ベートーヴェン: 弦楽四重奏曲第2番、第3番、第10番

1930年代にアビーロード・スタジオでEMIによって録音されたベートーヴェン。
ナクソス・ジャパン

The history of the Budapest String Quartet is as intricate and multifaceted as the many musicians who played under its name. During the span of its 50-year existence, the personnel of the quartet changed frequently and quickly. But what did not change was its continued appeal both in public concert halls and in recording venues. Recordings such as this one clearly demonstrate why this is the case. For starters, it was among the very first ensembles to bring an academic and thoughtful approach to the performance of the Beethoven quartets and these musical decisions have stood the test of time. As recording artists, they had the luxury of utilizing the very best recording technology available at the time. This set of recordings, made in the latter half of the 1930s, is amazingly clear, warm-sounding, and well-balanced. From a technical standpoint, the Budapest Quartet, in all its manifestations, easily holds its own against contemporary musicians. Fast passages are beautifully articulate and precise. Intonation is very tight, which is really rather remarkable considering the personnel changes. Listeners owe it to themselves to check out this recording not only to see just how good a historical recording can sound, but also to hear a wonderfully skilled ensemble lay the groundwork for numerous recordings we now have of the Beethoven quartets.