Beethoven - String quartets Vol. 1: Endellion Quartet

The Endellion Quartet give these classic Beethoven string quartets a thorough and revealing reading.

Composer: Beethoven
Repertoire: String Quartets Op. 18/2; 95, 'Serioso' & 135
Artists: Endellion Quartet
Rating: 4/5
Genre: Instrumental
Label: Warner 2564 62161-2

In the Op.18/2 Quartet one can still sense Haydn and Mozart coursing through Beethoven’s veins, but just 10 years later Op.95’s no-compromise, firebrand originality fearlessly throws off the shackles of convention. Op.135 brings the wheel full circle, revisiting Haydn’s influence with a semantic twist at nearly every turn. One could hardly wish for a more enlightening guide on this startling emotional journey than the Endellion Quartet. These are supremely natural yet penetrating accounts, superbly recorded.