Originally released in the late '60s and early '70s, the Yale String Quartet's recordings of Beethoven's late quartets were the special favorites of the cerebral set. Renown for their acuity, austerity, and asceticism, the Yale's recordings were equally praised for their warmth, wit, and humanity. In their time, the Yale's performances were said to be on the same level as the Amadeus Quartet's sweetly lucid performances, the Quartetto Italiano's tonally beautiful performances, and even the Quatour Végh's sublimely spiritual ...
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Originally released in the late '60s and early '70s, the Yale String Quartet's recordings of Beethoven's late quartets were the special favorites of the cerebral set. Renown for their acuity, austerity, and asceticism, the Yale's recordings were equally praised for their warmth, wit, and humanity. In their time, the Yale's performances were said to be on the same level as the Amadeus Quartet's sweetly lucid performances, the Quartetto Italiano's tonally beautiful performances, and even the Quatour Végh's sublimely spiritual performances. But while those groups' recordings have remained in print more or less continuously down through the digital era, the Yale Quartet's recordings returned again only briefly on CD, then departed almost as quickly. In this superb 2006 reissue, the Yale Quartet's late quartets have once more come back into print -- and they sound every bit as good as their reputation. From the simple serenity of the Cavatina to the intellectual vigor of the Grosse Fuge or the ecstatic...
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