Alban Berg Quartett - Beethoven: The "Middle Period" String Quartets (1978-79) [2021 SACD Definition Serie]

Beethoven's complete string quartets, which were session-recorded on the former EMI label, won the 1985 Record Academy Award Special Category (Complete Collection, Selected Works, Planning) in Japan as well as around the world. and highly rated. Among the complete works, the first recording and the only analog recording "Middle String Quartet Collection" is reprinted as the world's first SACD. A tremendous performance that has a reason to be a masterpiece has been reproduced with the highest sound quality.

Of the complete Beethoven string quartets by the Alban Berg Quartet, which has two types of LP and CD sound sources, this edition, which was recorded in a session between 1978 and 1983, is the first complete collection. It is a recording that has a comprehensive meaning, and is a masterpiece that remains in the history of records that have been highly acclaimed around the world. Due to the sufficient preparation period and recording sessions during the production, the musical unity between each player and the high level of technical aspects are maintained, and it is an important model that can be used even today. As one of the performances, it is an album that should be handed down for a long time. His concentration and sharpness are amazing. Even with conventional CDs, the original recording was good and the sound quality was sufficient, but by improving the sound quality, the dreadfulness of these performances was conveyed. Breathing, air pipes, and even things that seem to be a close-up of the moment when the music is about to be born, this sound source makes me feel more than ever. In addition, as a concept of this project, in principle, when converting to SACD, we believe that analog recording can bring out the potential of the master more than recording in the early days of digital, so we dare to limit it to the middle period. Please understand (there are some exceptions in the project). I would like you to reconfirm the greatness of this performance and the impact that listeners received at that time. In addition, I will add that the analog master tape this time was in a very good condition.

*As it is a machine translation, the result may not provide an accurate description.
Please use it only as a reference.



Tracks:

Disc 1
1. String Quartet No. 7 in F Major, Op. 59, No. 1, "Rasumovsky"
2. String Quartet No. 8 in E Minor, Op. 59, No. 2, "Rasumovsky"

Disc 2
3. String Quartet No. 9 in C Major, Op. 59, No. 3, "Rasumovsky"
4. String Quartet No. 10 in E-Flat Major, Op. 74, "Harp"
5. String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 95, "Serioso"

Personnel:

Alban Berg Quartet

Recorded:
August 1978 (3), December 1978 (4), January & April 1979 (5),
April 1979 (1), June 1979 (2), Seon, Switzerland, Evangelische Kirche