I've scoured the internet looking for a cd of these performances, and I cannot find one. There are mp3 downloads, but I cannot find a CD. So I'm going to post the FLAC versions of the restorations I did from LP.
These performances have long been points of reference for me and many others, among Szigeti's own recordings, and for the works in general. The co-operation between the artists is more sympathetic and satisfying, I find, than in the earlier complete set Szigeti did with Arrau in 1944. The recorded sound is not as good, though it suffers only from fairly unobjectionable distortion here and there, but the performances are at the very top in the pantheon of Beethoven chamber music recordings. For my money, the slow movement of the Op. 96 is peerless.
Link to FLAC and MP3 files
(sorry, no cd inserts with this one)
You have wonderful music posted, including this one. I have a CD; Pearl LC 1836 (which also includes the Mozart but yours sound better, as I recall). Could you also make a link to the Mozart Sonata please. I also much appreciate the Haydn Quartets played by the Schneider Qt. I wanted to hear these for a long time. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments. Unfortunately the Mozart tracks are too damaged to play, so I cannot provide you a link. As for the Schneider Quartet Haydn: I have for long loved the performances. Schneider apparently was a great Haydn lover -- you can hear that in the playing -- and once spent several days playing through all the quartets with friends. The Op. 20 will be going up over the weekend. Then I'll be working on Op. 33, followed by the Op. 50 and 76. So there is a lot more to come. Once again, thanks for dropping by and letting me know the things you like.
ReplyDeleteThis is a sublime recording! My girlfriend and I listened to it last night and will do so many more times I am sure. Thank you for all the wonderful music on your splendid blog.
ReplyDeletetigerloaf: Thanks for letting me know you like the post. Sublime is a good word to describe these performances.
ReplyDeleteSublime indeed. I have just discovered these perfromances via your transfer, and they'll be shuffling to the front of the queue on my iPod regularly! Thanks for such splendid transfers.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to add my own thanks. I didn't know these recordings; the transfers are beautiful, the playing utterly memorable. Fabulous. Thank you
ReplyDeleteThank you. In case someone doesn't know, the recording was made on april 4, 1948.
ReplyDelete