BEETHOVEN: STRING QUARTETS OP

Intelligent performances from one of the most celebrated and long-lived of all string quartets. Some things work more successfully than others, and fast movements generally fare better than slow ones (the dashing finale of No. 5 is especially well done). It’s a shame that a few more repeats aren’t observed, but the playing is so well-blended and civilised that I’ll forgive them. The 1951/52 sound is clean rather than especially vivid.

-- Stephen Maddock, BBC Music Magazine