Alban Berg Quartett

The Complete Recordings Alban Berg Quartett

2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the Alban Berg Quartett. This 70-disc set ( 62 CDs + 8 DVDs ) is the most ambitious and comprehensive ever to be dedicated to a string quartet. Spanning repertoire from the Classical to the contemporary, these recordings evince the achievement of an ensemble whose very name honours both the tradition and innovative musical spirit of its home city, Vienna. Founded in 1970, it soon became recognised as one of the defining quartets of the 20th century and went on to make two landmark recordings of the complete Beethoven cycle, the first in the studio, the second live at Vienna's Konzerthaus (presented here in both CD and DVD versions).

Content:

62 CD Repertoire offers more than 100 works by 28 composers, and ranges from the Classical period to the late 20th century. While there is a particular emphasis on the Austro-German masters (Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven Schubert, Mendelssohn, Brahms), it includes music by major Czech, Hungarian, Russian and French composers, a number of works by composers contemporary with the Alban Berg Quartett, and even a disc of tango. Beyond the quartet repertoire the set offers quintets and sextets, for which the Alban Berg Quartett is joined by celebrated collaborators. The centrepieces of the collection are two versions of the complete Beethoven quartets; the first was recorded in the studio between 1978 and 1983 and the second was recorded in 1989 at concerts in Vienna. Also present in two different versions are Mozart's

quartets 14-23, recorded both for Teldec (1975-78) and for EMI (1986-90). The set includes a first release on CD: the String Quartet No 1 'Mobile' by the Polish-born

composer Roman Haubenstock-Ramati (1919-1994).

8 DVDs - The Complete Beethoven Quartets, recorded live at Vienna Konzerthaus in 1989

- Schubert's 'Death and the Maiden' Quartet, filmed by Bruno Monsaingeon in 1996

- (As a bonus DVD) A concert filmed in St Petersburg (Mozart, Berg, Brahms) by Unitel in 1991.