Beethoven String Quartets Opp 127 and 132

Thoughtful performances that stand up well against recent competition

Record and Artist Details

Composer or Director: Ludwig van Beethoven

Genre:

Chamber

Label: Deutsche Grammophon

Media Format: CD or Download

Media Runtime: 75

Mastering:

Stereo
DDD

Catalogue Number: 477 5705

Tracks:

Composition Artist Credit
String Quartet No. 12 Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer
Hagen Qt
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer
String Quartet No. 15 Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer
Hagen Qt
Ludwig van Beethoven, Composer
This has been a good year for late Beethoven quartets. After the fine-sounding Borodin Quartet and the powerful, polished performances in the Gramophone Award-winning Takács set comes this remarkable disc. The Hagens seem to take nothing for granted, thinking afresh about each tempo and, in almost every bar, what style of expression, what tone colour to adopt.

For example, at the start of Op 127, rather than just concentrate on the general direction Maestoso, they’re concerned to accent only those notes marked sf – the effect is rich in sound but less solemn than usual, and with the extraordinary, irregular metrical pattern (five beats followed by three) emerging with wonderful clarity. Another surprise comes with the second movement of Op 132, the fastest performance I’ve ever heard. Surely this isn’t Allegro ma non tanto? Yet, in the context of Beethoven’s one-in-a-bar scherzi, perhaps it’s exactly what he meant. The whirling motion of the music at this speed is certainly convincing.

In the Trio section Beethoven (as he had done before in the Eroica Symphony’s Scherzo) unexpectedly changes from triple to duple time, with the direction L’istesso tempo. The Hagens follow the Juilliard Quartet (but no others, in my experience) in taking this to mean that the beat is the same, rather than the note values – I’m sure they’re right!

Striking though these departures from tradition are, a more important aspect of the performances is the way in which they draw us into Beethoven’s emotional world through the sheer beauty of the playing, and the way each detail is particularised. The sotto voce of Op 132’s Adagio is really hushed, and its finale truly appassionato. I’m sure the Hagen Quartet will kindle or reinvigorate your enthusiasm for this wonderful music.

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