Notes
The celebrated recording of the Complete Beethoven String Quartets with the Quartetto di Cremona is now once again available. This edition makes available all the composer's string quartets, alongside his String Quintet No. 29 (the only original work by Beethoven with this scoring), in the highest quality. "... such warm playing; such perfection... what a glory this is." (The Herald) "The Cremona's Beethoven project hurtles towards an exciting climax." (The Strad) During the past eighteen years the Quartetto di Cremona has matured into a string quartet of international renown and has acquired an excellent national and international reputation. Having for many years performed at the great international halls, it is often considered as the successor to the famous Quartetto Italiano. The musical style of the Quartetto di Cremona is marked by a fruitful tension between Italian and German-Austrian influences. Following their academic studies the players continued their training with Piero Farulli of the Quartetto Italiano. He strongly favored intuitive playing and a fervent, emotional, romantic, and "Italian" approach to music. Afterwards the musicians pursued their studies with Hatto Beyerle of the Alban Berg Quartet. He represented a clear, classical "German-Austrian" style. Both teachers significantly influenced the quartet, and the players naturally combine both poles, mixing enthusiasm with a sense of musical architecture.
Tracks
1.1 String Quartet No. 6 in B-Flat Major, Op. 18, No. 6 1.2 1. I. Allegro Con Brio 00:05:54 1.3 2. II. Adagio Ma Non Troppo 00:06:38 1.4 3. III. Scherzo: Allegro 00:03:10 1.5 4. IV. La Malinconia: Adagio - Allegretto Quasi Allegro 00:08:26 1.6 String Quartet No. 11 in F minor, Op. 95, "Serioso" 1.7 5. I. Allegro Con Brio 00:04:10 1.8 6. II. Allegretto Ma Non Troppo - 00:06:37 1.9 7. III. Allegro Assai Vivace, Ma Serioso 00:04:32 1.10 8. IV. Larghetto Espressivo - Allegretto Agitato - Allegro 00:04:42 1.11 String Quartet No. 16 in F Major, Op. 135 1.12 9. I. Allegretto 00:06:28 1.13 10. II. Vivace 00:03:22 1.14 11. III. Lento Assai, Cantante E Tranquillo 00:06:49 1.15 12. IV. Der Schwer Gefasste Entschluss: Grave, Ma Non Troppo Tratto - Allegro 00:06:56 2.1 String Quartet No. 8 in E minor, Op. 59, No. 2, "Rasumovsky" 2.2 1. I. Allegro 00:09:54 2.3 2. II. Molto Adagio 00:12:10 2.4 3. III. Allegretto 00:06:38 2.5 4. IV. Finale: Presto 00:05:41 2.6 String Quartet No. 12 in E-Flat Major, Op. 127 2.7 5. I. Maestoso - Allegro 00:06:33 2.8 6. II. Adagio, Ma Non Troppo E Molto Cantabile - Andante Con Moto - 00:13:52 2.9 7. III. Scherzando Vivace - Presto - Tempo I 00:08:01 2.10 8. IV. Finale 00:06:48 3.1 String Quartet No. 4 in C minor, Op. 18, No. 4 3.2 1. I. Allegro Ma Non Tanto 00:08:39 3.3 2. II. Scherzo: Andante Scherzoso Quasi Allegretto 00:07:01 3.4 3. III. Menuetto: Allegretto - Trio 00:03:37 3.5 4. IV. Allegro - Prestissimo 00:04:48 3.6 . 5. Grosse Fuge in B-Flat Major, Op. 133 00:15:13 3.7 String Quartet No. 7 in F Major, Op. 59, No. 1, "Rasumovsky" 3.8 6. I. Allegro 00:10:05 3.9 7. II. Allegretto Vivace E Sempre Scherzando 00:08:45 3.10 8. III. Adagio Molto E Mesto - 00:12:16 3.11 9. IV. Theme Russe: Allegro 00:08:07 4.1 String Quartet No. 1 in F Major, Op. 18, No. 1 4.2 1. I. Allegro Con Brio 00:09:17 4.3 2. II. Adagio Affettuoso Ed Appassionato 00:09:02 4.4 3. III. Scherzo: Allegro Molto 00:03:25 4.5 4. IV. Allegro 00:07:04 4.6 String Quartet No. 14 in C-Sharp minor, Op. 131 4.7 5. I. Adagio, Ma Non Troppo E Molto Espressivo - 00:07:14 4.8 6. II. Allegro Molto Vivace - 00:03:12 4.9 7. III. Allegro Moderato - Adagio - 00:00:45 4.10 8. IV. Andante, Ma Non Troppo E Molto Cantabile 00:13:45 4.11 9. V. Presto - Molto Poco Adagio - 00:05:22 4.12 10. VI. Adagio Quasi Un Poco Andante - 00:01:44 4.13 11. VII. Allegro 00:06:53 5.1 String Quintet in C Major, Op. 29 5.2 1. I. Allegro Moderato 00:10:53 5.3 2. II. Adagio Molto Espressivo 00:10:49 5.4 3. III. Scherzo: Allegro 00:04:00 5.5 4. IV. Presto 00:09:24 5.6 String Quartet No. 15 in a Minor, Op. 132 5.7 5. I. Assai Sostenuto - Allegro 00:09:56 5.8 6. II. Allegro Ma Non Tanto 00:08:10 5.9 7. III. Heiliger Dankgesang Eines Genesenden An Die Gottheit, in Der Lydischen Tonart: Molto Adagio - Neue Kraft Fühlend: Andante - Molto Adagio 00:18:13 5.10 8. IV. Alla Marcia, Assai Vivace - Più Allegro - 00:02:11 5.11 9. V. Allegro Appassionato 00:06:54 6.1 String Quartet No. 5 in a Major, Op. 18, No. 5 6.2 1. I. Allegro 00:06:36 6.3 2. II. Menuetto 00:04:37 6.4 3. III. Andante Cantabile Con Variazioni 00:10:21 6.5 4. IV. Allegro 00:06:09 6.6 String Quartet No. 13 in B-Flat Major, Op. 130 6.7 5. I. Adagio Ma Non Troppo - Allegro 00:09:56 6.8 6. II. Presto 00:02:02 6.9 7. III. Andante Con Moto, Ma Non Troppo 00:06:51 6.10 8. IV. Alla Danza Tedesca: Allegro Assai 00:03:11 6.11 9. V. Cavatina: Adagio Molto Espressivo - 00:06:40 6.12 10. VI. Finale: Allegro 00:10:15 7.1 String Quartet No. 2 in G Major, Op. 18, No. 2 7.2 1. I. Allegro 00:08:18 7.3 2. II. Adagio Cantabile 00:06:33 7.4 3. III. Scherzo: Allegro 00:04:32 7.5 4. IV. Allegro Molto Quasi Presto 00:05:05 7.6 String Quartet No. 9 in C Major, Op. 59, No. 3, "Rasumovsky" 7.7 5. I. Introduzione: Andante Con Moto - Allegro Vivace 00:10:45 7.8 6. II. Andante Con Moto Quasi Allegretto 00:09:34 7.9 7. III. Menuetto: Grazioso - 00:05:23 7.10 8. IV. Allegro Molto 00:05:46 8.1 String Quartet No. 3 in D Major, Op. 18, No. 3 8.2 1. I. Allegro
