Great Performances From The Library Of Congress, Vol. 5: Budapest String Quartet

Franz Joseph Haydn (Composer), Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer), Budapest Quartet (Performer), Budapest String Quartet (Performer), Mieczyslaw Horszowski (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Budapest Quartet, Budapest String Quartet, Mieczyslaw Horszowski
• Composer: Franz Joseph Haydn, Ludwig van Beethoven
• Audio CD (August 20, 1996)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Bridge
• ASIN: B000003GJP
• Also Available in: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #386,079 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

An august musicologist recently wrote that "there were only two ‘fabulous foursomes' during the twentieth century- The Beatles, and The Budapest String Quartet." The recordings on this disc are being released for the first time ever, and showcase the legendary Budapest at their youthful peak- 1940 and 1941- in performances of Haydn's "Lark" and Op. 76, No. 5 quartets. For sheer intensity, it is hard to imagine finer performances that these stunning "in-concert" readings. In addition, the members of the Budapest are joined by pianist Mieczyslaw Horszowski for a luminous account of Beethoven's Op. 16 piano quartet- a performance given in 1955. This disc is a "must have" for serious fans of the great chamber music traditions in our century!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The playing is excellent, but with sound issues, April 13, 2008

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J. Grant "Reviews for the average Joe" (North Carolina, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Great Performances From The Library Of Congress, Vol. 5: Budapest String Quartet (Audio CD)

The Beethoven Quintet and the Gypsy Trio are excellent, both in artistry and in sound. The two Haydn quartets, however, are marred by sudden bursts of crackling static. This is quite unfortunate, because without the sound imperfections, this would easily be a 5 star performance. As it stands, this is still a highly enjoyable disc, and all of the performances are top-notch.