Vigorous and expressive but not especially sentimental and clearly in favor of direct rather than sober reflection, the
Takács Quartet's 2003 recording of
Beethoven's String Quartets, Op. 18, is a fine addition to the catalog. The
Takács plays with accuracy, strength, and enthusiasm, if not much subtlety, nuance, or lyricism. Its tone is not so much beautiful as muscular. Its rhythm is not so much graceful as driven. Its interpretations are not so much thoughtful but impetuous. For the
Takács Quartet,
Beethoven's first set of string quartets from 1799 -- 1800 is grand, dramatic, and almost heroic. For more profoundly beautiful performances, try the
Quartetto Italiano. For more deeply introspective interpretations, try the
Alban Berg Quartet. For more individualistic but nevertheless completely compelling interpretations, try the
Vegh Quartet. But for another set of the Op. 18, if you have already heard all these, try the
Takács Quartet. Decca's sound is huge, which may not be the best thing for a chamber music recording.