The Suske Quartet were formed in 1965 by the principals of the Berlin Staatskapelle. They played together until 1980, when Karl Suske left on becoming leader of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra; the three other members, with a new first violinist, still play together as the Berlin Quartet. These recordings not only present the five late quartets on three CDs (most rivals spread to four), but find room for a substantial bonus, a fine performance of the F minor Quartet, Op. 95. They reveal a group of exceptional homogeneity, with excellent balance and blend. We are able to focus on a lot of detail in the music that often remains almost hidden in the background – the more complex parts of the Grosse Fuge have rarely sounded so clear. The Suske’s tone is warm and expressive, enabling them to give a most persuasive performance of the E flat Quartet, Op. 127, and of many other individual movements.
Elsewhere, I’m conscious of limitations in their approach. This is partly due to the very close recording, which gives intimacy and enhances the clarity, but makes it very difficult to achieve any sense of mystery. The Suske Quartet do take notice of Beethoven’s many dynamic markings, but their range of tone is quite narrow; their pianissimo and sotto voce rarely sound special. The interpretations are straightforward and unfussy – Beethoven demystified, perhaps. The “Hymn of Thanksgiving” in Op. 132, for example, sounds quite mundane at the start, especially compared to the exceptional tonal qualities of the Lindsay Quartet’s version of this section. The Suske performance, though, does gain force as the movement proceeds, due to fine control of tone and rhythm. In the opening fugue of Op. 131 I feel they slightly miscalculate by playing Beethoven’s molto espressivo with very prominent vibrato; the Alban Berg Quartet, in their serene and graceful version, understand the espressivo, surely correctly, as applying to the phrasing. Too often, I feel, the Suske Quartet follow Beethoven’s indications (for tempo, accents, loud and soft) in a way that’s dutiful, rather than convinced and convincing. The Andante third movement of Op. 130 has all the staccato notes, the crescendos and forte-pianos in place, yet misses the lightness and humour. The finale of Op. 131 is played with a fine passionate style, but in the coda they fail to communicate where the climactic points are – Beethoven’s fortissimos are not all equal.
The Alban Berg Quartet offer similarly ‘straight’ interpretations, but allied to playing of greater freedom and impressive virtuosity – the substitute finale of Op. 130 has rarely sounded so brilliant and carefree. The downside, for me, is their highly projected, glamorous tone, with fast vibrato, which quite often covers touching intimate details with the musical equivalent of high-gloss varnish. The Lindsays do care about every detail; the melancholic themes of the first movement of Op. 132 speak to us in a direct way that makes the Suske’s expressive style seem generalized. Their playing is certainly less polished (or is it just less carefully edited?), with a number of moments of imperfect tuning, tone and ensemble – even a wrong note. But these are insignificant blemishes for a group that does rise, in a way the Suske Quartet doesn’t, to all the ‘big moments’ in the music. The Suske’s Cavatina, in Op. 130, is played with fine tone, wonderful blend and sensitive expression. It sounds a really beautiful piece, remarkable, even. But the Lindsays make us feel the uniqueness of the music – they encompass its full emotional intensity, bringing out the character of each phrase and achieving a wonderful range of expression.'