Tokyo Quartet

Tokyo Quartet
Beethoven, String Quartets, Op. 18
(Harmonia Mundi)


3 Stars

The Tokyo String Quartet stands above its contemporaries as a truly "great chamber ensemble," said Jeff Simon in The Buffalo News. Moreover, unlike many classical acts, it still sells albums and draws avid audiences. Practically from the moment this quartet initially formed, at the Juilliard School in 1969, it was considered "one of the most pristine, tightly woven string quartets of all time," said Anna Reguero in the Rochester, N.Y., Democrat & Chronicle. The musicians have always played as one, "placing more value on togetherness than individual skill." On this recording the Tokyo Quartet blends urbane sophistication and effortless cooperation with an "appreciation of Beethoven's startling originality," said Rob Cowan in Gramophone. Not only does the quartet demonstrate unity as a group but also "in terms of overall musical judgment--whether relating to tempo, dynamics, or emphases." Op. 18, No. 2 sounds as if it's played by one person. No. 1 bursts with color and inflection, but pauses are methodically gauged to evince the drama of the composer's work. Throughout, the Tokyo players are not only in sync with one another but "fully in tune with Beethoven's genius."