The Complete String Quartets - CD1  (67:16)
	01	Quartet No. 1 Op.18 in F major - I. Allegro con brio						08:46
	02	Quartet No. 1 Op.18 in F major - II. Adagio affettuoso ed appassionato						09:23
	03	Quartet No. 1 Op.18 in F major - III. Scherzo (Allegro molto) & Trio						03:21
	04	Quartet No. 1 Op.18 in F major - IV. Allegro						06:26
	05	Quartet No. 1 Op.59 in F major - I. Allegro						09:28
	06	Quartet No. 1 Op.59 in F major - II. Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando						08:45
	07	Quartet No. 1 Op.59 No 1 in F major - III. Adagio molto e mesto & Allegro (Theme russe)						21:07
The Complete String Quartets - CD2  (73:07)
	01	Quartet No.2 in G major, op.18 - I. Allegro						07:59
	02	Quartet No.2 in G major, op.18 - II. Adagio cantabile						06:30
	03	Quartet No.2 in G major, op.18 - III. Scherzo (Allegro) & Trio						04:26
	04	Quartet No.2 in G major, op.18 - IV. Allegro molto, quasi presto						05:20
	05	Quartet No.6 in B flat major, op.18 - I. Allegro con brio						05:46
	06	Quartet No.6 in B flat major, op.18 - II. Adagio, ma non troppo						06:57
	07	Quartet No.6 in B flat major, op.18 - III. Scherzo (Allegro) & Trio						03:08
	08	Quartet No.6 in B flat major, op.18 - IV. Adagio (La Malinchonia) & Allegretto quasi Allegro						08:34
	09	Quartet No.16 in F major, op.135 - I. Allegretto						06:18
	10	Quartet No.16 in F major, op.135 - II. Vivace						03:27
	11	Quartet No.16 in F major, op.135 - III. Lento assai, cantante e tranquillo						07:49
	12	Quartet No.16 in F major, op.135 - IV. Grave, ma non troppo tratto & Allegro						06:53

The Alban Berg Quartet was founded in 1971 and within a decade was established as one of the finest string quartets in the world. It is known for its large recorded sets of the complete quartets of many masters of the genre.

Its founding members were all part of a Viennese chamber orchestra, who, while getting together to play chamber music, discovered the musical rapport essential to founding a great quartet. Deciding to honor a Viennese composer in their choice of names, they selected Alban Berg, one of the members of the group of atonal composers known as the Second Viennese School. According to violist Thomas Kakuska, the choice reflects Berg's position as a member of this revolutionary group of composers, but also his status as the most traditional-minded of them. Kakuska said, "We have chosen our name to show that we want to make a balance between the Romantic repertoire and also to play contemporary music."

The Quartet achieves its interpretations by consensus, not by the domination of any individual member. In addition to the given qualities of excellent ensemble (clean intonation and a sense of unanimity of purpose, the qualities most often mentioned by reviewers) is the remarkable uniformity of tone among its four members. Its sound is a warm one, although it can be rhythmically incisive when called for.

Its highly acclaimed recordings include complete sets of the quartets of Beethoven, Brahms, and Barto'k and the string quartet works of Berg and Anton Webern. The group has also recorded substantial amounts of the quartet repertory of Mozart, Haydn, Dvora'k, both Jana'cek quartets, and works by Ravel, Schumann, Debussy, Stravinsky, and Berio. Its repertoire of more recent music has acclaimed recordings of quartets by von Einem, Haubenstock-Ramati, Rihm, Schnittke, and Urbanner, many of them composed for and dedicated to the Quartet. In 1977, they paid tribute to Franz Schubert by playing only his music during his 200th anniversary year.

The members of the quartet (which include violinists Gu"nter Pichler, Gerhard Schulz, Kakuska, and cellist Valentin Erben, of whom Schulz and Erben are founding members) are all faculty members of the Wiener Hochschule fu"r Musik and also teach master classes on German chamber music regularly at the Musikhochschule in Cologne. They have won 30 major international recording awards, representing virtually every top prize of note.


tring Quartet No. 1 in F major, Op. 18/1

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Composer
Ludwig van Beethoven
Genre
Chamber Music
Work Type
Quartet for Four String Instruments
Composition Date
1798-1800
Average Duration
28:50
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Composition Description by Emily Stoops

Although the whole Op. 18 set of string quartets was dedicated to Prince Lobkowitz, a loyal and enthusiastic patron of Beethoven's, an earlier version of the Op. 18, No. 1 quartet existed and was dedicated to Beethoven's friend, Karl Amenda. Amenda was a theologian and violinist who made Beethoven's acquaintance in Vienna. Apparently, Beethoven was unhappy with his first version of the quartet and wrote Amenda a letter requesting that the piece not be shown to or played by anyone. He added that he had a lot to learn about quartet writing and had finished a new version of the piece.

The No. 1 quartet exists in four movements, the first of which is an Allegro con brio. Although there are parts that are quick and spirited, they are mixed with many lyrical qualities as well. The opening motive, centering in on the pitch of F with a melodic turn, is an important one, as it returns in various ways throughout the movement. The music takes on a more fiery character in the development where the key turns to minor before working itself back into the opening motive and its various inventive (and sometimes surprising) manifestations to bring the movement to a close.

Beethoven's sketches show that he composed the second movement, an Adagio, with the intention to depict the tomb scene from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Beethoven's markings for the movement read Adagio affetuoso ed appassionato, and this emotion comes to the fore immediately with the opening violin melody which sings out over a pulse of moving triplets in the other instruments. The melody returns again in the cello and is developed in a bittersweet manner, moving for a time from the minor key into major. There is a stormy development before the melody returns, this time over a much more agitated accompaniment. Beethoven's use of silence between high-tension chords is original and has great dramatic appeal.

The third movement is a clever and playful Scherzo whose uneven phrase structures and boisterous accents provide a feeling of surprise and jocularity. In the trio section the first violin is kept busy with numerous brilliant passages.

The final movement is a pleasant Allegro that, similarly to the first movement, develops the opening motive in many creative ways. This motive, which is introduced by the violin, is built on a sequence of fast-moving triplets, the effect of which is especially virtuosic.

String Quartet No. 7 in F major ("Rasumovsky 1"), Op. 59/1

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Composer
Ludwig van Beethoven
Genre
Chamber Music
Work Type
Quartet for Four String Instruments
Composition Date
1806
Average Duration
40:00
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Composition Description by Robert Cummings

Beethoven wrote three quartets in 1806 and dedicated them to Russian nobleman Count Rasumovsky. This F major effort is generally regarded as the greatest of the trio, as well as one of the composer's finest chamber works. A lot has been made of the fact that it was one of the compositions that heralded his second period. The "Eroica" Symphony, coming slightly earlier, is generally viewed as the starting point. All three quartets are lengthy works and considerably difficult to execute. That they were all written in a six-month period beginning in April 1806 divulges the speed and mastery Beethoven possessed. The String Quartet No. 7 was first performed in February 1807, and published in Vienna the following year.

The first movement is marked Allegro and begins on the cello with one of those powerful themes by Beethoven that seem to encompass the world. One senses its greatness and growth potential almost immediately, as it emerges from the depths. The second subject consists of an attractive theme for cello and a lyrical melody. When the lengthy and profound development section begins, one is reminded of the corresponding section in the "Eroica" Symphony. Both are massive and full of developmental ideas. Here there is much contrapuntal activity in the manner of a massive double fugue. This is the heart of the movement, full of drama and divulging much brilliant writing. The recapitulation is not in any way a mere restatement of the exposition, but itself a section that involves further thematic transformations. The extended coda, triumphant and powerful in contrast to the tragedy suggested in the recapitulation, is also deftly conceived.

The second movement is nearly as brilliant and complex as the first. It is marked Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando. It has a sonata-like structure, and Beethoven seems to fashion the movement from a rhythmic scrap. The form of this movement is quite unique: after the first scherzando section, Beethoven follows, not unexpectedly, with a brilliant trio, after which comes development of the themes. But then there ensues a second scherzando section, trio, and finally a third scherzando.

The movements that follow are also on a high artistic plane, but may seem anticlimactic by comparison. The third, marked Adagio molto e mesto, is dark and tragic, profoundly so. One is reminded of the second movement of the "Eroica" here, even though its character is more funereal and less tragic. This Adagio is emotional, too, with its main theme of sadness, maybe even pity. The second subject does not break the dark atmosphere that grips the movement.

The finale is marked Allegro and subtitled "The`me Russe." Its use of a Russian theme is in deference to its dedicatee, who was the Russian ambassador. This cheerful melody appears at the outset and is based on a folk song. There is some canonic and contrapuntal activity surrounding it almost from the beginning. The finale also features a development section and recapitulation. In general, this movement is light and not quite as complex as the others. Some have found that it does not fit the character of the quartet. In a sense, it is the least persuasive panel in the work, not because of some intrinsic weakness, but owing to its more genial nature.


String Quartet No. 2 in G major ("Compliments"), Op. 18/2

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Composer
Ludwig van Beethoven
Genre
Chamber Music
Work Type
Quartet for Four String Instruments
Composition Date
1798-1800
Average Duration
23:40
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Composition Description by Emily Stoops

Beethoven wrote his Op. 18, No. 2 string quartet in G major between the years of 1798-1800. Although this piece is numbered as second in the Op. 18 set, it is generally believed to be the third in Beethoven's chronological order of composition. He put off writing in the quartet form for a long time in his compositional life, and numerous sketches and revisions show that it was not an easy task for the young composer.

The second quartet, like all the others in the Op. 18 set, is comprised of four movements. It has earned the nickname "Compliments" because it is so polite and graceful in nature. The first movement is an Allegro that opens with a charming violin melody that leads to a quick cadence. Overall, this movement is pleasant, has many points of resolution (predictable cadences), and simple phrase structures. The melody, usually in the violin, is a combination of sweet lyric phrases and bright, playful fragments. During the lyrical parts the accompaniment is light and playful. It is easy to hear the influence of Haydn in the way Beethoven reuses and builds upon the opening melodic material throughout the movement. Even while heavily influenced by Haydn's compositional methods, however, Beethoven adds his own delightful musical invention.

Adagio cantabile marks the character of the second movement, which begins with a melody that is sweet but also formal, almost courtly in nature. What makes this movement highly unusual is the subsequent Allegro section that boisterously interrupts halfway through. The allegro is as brief as it is unexpected, and the movement ends with the same adagio feel in which it began.

The third movement is, predictably, a light and playful Scherzo that dances along with the good nature of any Scherzo. Unlike many of Beethoven's other Scherzos, however, this one does not contain any of the musical surprises that often bring a humorous or boisterous feel to the movement. It is, instead, lively but very polite in character.

The final movement is an Allegro with a Quasi Presto marking. It is quite energetic and quick from the start and, similarly to the first movement, the opening motif returns and is developed in many inventive ways. Most of the melodic motion is scalar, though it is combined with short lyrical melodies. The close of the movement is exuberant and in keeping with the good nature of the piece.



String Quartet No. 6 in B flat major, Op. 18/6

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Composer
Ludwig van Beethoven
Genre
Chamber Music
Work Type
Quartet for Four String Instruments
Composition Date
1798-1800
Average Duration
25:10
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Composition Description by Robert Cummings

This was the last of the group of six quartets in the Op. 18 set. While that might appear obvious in perusing the headnote, in actuality the numbers in this collection do not necessarily correspond to their order of composition since Beethoven reordered all six works after finishing them in 1800. The third actually appears to have been composed first. The reason the composer changed the order was apparently due to the character of the quartets: the first three generally adhere to traditional forms, while the latter group are fairly unorthodox and varied in style. But there may have been another reason he arranged them so: the last three all contain substantial references to the past, the Fourth and Fifth showing deference to Mozart and the Sixth appearing as a patchwork of compositions out of Beethoven's own past. Still, both groups of quartets are worthwhile, and the Sixth especially, in its second and fourth movements, offers glimpses of the mature Beethoven.

The first movement is marked Allegro con brio, and while it hardly introduces anything innovative, it does present some musical merrymaking. The joyful main theme contains that already characteristic Beethovenian urgency. The second theme is less driven and takes on an almost stately character at the outset, but eventually turns effervescent and manic. The material is repeated, after which the development section ensues. Here, the music becomes a little more serious, even tense. There is a clever little joke that occurs in the latter part, when the music unexpectedly stops dead, suddenly capturing the attention of the listener. After the development concludes, the main material is heard again and the movement ends.

The second movement is an Adagio of great beauty and simplicity. Yet, as was so often the case with this composer, his simplicity has a sophistication. It comes across as pure music, clothed in instrumentation that is perfectly appropriate for its innocent character. The alternate melody is also simple and lovely. The main theme returns and there follows a brief coda. While this is the least sensational movement in the work, it may be the most effective.

The Scherzo ensues. Marked Allegro, it is a busy, talkative movement, full of joy and humor, and it presents such a contrast to the Adagio that one feels its playfulness and humor more strongly. The finale, subtitled "La Malinconia" and marked Adagio at the outset and later Allegretto quasi allegro, presents probably the most complex music in the work. It begins with a dark, slow introduction, quite unlike anything else in the quartet. The mood is mysterious and intense throughout the first third of the movement. When the Allegretto section begins, Beethoven does not take listeners back to the backward-looking delight of the first movement, but rather to a more modern sound of joy. The character of the themes is decidedly less rooted in the language of Mozart and Haydn here, more foretelling of Beethoven's own style to come. All six quartets from the Op. 18 set were dedicated to Prince Lobkowitz and were first published in Vienna in 1801.


String Quartet No. 16 in F major, Op. 135

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Composer
Ludwig van Beethoven
Genre
Chamber Music
Work Type
Quartet for Four String Instruments
Composition Date
1826
Average Duration
24:40
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Composition Description by James Reel

Beethoven wrote the bulk of this, his final quartet, in a two-month burst of activity amid health problems and shortly after his nephew Karl attempted to commit suicide. But there's not a hint of self-pity or anguish in this compact, good-natured work. For Beethoven's valedictory composition, this quartet is surprisingly small-scaled, finding inspiration in the quartets of Beethoven's one-time teacher Haydn. The first movement, Allegretto, takes standard sonata form. Its principal theme in 2/4 hints at a march; this, the light textures, and Beethoven's reliance on very short phrases give the movement a playful nature that is emphasized by Beethoven's abrupt melodic and harmonic shifts and frequent interruptions in mid-phrase.

Beethoven carries this unpredictability over to the second movement, Vivace, which is a scherzo and trio. Again, the overall format is traditional, but the movement abounds in rhythmic asymmetry disrupting the basic 3/4 meter, as well as suddenly modulating chromatic harmonies and melodies being gagged at inopportune moments. It's one of the most comic creations in Beethoven's chamber music. In deep contrast is the slow movement, Lento assai cantante e tranquillo. This is a D flat major theme with four variations; variety and development come more through harmonic coloring than motivic manipulation. The second variation slips into a dark C sharp minor, the only spot in this work where listeners obsessed with music as autobiography might find a reflection of Beethoven's troubled life. The third variation returns to the major key for a quiet treatment of the theme in canon between the first violin and cello, and the fourth toys with rhythmic details without disrupting the music's serenity.

The finale initially seems to be a great, tragic utterance; Beethoven casts the introduction, Grave ma non troppo tratto, in F minor. At the head of the score Beethoven has written, in German, "The difficult decision," and next to the tempo indication are the words "Muss es sein?" (Must it be?). The cello and viola seem to be asking that question in the introduction, but soon the music breaks into an F major Allegro; here, Beethoven has written "Es muss sein!" (It must be!). Those three syllables form the rhythmic basis of the main theme, and seem to be inspired by an exchange between Beethoven and a friend regarding payment of money. The movement proceeds according to sonata structure, spirits remaining high right through the whimsical pizzicato passage that leads to the affirmative final bars.