Stewart Fabb ([log in to unmask]) wrote:

>...  I appreciate that no one set can do complete justice to these works
>so what I am basically looking for is a performance that will give me a
>good overall understanding of these quartets.
>
>I am thinking of either the Quartetto Italiano, Alan Berg Quartet or Vegh
>quartet sets since they all receive very favourable reviews.  ...

You probably woulnd't go wrong with any of those, although I don't own any
of them myself (yet).  I do know something about how they play though.  The
samples of the Vegh I've heard are great!  They really get into the spirit
of the music.  That is the next set I will probably get.  IMO the Emerson
set (which I own) is not so good.  The tempi are often quite fast, almost
rushed sounding.  And the virtuosity, while always very much in evidence,
appears forced and at the expense of lyricism and depth.  The overall
result is rather sterile, again IMO.  I would rank your 3 choices Vegh,
Italiano and Berg in that order, but any would be an excellent choice.

Chris Bonds