Alan B wrote:For me it is the Late Quartets by Beethoven played by the Amadeus Quartet, particularly opus 135.


I felt a loss when Peter Schidlof died - The Amadeus was no more.

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These quartets went far beyond the comprehension of musicians and audiences of the time. One musician commented that "we know there is something there, but we do not know what it is." Composer Louis Spohr called them "indecipherable, uncorrected horrors."

Opinion has changed considerably from the time of their first bewildered reception: these six quartets (counting the Große Fuge) comprise Beethoven's last major, completed compositions and are widely considered to be among the greatest musical compositions of all time.[8] The musicologist Theodor Adorno, in particular, thought highly of them,[9] and Igor Stravinsky described the Große Fuge as "an absolutely contemporary piece of music that will be contemporary forever".[10] Their forms and ideas inspired and continue to inspire musicians and composers, such as Richard Wagner and Béla Bartók. Wagner, when reflecting on Op. 131's first movement, said that it "reveals the most melancholy sentiment expressed in music".[11] The last musical wish of Schubert was to hear the Op. 131 quartet, which he did on 14 November 1828, five days before his death.[12] Upon listening to a performance of the Op. 131 quartet, Schubert remarked, "After this, what is left for us to write?"[13] Of the late quartets, Beethoven's favorite was the Fourteenth Quartet, op. 131 in C♯ minor, which he rated as his most perfect single work.[14]

Alan B wrote:The late Quartets - Wiki

These quartets went far beyond the comprehension of musicians and audiences of the time. One musician commented that "we know there is something there, but we do not know what it is." Composer Louis Spohr called them "indecipherable, uncorrected horrors."

Opinion has changed considerably from the time of their first bewildered reception: these six quartets (counting the Große Fuge) comprise Beethoven's last major, completed compositions and are widely considered to be among the greatest musical compositions of all time.[8] The musicologist Theodor Adorno, in particular, thought highly of them,[9] and Igor Stravinsky described the Große Fuge as "an absolutely contemporary piece of music that will be contemporary forever".[10] Their forms and ideas inspired and continue to inspire musicians and composers, such as Richard Wagner and Béla Bartók. Wagner, when reflecting on Op. 131's first movement, said that it "reveals the most melancholy sentiment expressed in music".[11] The last musical wish of Schubert was to hear the Op. 131 quartet, which he did on 14 November 1828, five days before his death.[12] Upon listening to a performance of the Op. 131 quartet, Schubert remarked, "After this, what is left for us to write?"[13] Of the late quartets, Beethoven's favorite was the Fourteenth Quartet, op. 131 in C♯ minor, which he rated as his most perfect single work.[14]

My italics.

Keep It Real wrote:

The_Metatron wrote:Having a listen to an album I just downloaded a couple days ago:

Wagner: Orchestral Music from The Ring of the Nibelung, played by the Cleveland Orchestra under the direction of George Szell:

Wagner.jpg

I used to own this same recording, but on LP format under the Great Performances label, which I couldn't find.

Good stuff. But, I think not many people know much of it because it comes from works that are so goddamned long, few people have sat through them from beginning to end. I haven't.