.Allegro ma non tanto	9:31			$1.49
3	3.Molto adagio ('Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenen an die Gottheit, in der lydischen Ton')	17:33			$2.99
4	4.Alla marcia, assai vivace	2:23			$0.99
5	5.Allegro appassionato	7:07			$1.49
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer String Quartet No.16 in F, Op.135 Work 26:27 Borodin Quartet String Quartet
6	1.Allegretto	5:50			$0.99
7	2.Vivace	3:41			$0.99
8	3.Lento assai e cantante tranquillo	7:04			$1.49
9	4.Der schwer gefasste Entschluß: Grave ma non troppo tratto. Allegro	9:52			$1.49