Virginia Knight asked for recorded recommendations of Ravel's String
Quartet. The Alban Berg and Emerson Quartets are common suggestions,
and both are coupled with the Debussy String Quartet. Not as well-known,
I also go for the Ravel from the Ad Libitum Quartet on Naxos and the
Rosamonde on Pierre Verany. Both have the Faure String Quartet for a
coupling, and those performances are also excellent. For my money, the
Ad Libitum takes the prize.
Don Satz