I am coming into this thread perhaps a little late, but I can't resist a
response. Beethoven's quartets have really grown on me over the past couple
years. I don't view them as some supernatural event beyond any rational
argument -- some of the overblown rhetoric about these pieces would say
otherwise -- nonetheless, these quartets bring a great deal of listening
enjoyment.
Not seeing all the past posts since I was off mail for a couple weeks
or more, I must put my two cents in for the Cleveland Quartet cycle. The
performances are extremely well played, and well recorded. They stress the
reflective element without slighting any of the propulsion and energy of
Beethoven's music. Their concentration produces absorbing performances.
Most of Beethoven s emotional states are powerfully communicated with a
wonderful range of sonorities that are rich and forceful.
Mark