Stewart Fabb wrote:

>I am thinking of either the Quartetto Italiano, Alan Berg Quartet or Vegh
>quartet sets since they all receive very favourable reviews.  If any list
>members have comments on these collections (or any others for that matter)
>I would greatly appreciate your views.  Thanks in advance.

All three are worth having but IMO there are a few vintage recordings which
transcend these.  For the Busch & Budapest Qt's (version of the thirties),
probably *the* best interpretations ever recorded, you need to put up with
*historical sound*.  The third one is the Guarneri traversal (1967, they
tried again in the eighties but failed).  Then there are a lot of great
performances like those of the Amadeus, Juilliard, Hungarian and other
quartets which should be in the collection of every true Beethiven quartets
lover.  A recent effort much praised by many is that of the Emerson quartet
which IMO (but I'm representing a minority here) is virtuoso and energetic
but superficial.  You will get many recommendations of those.

Philip