Paulo Braga wrote:

>I'm yet to know Busch Quartet recordings of Beethoven quartets.
>
>Two collections of their work are those on EMI 65308 (op. 18:1, 59:3,
>95, 127, 131, 132, 135) and on Pearl 53 (op. 95 to 131) besides Sony
>47687 (op. 59:1, 130).
>
>Both from the performance and sonic points of view, how do those
>releases compare?

I think the Busch quartet's Beethoven are magnificent; Opp 131 and 132
are among the greatest recordings ever of these masterpieces.

Sound is pretty good for its time (mid 30s - I don't know the Sony
recording, which was made after they'd decamped to the US).  I have the
EMI on LP and may have the Pearl - I moved house a week ago today and
currently all my LPs and CDs are sitting in cardboard boxes...

I do, however, certainly have both the EMI and Pearl reissues of their
Schubert and, in general, prefer Pearl's sound, which may be a little
noisier but is less processed than the EMI.  (The same comments apply
to the EMI and Pearl issues of the Casals Bach cello suites)

YMMV of course.

Deryk Barker
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