Debussy and Ravel Quartets - who do you like?

[Andy Evans]

I'm putting these together since they're often coupled. Basically, which quartets float your boat in these?

Amongst the versions I've tried I'd pull out the Loewenguth in the Debussy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_VEpioJsRg

For the Ravel or both, Budapest, Tokyo, Hagen, Vlach, Pro Arte, Bartok and again the Loewenguth

Probably a lot I haven't heard, though I've heard the "usual suspects", many of which to me don't quite get the particular magic of these works.

[Bozo]

>On Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 8:16:39 AM UTC-5, Andy Evans wrote:
> I'm putting these together since they're often coupled. Basically, which quartets float your boat in these?

Have not heard the ones you mention, but enjoy the 1965 recording of both by Quartetto Italiano on a Philips ADD cd.

[Bozo]

New Harmonia Mundi cd by the Jerusalem Quartet briefly reviewed at BBC R3 today, first mov. of the Debussy complete, nothing from the Ravel :

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b51ynn

" Not the whispey, hazy school of Debussy playing, the playing's tautly focused, " , per the reviewer, " a balance between rigor and beauty."

[Herman]

There's a Wgimore Hall (live) cd by the Quatuor Ysaye, performing the Debussy, Stravinsky and the uniquely beautiful Faure quartet.

This performance of the Debussy quartet is good because it's a little more edgy than most.

[howie...@btinternet.com]

From very very old recordings, I remember thinking that Capet was outstanding in both Ravel and Debussy. There was also a memorable early recording of the Ravel from the Pro Arte.

I'm exploring recordings of by the Talich Quartet at the moment, I like the sound quality. I think their Ravel Quartet is well worth hearing.

[Bozo]

>On Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 6:19:37 PM UTC-5, dk wrote:
> Gobbledygook.

Have you heard the recording ?

[Andy Evans]

On Sunday, 3 June 2018 00:19:37 UTC+1, dk wrote:

> Gobbledygook. dk

Agree there! The previously mentioned Capet and Talich are both good calls. The Parrenin Ravel is very good, as you say, and on YT. Can't find their Debussy there though I imagine it existed at some point.

[cooper...@gmail.com]

On Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 10:23:09 AM UTC-4, dk wrote:

> On Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 6:16:39 AM UTC-7, Andy Evans wrote:
> > I'm putting these together since they're often coupled.
> > Basically, which quartets float your boat in these?
> >

> > For the Ravel or both, Budapest, Tokyo, Hagen, Vlach,
> > Pro Arte, Bartok and again the Loewenguth
> >
> > Probably a lot I haven't heard, though I've heard the
> > "usual suspects", many of which to me don't quite get
> > the particular magic of these works.
>

> The "usual suspects" in your list were all focused on
> and trained to perform mainly works in the German and
> Central European tradition. French chamber music has
> different needs.
>
> The "classical" "references" for these works are by
> Le Quatuor Capet and Le Quatuor Parrenin.
>
> For newer recordings try Le Quatuor Ébène, Le Quatuor
> Ysaÿe, Le Quatuor Arcanto and Le Quatuor Modigliani.
>
> Way back when in the 1960s I heard excellent live
> performances by the Julliard and the Smetana. By
> and large however this repertoire is best served
> by French musicians.
>
> dk

I basically agree with Dan and second all of his recommendations, especially the Ebène and Arcanto among the more recent issues. Among earlier recordings, have you heard those by the Galimir Quartet and Paganini Quartet? Another non-French recording of the Ravel that is worth seeking out is by the Carmirelli Quartet, reissued on Eloquence. I'm looking forward to hearing the Jerusalem, a group I always enjoy.

AC

[josq...@aol.com]

For the Debussy, I don’t think anyone has yet mentioned the Alban Berg - to my taste by far the best. I’ve heard quite a few versions, and my preference is generally toward the more dramatic, as opposed to a less inflected performance.

I just listened to the first movement of seven performances: the Capet, Galimir, Vlach, Lener, Loewenguth, Jerusalem, and Berg.

The first movement is marked “Animé et très decidé” and the Berg is the most emphatic and dramatic, closely followed by the Loewenguth which I hadn’t heard before. The Galimir was also good, as was the Vlach.

Most disappointing was the Capet - I realze they were associated with the composer, but their version didn’t seem well characterized - the Berg was much more dramatic.

The Galimir is available in a 99 cent Bach Guild box for those not allergic to MP3, along with the Ravel and a lot of unusual works: https://www.amazon.com/Big-Chamber-Music-Box-Vol/dp/B01EIUQ7AO

The Jerusalem has a live version on YT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oa7DLY7MqVU.

The Vlach I have on a Parliament LP.

Others are on YT:

berg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmDiPtcom58

capet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrYRhVSEQtg

Loewenguth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_VEpioJsRg

[Andy Evans]

On Sunday, 3 June 2018 05:56:53 UTC+1, josq...@aol.com wrote:
> For the Debussy, I don’t think anyone has yet mentioned the Alban Berg - to my taste by far the best. I’ve heard quite a few versions, and my preference is generally toward the more dramatic, as opposed to a less inflected performance.

> Most disappointing was the Capet - I realze they were associated with the composer, but their version didn’t seem well characterized - the Berg was much more dramatic.

It's sometimes amazing how far apart listeners tastes can be. I literally hate the ABQ. I can't stand their sound, their way of playing, their interpretations. Something about them instantly gives me a kind of creepy feeling. Plus I'm not looking for drama in these works - I'm looking for beauty, tenderness, that French sense of nostalgia and a kind of haunted vision of worlds behind worlds that hypersensitive souls like the french poets and painters seemed to have access to, what Emily Dickenson is all about for instance. To me the ABQ drives a truck through all that, while the Capet captures it nicely - they're very responsive to the inner elements in the music. For YT listening I'd personally recommend these:
Tokyo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4JQitix3Qk
Talich https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXfwg3B0OLs
Budapest https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7f7u3TbY84&t=1415s
Loewenguth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_VEpioJsRg
Capet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrYRhVSEQtg

Not on YT that I can see, but good versions for me - Pro Arte, Vlach, Hagen

Again, I've probably missed a few out and I've had good suggestions from this thread.

[howie...@btinternet.com]

Here's a live Ravel Quartet from Hagen which I like

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehQMe57TPPM

[ybschr...@gmail.com]

Interesting comments about the ABQ. For a long time I ignored their highly regarded recording of the Debussy/Ravel because I dislike their Beethoven String Quartets on EMI, mostly due to the harsh sound. Nevertheless, after deciding to try their Debussy/Ravel, I actually liked it very much. It's perhaps a somewhat different approach to these quartets, more analytical and virtuosic (...a more "German" approach than "French"...?). It brought to mind the somewhat controversial DG recording of Zimerman's Debussy Preludes, a more directly robust (and less "impressionist") view of these pieces, emerging from the virtuosic tradition of Liszt.

[MickeyBoy]

I heard a live performance by the Italians in the 1970s (?) in St Louis. Stunning. No recording I heave heard conveys anything close to their sound.

[Herman]

On Sunday, June 3, 2018 at 11:53:33 PM UTC+2, ybschr...@gmail.com wrote:
> Interesting comments about the ABQ.

Just so you'll know, the ABQ were 1975 - 2000 one of the most highly regarded string quartets in Europe / the World. The absolute top, along with a couple other ensembles. Their sound used to be instantly recognizable, with a lot of character and a high degree of technical perfection ad stunning musicality. They did have a tendency to make everything they played sound theirs, but so did all other great quartets.

Just because of those things there are of course naysayers with cloth ears who 'hate' them or come with ethnic slyrs ("boots on strings") but that's how it works.

Their Mozart, Beethoven and Schubvert are not to be missed. They also played contemporary music, rarely recorded.

[Alex Brown]

While I find many ABQ discs fine but rather "meh" (as I found them in
concert in the 1980s), I find their Debussy/Ravel disc utterly
compelling. If I had to save just one quartet recording of theirs, this
would be it.

It's hard to explain quite why - it's the music. As a friend familiar
with other recordings exclaimed when I played it - this is great, it
sounds like they've actually thought about it.

Others may find that precisely why its objectionable, I suppose!

(I also like their Schubert quintet with Schiff).

--
- Alex Brown

[Andy Evans]

On Monday, 4 June 2018 08:58:29 UTC+1, Alex Brown wrote:
> Just so you'll know, the ABQ were 1975 - 2000 one of the most highly regarded string quartets in Europe / the World. Just because of those things there are of course naysayers with cloth ears who 'hate' them
> - Herman

I can assure you I don't have "cloth ears" and the very idea is stupid. I'm aware of their reputation and I say again that I really dislike their sound and way of playing. I'm perfectly familiar with their work and bought one or two of their CDs blind on the basis of their reputation. While we're at it, I'm not a fan of the Guarneri, dislike the Amadeus and while the Juilliard make good music in their own style, I'd personally pass on most of their recordings since I prefer many other quartets. So much for reputations.

With my "cloth ears" I particularly like the following quartets across most of their repertoire: Tokyo, Tatrai, Budapest, Hagen, Loewenguth, Pro Arte, Vlach. Long list of other quartets I like to listen to from time to time - Smetana, Bartok, early Vegh, Belcea, Yale, Fine Arts etc etc. Not exactly ensembles without a reputation. I'm a conservatoire trained string player.

[Andy Evans]

On Monday, 4 June 2018 10:55:28 UTC+1, Andy Evans wrote:
> On Monday, 4 June 2018 08:58:29 UTC+1, Alex Brown wrote:
> > Just so you'll know, the ABQ were 1975 - 2000 one of the most highly regarded string quartets in Europe / the World. Just because of those things there are of course naysayers with cloth ears who 'hate' them
> > - Herman

Just a correction - the quote was by Herman, not Alex.

Shall we start a new thread on "overrated string quartets" to go with the conductor thread? There's probably nobody in the music business whose reputation someone here doesn't disagree with.

[Herman]

There are no overrated string quartets. Not a single string quartet has anywhere near the name recognition of conductors and piano or violin soloists. Or singers. Chamber music does not have blind (or deaf) followers. Go to a string quartet recital and look around you. Every single seat is taken by people who are into chamber music and they're interested in the music and the art form. They're generally well educated in the genre and I have never experienced any of the things many people online complain about if they've gone to a symphonic concert: extraneous audience noice or unwarranted applause or other ignorant behavior. So if these people rate an ensemble enough to buy tickets to their concerts or their cds, I don't think that's overrating them.

Some ensembles have bigger recording contracts than others, like the Amadeus and DG, the Juilliard and CBS / Sony or the Guarneri and RCA. I don't know why that is, but I don't think many people consider them better players because of this (or worse, such as the naysayers do).

[Alex Brown]

But doesn't this come down to an argument about taste, which is
pointless (even if it is the mainspring of this group!) ?

Certainly, some people complain about the "slimy" sound of the ABQ - and
I can hear what they mean, but that aspect of their recordings doesn't
bother me.

--
- Alex Brown

[Andy Evans]

> Certainly, some people complain about the "slimy" sound of the ABQ - and
> I can hear what they mean, but that aspect of their recordings doesn't

> bother me. > - Alex Brown

That's a good word "slimy" - pretty close to what puts me off. Yes - it bothers me a lot, just talking personally. I can quite see that this is all about taste and that tastes differ, sometimes greatly. Good point from Herman that chamber music lovers are a more dedicated bunch. But clearly we also have deeply held differences of opinion! For instance DK and I agree about the ABQ but I'm a big Backhaus fan and he isn't. I shouldn't start on Sibelius and Janacek since my tastes there are well off the "usual suspects" and their reputations, and I'm quite unrepentant about that. But I always listen carefully to recommendations on this ng for unfamiliar music and I've had many good calls that have expanded my musical listening.

[ybschr...@gmail.com]

Yes...much of it comes down to individual tastes and personal aesthetics. As for the Amadeus...I've always found Norbert Brainin's wiry tone and wide vibrato unattractive...

[richard...@gmail.com]

On Sunday, June 3, 2018 at 3:38:27 AM UTC-4, howie...@btinternet.com wrote:
> Here's a live Ravel Quartet from Hagen which I like
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehQMe57TPPM

I have the Parrenin on an HMV LP, and on CD the Amadeus, the Alban Berg Qt (Which I like) and quite a few others. It's not a favourite work, and I can't say I have ever listened to make comparisons between them.

[Al Eisner]

Responding a week late, and not familiar with the performances by most
of the young/current quartets mentioned (I'd agree on Ebène), but do
try to hear Cuarteto Casals in at least the Debussy. I found the
recording highly evocative. There's a youtube of a live performance
from around the same time but I just noticed that and haven't
listened.
--
Al Eisner

[Andy Evans]

> do try to hear Cuarteto Casals in at least the Debussy. I found the
> recording highly evocative. There's a youtube of a live performance
> from around the same time but I just noticed that and haven't

> listened. Al Eisner

Good call - very enjoyable playing. I've noticed that a lot of my favourite quartets are European. Historically a lot of the US based quartets were also originally made up of displaced Europeans, though.

Ironic that the Cuarteto Casals were mentored by the ABQ, and to my ears they're a better quartet. Lots of other instances of students surpassing mentors, though. Neuhaus mentored Richter at his request and was famously nonplussed at what he could add to Richter's abilities.

[Herman]

On Tuesday, June 12, 2018 at 10:34:27 AM UTC+2, Andy Evans wrote:
>
>
> Ironic that the Cuarteto Casals were mentored by the ABQ, and to my ears they're a better quartet. Lots of other instances of students surpassing mentors, though. Neuhaus mentored Richter at his request and was famously nonplussed at what he could add to Richter's abilities.

Almost all European quartet members have been montored or taught by members of the Amadeus and / or ABQ.

In terms of the depth of their technique I would not call the Casals a better quartet than the ABQ. That doesn't mean you can't prefer their sound.

[Andy Evans]

> Almost all European quartet members have been montored or taught by members of the Amadeus and / or ABQ.

What is it with Austrian quartets - I love the Hagen and can't take the ABQ? Very different approaches. I also don't get anything out of the Musikverein Qt, which others seem to love. The Barylli are also close to the ABQ in sound and style to my ears. Kind of a solid fruity sound, as opposed to the more febrile sound of some of e.g. the French ensembles, and different from the Hungarian quartets. I assume these were all string players in Vienna that were leading members of the VPO, VSO etc. Busy professionals. The Kolisch quartet had a rather different style, more "exploratory" which I personally prefer, but we're going back to the 1930s here. And then the Mosaiques are different again. But since Vienna was home to both Johann Strauss and Schoenberg I guess we should expect differences.

[AB]

On Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 7:19:37 PM UTC-4, dk wrote:
> On Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 9:46:28 AM UTC-7, Bozo wrote:
> > New Harmonia Mundi cd by the Jerusalem Quartet
> > briefly reviewed at BBC R3 today, first mov. of
> > the Debussy complete, nothing from the Ravel :
> >
> > https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b51ynn
> >
> > " Not the whispey, hazy school of Debussy playing,
> > the playing's tautly focused, " , per the reviewer,
> > " a balance between rigor and beauty."
>
> Gobbledygook.
>
> dk

bullshit would be more to the point (and more intellectually rigorous) :-)

AB

[Arbiter]

On Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 9:16:39 AM UTC-4, Andy Evans wrote:
> I'm putting these together since they're often coupled. Basically, which quartets float your boat in these?
>

> Amongst the versions I've tried I'd pull out the Loewenguth in the Debussy
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_VEpioJsRg

>
> For the Ravel or both, Budapest, Tokyo, Hagen, Vlach, Pro Arte, Bartok and again the Loewenguth
>
> Probably a lot I haven't heard, though I've heard the "usual suspects", many of which to me don't quite get the particular magic of these works.

Loewenguth and Capet!

[Bozo]

>On Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 9:04:35 PM UTC-5, cooper...@gmail.com wrote:
> I'm looking forward to hearing the Jerusalem, a group I always enjoy.
>

Here, complete cd, free listening : https://www.nporadio4.nl/cds/debussy-ravel-quartets

[Ricardo Jimenez]

On Sat, 2 Jun 2018 06:16:36 -0700 (PDT), Andy Evans
<performan...@gmail.com> wrote:

>I'm putting these together since they're often coupled. Basically, which quartets float your boat in these?
>
>Amongst the versions I've tried I'd pull out the Loewenguth in the Debussy
>
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_VEpioJsRg
>
>For the Ravel or both, Budapest, Tokyo, Hagen, Vlach, Pro Arte, Bartok and again the Loewenguth
>
>Probably a lot I haven't heard, though I've heard the "usual suspects", many of which to me don't quite get the particular magic of these works.

There is a very effective version of the Ravel String Quartet played
by the Orlando Wind Quintet!

[Bozo]

Peter Gutmann's survey :

http://www.classicalnotes.net/classics6/debrav.html.

[Lawrence Kart]

I have a reading of the Debussy (never commercially released) by the Los Angeles-based Judith Aller Quartet that I think is superb. Here are movements 1 &2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXd2gePqPZ4

Aller (daughter of pianist Victor Aller and niece of Eleanor Aller of the Hollywood SQ) and her partners grasp above all the Art Nouveau essence of the work's language, the way the lines twine around each other like living vegetation.

Larry Kart

[Herman]

On Sunday, July 29, 2018 at 3:40:06 PM UTC+2, Bozo wrote:
> Peter Gutmann's survey :
>
> http://www.classicalnotes.net/classics6/debrav.html.

the usual mixed bag of second-hand expertism (quoting other second-handers as if they had any expertise).

[Herman]

On Sunday, July 29, 2018 at 3:40:06 PM UTC+2, Bozo wrote:

> Peter Gutmann's survey :
>
> http://www.classicalnotes.net/classics6/debrav.html.

Gutmann writes as if the Debussy key-structure is so out there, but Debussy's Violin Sonata also starts in G-minor and concludes in G-major.

One of the beauties of the Debussy string quartet is the moonlit slow movement in D flat major, the same key as for instance Chopin's op. 27 Nocturne. It's a lousy key for string players, but it works great just the same.

I don't know where PG gets the idea that the Eroica playing on gut strings makes them blend more than other string quartets, but that doesn't make much sense. String quartets blend by their way of playing, irrespective of the kind of strings they use.

I wish people (other than recording labels) would stop lumping together the Debussy and Ravel quartet. They're apples and oranges.

[pe...@classicalnotes.net]

Thanks, Herman, for a reminder of why I rarely bother with this group, other than to occasionally respond to the more egregious invective. Rather than posting snide comments, how about writing an article yourself so as to share your superior taste, brilliant intellect, superlative wit and phenomenal knowledge with an eagerly-waiting world? Or would it pose too much of a challenge to be constructive?

[boombox]

You mean like in his subsequent, well-reasoned post? For that matter, his previous comment applies well to too much music journalism–just a rehash of previous opinions without actually having an opinion.

[Bob Harper]

Herman would rather encourage his dyspepsia than take an antacid :).

Bob Harper

[gggg...@gmail.com]

On Sunday, July 29, 2018 at 5:04:43 AM UTC-10, Herman wrote:
> On Sunday, July 29, 2018 at 3:40:06 PM UTC+2, Bozo wrote:
> > Peter Gutmann's survey :
> >
> > http://www.classicalnotes.net/classics6/debrav.html.
>
> Gutmann writes as if the Debussy key-structure is so out there, but Debussy's Violin Sonata also starts in G-minor and concludes in G-major.
>
> One of the beauties of the Debussy string quartet is the moonlit slow movement in D flat major, the same key as for instance Chopin's op. 27 Nocturne. It's a lousy key for string players, but it works great just the same.
>

> I don't know where PG gets the idea that the Eroica playing on gut strings makes them blend more than other string quartets, but that doesn't make much sense...

Could it be that gut strings sound less bright and treble-ly than modern strings?

[Herman]

a lot of today's violin strings are a mix of gut and silver or aluminium.

but even if all four members of the quartet played on steel strings, in that case they would blend, too, because they were using the same kind of material.

[Oscar]

On Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 10:22:33 AM, herman wrote:
>
> There's a Wgimore Hall (live) cd by the Quatuor Ysaye, performing the Debussy, Stravinsky and the uniquely
> beautiful Faure quartet.

Have you heard the new harmonia mundi recording of these by the Jerusalems? hm issued it a few months ago as part of its Debussy centenaire series.

https://www.allmusic.com/album/debussy-quatuor-op-10-ravel-quatuor-mw0003148207

[Frank Berger]

How come 2 movements only? Also only the 2 on her web site.

[John Hood]

On 29/07/2018 9:40 PM, Bozo wrote:
> Peter Gutmann's survey :
>
> http://www.classicalnotes.net/classics6/debrav.html.
>

As Amazon UK has approaching 800 pairings of these two quartets - what's
not to like?

JH :)

[Lawrence Kart]

Don't know why only two movements on YouTube and her site; unless I'm mis-remembering, I have a CD dub (from Aller) of the whole quartet. Perhaps only two movements on You Tube and the site to preserve the possibility of future commercial release of the entire performance? You might try to contact her through her site for further information. She's a remarkable musician and and a remarkable person too.

[Herman]

It's an interesting reading, Aller's, although one can hear that this is a quartet with a primarius who is primarily a soloist. What the Germans call a Stehgeiger: the stand and deliver type. It may be an artifact of microphone placement, but in the second theme of the opening movement (first stated by the 1st violin, then by the cello) the cello stays in the background.

Also, the way Aller plays the constantly recurring triplet figure in the first theme is quite original. However Debussy's autograph is online and there are no staccato dots anywhere near those triplets and I can't think of a reason to play that figure that way, other than that it's 'different'. I don't think there's any tradition for it.

[Herman]

On Monday, July 30, 2018 at 9:21:39 AM UTC+2, Herman wrote:

>
> Also, the way Aller plays the constantly recurring triplet figure in the first theme is quite original. However Debussy's autograph is online and there are no staccato dots anywhere near those triplets and I can't think of a reason to play that figure that way, other than that it's 'different'. I don't think there's any tradition for it.

on the contrary, the triplet is consistently marked legato

[Lawrence Kart]

Yes, Aller is primarily a soloist -- a Heifetz pupil in her teens -- but her musical instincts across the board are exceptional In my experience, and I'm sure she had a good pondered reason for playing that triplet figure the way she did. She also did a lot of conducting when she lived in Finland. As for her ability/willingness to function in an ensemble, she deeply admired her father's music-making, and we know from his recordings with the Hollywood String Quartet what a fine ensemble player Victor Aller was.

[Lawrence Kart]

I think of Aller's Debussy Quartet as the sonic first-cousin of Hector Guimard's architectural designs:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Castel_B%C3%A9ranger

[gggg...@gmail.com]

According to this, gut strings were used as recently as 100 years ago:

- Goodman here replicates an “original instrument” version of the Planets, played on wooden flutes, small-bore brass, gut-stringed violins and other genuine century-old instruments of the types actually heard in British orchestras of Holst’s time (and the sound of which he inevitably had in mind when writing The Planets).

http://www.classicalnotes.net/classics6/planets.html

[gggg gggg]

On Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 6:16:39 AM UTC-7, Andy Evans wrote:
> I'm putting these together since they're often coupled. Basically, which quartets float your boat in these?
>
> Amongst the versions I've tried I'd pull out the Loewenguth in the Debussy
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_VEpioJsRg
>
> For the Ravel or both, Budapest, Tokyo, Hagen, Vlach, Pro Arte, Bartok and again the Loewenguth
>
> Probably a lot I haven't heard, though I've heard the "usual suspects", many of which to me don't quite get the particular magic of these works.

(Recent Y. upload):

Repertoire: The BEST Debussy and Ravel String Quartets

[Lawrence Kart]

For the Debussy, the Judith Aller String Quartet on You Tube. Aller is the daughter of the late pianist Victor Aller and the niece of cellist Eleanor Aller, wife of Felix Slatkin, leader of the Hollywood String Quartet, with whom Judith's father made some notable recordings.

[gggg gggg]

On Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 6:16:39 AM UTC-7, Andy Evans wrote:
> I'm putting these together since they're often coupled. Basically, which quartets float your boat in these?
>
> Amongst the versions I've tried I'd pull out the Loewenguth in the Debussy
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_VEpioJsRg
>
> For the Ravel or both, Budapest, Tokyo, Hagen, Vlach, Pro Arte, Bartok and again the Loewenguth
>
> Probably a lot I haven't heard, though I've heard the "usual suspects", many of which to me don't quite get the particular magic of these works.

(Recent Y. upload):

Dave's Faves No. 103 (Debussy/Ravel)