℗ 1966 2016 Countdown Media, a division of BMG Rights Management (US)
Released January 20, 2019
Duration 8h 11m 25s
Record Label Everest
Genre Classical
 

Beethoven: Complete String Quartets including the Grosse Fugue (Remastered from the Original Concert-Disc Master Tapes)

Fine Arts Quartet

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String Quartet No. 1 in F Major, Op. 18, No. 1  
1.1
I. Allegro con brio
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
9:24
1.2
II. Adagio affetuoso ed appassionato
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
9:38
1.3
III. Scherzo. Allegro molto
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
3:25
1.4
IV. Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
6:05
String Quartet No. 2 in G Major, Op. 18, No. 2  
1.5
I. Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
7:22
1.6
II. Adagio cantabile
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
6:18
1.7
III. Scherzo. Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
4:07
1.8
IV. Allegro molto quasi presto
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
5:34
String Quartet No. 3 in D Major, Op. 18, No. 3  
1.9
I. Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
5:58
1.10
II. Andante con moto
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
9:42
1.11
III. Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
3:08
1.12
IV. Presto
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
4:46
String Quartet No. 4 in C Minor, Op. 18, No. 4  
1.13
I. Allegro, ma non tanto
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
7:07
1.14
II. Scherzo. Andante scherzoso quasi allegretto
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
6:05
1.15
III. Menuetto. Allegretto
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
4:17
1.16
IV. Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
4:20
String Quartet No. 5 in a Major, Op. 18, No. 5  
1.17
I. Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
4:58
1.18
II. Menuetto
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
5:14
1.19
III. Andante cantabile
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
10:16
1.20
IV. Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
4:41
String Quartet No. 6 in B-Flat Major, Op. 18, No. 6  
1.21
I. Allegro con brio
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
5:56
1.22
II. Adagio ma non troppo
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
6:50
1.23
III. Scherzo. Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
3:06
1.24
IV. La Malinconia. Adagio - Allegretto quasi allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
7:56
String Quartet No. 7 in F Major, Op. 59, No. 1 "Rasumovsky 1"  
1.25
I. Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
10:54
1.26
II. Allegro vivace e sempre scherzando
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
9:04
1.27
III. Adagio molto e mesto
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
11:09
1.28
IV. Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
6:22
String Quartet No. 8 in E Minor, Op. 59, No. 2 "Rasumovsky 2"  
1.29
I. Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
7:46
1.30
II. Molto allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
12:00
1.31
III. Allegretto
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
7:25
1.32
IV. Presto
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
5:18
String Quartet No. 9 in C Major, Op. 59, No. 3 "Rasumovsky 3"  
1.33
I. Andante - Allegro vivace
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
8:25
1.34
II. Andante con moto quasi allegretto
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
8:38
1.35
III. Menuetto
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
5:18
1.36
IV. Allegro molto
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
5:53
String Quartet No. 10 in E-flat Major, Op. 74 "Harp"  
1.37
I. Poco adagio - Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
8:03
1.38
II. Adagio ma non troppo
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
9:51
1.39
III. Presto
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
5:06
1.40
IV. Allegretto con variazioni
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
6:55
String Quartet No. 11 in F Minor, Op. 95  
1.41
I. Allegro con brio
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
4:29
1.42
II. Allegretto ma non troppo
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
6:38
1.43
III. Allegro assai vivace ma serioso - Più allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
4:40
1.44
IV. Larghetto espressivo - Allegretto agitato - Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
4:46
String Quartet No. 12 in E-flat Major, Op. 127  
1.45
I. Maestoso - Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
6:54
1.46
II. Adagio ma non troppo e molto cantabile
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
16:12
1.47
III. Scherzando vivace
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
7:04
1.48
IV. Finale
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
6:24
String Quartet No. 13 in B-Flat Major, Op. 130  
1.49
I. Adagio ma non troppo
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
9:41
1.50
II. Presto
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
1:54
1.51
III. Andante con moto ma non troppo
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
7:01
1.52
IV. Alla danza tedesca. Allegro assai
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
3:25
1.53
V. Cavatina. Adagio molto espressivo
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
6:34
1.54
VI. Finale. Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
7:49
String Quartet No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, Op. 131  
1.55
I. Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
7:11
1.56
II. Allegro molto vivace
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
3:03
1.57
III. Allegro moderato
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
0:51
1.58
IV. Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
15:29
1.59
V. Presto
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
5:38
1.60
VI. Adagio quasi un poco andante
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
2:05
1.61
VII. Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
6:50
String Quartet No. 15 in a Minor, Op. 132  
1.62
I. Assai sostenuto - Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
10:14
1.63
II. Allegro ma non tanto
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
7:05
1.64
III. Molto adagio
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
16:13
1.65
IV. Alla marcia, assai vivace
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
2:20
1.66
V. Allegro appassionato
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
7:00
1.67
Grosse Fugue in B-Flat Major, Op. 133
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
15:25
String Quartet No. 16 in F Major, Op. 135  
1.68
I. Allegretto
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
6:51
1.69
II. Vivace
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
3:12
1.70
III. Lento assai, cantante e tranquillo
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
7:17
1.71
IV. Grave, ma non troppo tratto - Allegro
Ludwig van Beethoven; Fine Arts Quartet
6:50
Digital Booklet
"One of the gold-plated names in chamber music." - Washington Post Countdown Media presents this legacy recording of the Fine Arts Quartet performing the Complete String Quartets including the Grosse Fugue from the great master of the classical and early romantic era of art music, Ludwig van Beethoven. The Fine Arts Quartet was founded in 1946, although the group's members had actually begun working together as early as 1939 while playing in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The Quartet's first performance took place in 1940 with Leonard Sorkin, first violinist, Ben Senescu, second violinist, Sheppard Lehnhoff, violist, and George Sopkin, cellist. Military service in World War II intervened, however, and it was not until 1946, now with the new second violinist Joseph Stepansky, that the Quartet began to rehearse and perform regularly. The Quartet released an astonishing quantity of works (over 100) during its first 30 years of existence, including cycles of chamber music by Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, and Brahms. Now, Countdown Media has catalogued and collected the masters of these incredible recordings, remastering and rereleasing them in stunning modern clarity for new listeners.
192 kHz / 24-bit, 96 kHz / 24-bit PCM – Everest Studio Masters

Tracks 1-71 – contains high-resolution digital transfers of material originating from an analogue master source
Track title
Peak
(dB FS)
RMS
(dB FS)
LUFS
(integrated)
DR
Album average
Range of values
-1.92
-8.12 to -0.23
-23.43
-29.46 to -18.69
-19.36
-26.10 to -15.20
13
11 to 15
1
I. Allegro con brio
-0.50-21.08-17.612
2
II. Adagio affetuoso ed appassionato
-1.12-22.47-18.412
3
III. Scherzo. Allegro molto
-1.38-22.33-18.812
4
IV. Allegro
-1.05-21.90-18.213
5
I. Allegro
-1.27-22.57-18.513
6
II. Adagio cantabile
-0.98-23.91-19.915
7
III. Scherzo. Allegro
-0.51-23.65-20.214
8
IV. Allegro molto quasi presto
-0.50-20.35-16.312
9
I. Allegro
-1.06-21.84-17.713
10
II. Andante con moto
-0.50-24.23-20.115
11
III. Allegro
-4.49-26.42-22.715
12
IV. Presto
-1.73-22.98-18.813
13
I. Allegro, ma non tanto
-0.50-21.96-17.913
14
II. Scherzo. Andante scherzoso quasi allegretto
-0.75-25.94-21.815
15
III. Menuetto. Allegretto
-3.09-23.76-19.813
16
IV. Allegro
-0.82-21.58-17.913
17
I. Allegro
-1.26-21.44-18.112
18
II. Menuetto
-1.42-22.52-19.213
19
III. Andante cantabile
-1.17-22.78-19.312
20
IV. Allegro
-0.50-22.21-18.913
21
I. Allegro con brio
-0.50-20.15-16.312
22
II. Adagio ma non troppo
-1.58-21.97-18.013
23
III. Scherzo. Allegro
-0.50-18.69-15.211
24
IV. La Malinconia. Adagio - Allegretto quasi allegro
-0.50-20.20-16.012
25
I. Allegro
-2.02-22.06-18.111
26
II. Allegro vivace e sempre scherzando
-2.41-22.49-17.912
27
III. Adagio molto e mesto
-2.55-23.67-20.013
28
IV. Allegro
-2.22-20.57-16.111
29
I. Allegro
-0.50-21.80-17.212
30
II. Molto allegro
-2.50-25.04-21.413
31
III. Allegretto
-3.12-23.23-19.412
32
IV. Presto
-0.65-22.36-17.913
33
I. Andante - Allegro vivace
-0.50-22.94-18.514
34
II. Andante con moto quasi allegretto
-4.67-27.21-24.115
35
III. Menuetto
-1.78-24.28-20.714
36
IV. Allegro molto
-1.24-22.27-18.513
37
I. Poco adagio - Allegro
-1.56-22.79-18.613
38
II. Adagio ma non troppo
-4.39-26.29-22.814
39
III. Presto
-1.61-20.66-16.011
40
IV. Allegretto con variazioni
-1.81-22.60-19.012
41
I. Allegro con brio
-0.51-19.58-15.211
42
II. Allegretto ma non troppo
-4.23-26.91-22.913
43
III. Allegro assai vivace ma serioso - Più allegro
-1.19-20.19-15.912
44
IV. Larghetto espressivo - Allegretto agitato - Allegro
-0.95-22.18-17.912
45
I. Maestoso - Allegro
-1.04-21.61-17.912
46
II. Adagio ma non troppo e molto cantabile
-4.55-29.18-25.315
47
III. Scherzando vivace
-0.50-22.95-18.414
48
IV. Finale
-1.43-23.86-19.614
49
I. Adagio ma non troppo
-0.55-23.80-19.014
50
II. Presto
-3.39-27.40-22.415
51
III. Andante con moto ma non troppo
-4.40-27.99-23.715
52
IV. Alla danza tedesca. Allegro assai
-4.17-25.60-21.614
53
V. Cavatina. Adagio molto espressivo
-8.12-29.46-26.113
54
VI. Finale. Allegro
-0.51-22.90-18.814
55
I. Adagio ma non troppo e molto espressivo
-2.50-24.43-20.313
56
II. Allegro molto vivace
-2.00-21.66-17.012
57
III. Allegro moderato
-4.29-25.61-21.112
58
IV. Andante ma non troppo e molto cantabile
-1.55-24.44-20.015
59
V. Presto
-0.23-24.00-18.915
60
VI. Adagio quasi un poco andante
-5.39-26.44-22.012
61
VII. Allegro
-0.86-20.72-16.412
62
I. Assai sostenuto - Allegro
-0.81-23.20-18.714
63
II. Allegro ma non tanto
-2.74-24.88-21.114
64
III. Molto adagio
-2.80-26.37-22.315
65
IV. Alla marcia, assai vivace
-1.97-23.83-19.614
66
V. Allegro appassionato
-5.03-27.22-22.914
67
Grosse Fugue in B-Flat Major, Op. 133
-0.50-22.07-17.314
68
I. Allegretto
-1.68-23.92-19.914
69
II. Vivace
-0.53-23.38-19.114
70
III. Lento assai, cantante e tranquillo
-6.13-27.83-24.113
71
IV. Grave, ma non troppo tratto - Allegro
-0.66-22.71-17.713

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