after trying out a few ensembles, i settled for the complete beethoven quartets by the new budapest quartet on the hyperion label.

I've been listening to a lot of the Emerson Quartet recordings and wanted to ask if there was an energetic and lively performance without the intonation problems. These recordings sound absolutely fantastic, but the violins do get a bit carried away and start playing out of tune.

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I don't know how you think the violins are "out of tune," but for lively Beethoven string quartets try either the Auryn Quartett (if you can find it) or Takasc Quartet (at Amazon).

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Must be my ears It's not bad, but they are out of tune when they get excited. Was listening more last night and the second violin was very flat indeed. I can take note of the movements next time I listen, if you want Thanks for the recommendation.

I'll have to listen more closely, but no one else amidst all of the reviews has remarked on this, and having the second violin flat would really draw attention.

Btw, the Takasc Beethoven quartets is also at yourmusic.com. I looked it up and found all three volumes there as well and at much lower price.

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I have this set. Fantastic interpretation, with a very raw, earthy sound. I wouldn't say they blow the competition out of the water, but are tied with Pires/Dumay for first, and slightly ahead of Perlman/Ashkenazy. Great stuff, and very reasonably priced on Amazon (I think $22 for used).

Well, I just picked a random piece, op. 135 first movement - if I wanted to be picky, I'd say that the entire ensemble is out of tune. They're all playing a bit sharp compared to their open strings. Not sure why, it's a problem I sometimes get when I play, myself. I think it's because I'm really trying to lead to the next note when playing scalar motion and one thing leads to another, but who knows? I'm really nitpicking though.

Another example, starting halfway through 1:34 in the final movement of op.135, the cello solo is out of tune, and on top of that, the violin solo following is so flat compared to the cello it's almost funny, and in those moments, the tuning of the quartet about falls apart.

There are other spots, but they're minor, really, but annoying to me if I think about it. Still, they make great music, which is what counts, in my book. I may just be nitpicking and being unreasonable. The energy of the Emerson Quartet is invigorating - the first time I've enjoyed listening to a quartet recording in a long time. It's unbridled. I'll have to try the Takacs sometime. Thanks again for the recommendation.

Edit: I lied about picking op.135 randomly But it's not because it's the worst, just the one I am currently most familiar with.

I am surprised that no-one here mentioned the Supraphon/
Denon recordings by Smetana Quartet. Especially the late
quartets are amazing for an interpretation in the central
European style, with good, analogue-like digital sound to
boot.

Talking about "out-of-tune" fiddles (to uninitiated ears),
I have two Beethoven quartet recordings on period instruments,
both commendable in my view: Op. 18 by Quatuor Turner
(Harmonia Mundi HMN 911540/41, couldn't find a cover image)
and Opp. 74, 95, 135 by Eroica Quartet (Harmonia Mundi HM907254)



Both are invigorating, pretty cool readings with a strikingly
refreshing sound signature. Quatuor Turner has a very recent
recording devoted to Opp. 59.3 and 74, which I haven't heard.
In more ore less the same vein but on modern instruments
are the seveal albums by Hagen Quartet (DG). It looks like
they are only an album or two away from a complete set.

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Yes, I love them. I also enjoy the Kempff/Menuhin set on DGG very much.

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A similar revelation happened to me when I found this fortepiano
recording of Opp. 109, 110, 111 by Peter Serkin in a used CD shop:



The 1987 recording is on the now defunct Pro Arte label, with Serkin
playing on an unsigned Viennese instrument ("Conrad Graf") still holds
my attention today whenever I play it. Not even the "bathtub" acoustics
in which it was recorded ruins anything, such is the level of his
interpretation. Too bad I never find his matching "Hammerklavier"
recording on the same label (LP only), and there doesn't seem to be
any chance for these to be on CD again. My other first Beethoven
on fortepiano included some albums by Paul Badura-Skoda which I
have long sold.

The other last sonatas recording I have on a Graf is by Paul Komen
on the Globe label, which is also very good but for some reasons
gets less listen from me.

That looks like a really interesting album. I have one of his Goldbergs (modern piano), and am familiar with his recording of Beethoven Sonatas (modern piano), but Serkin is more interested in contemporary music. With Rudoph Serkin for father and Adolphe Busch for grandfather it must get hard to say something new with the classical music repetoire.

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That could be true, but to my ears Peter Serkin did say something new in his recordings
of the classical repertoire. Like Robert Levin, he may just not want his talent to be limited
to recreating something familiar. On the other hand, I recently got a recording of Schumann
piano quintet with Paul Gulda and Hagen Quartet, and it was my first encounter with the art
of that pianist. So far it looks like the son's interests will be narrower ranging than his father's
(Friedrich Gulda).

Well there is no doubt that it is doubly hard for the child of an icon to find a way to distinguish himself independant of his father. I don't doubt that if young Serkin and young Levin were putting out cd after cd of the warhorses each effort would be compared to the father's works, and they would always be described as following in the "great tradition" started by the parent. That's quite a deterrent for youngsters who want to be appreciated apart from their families, regardless of career.