Beethoven

String Quartets - Nos 7-9, 'Rasurnovsky',

Op 59 Nos 1-3; No 10, 'Harp', Op 74;

No 11, 'Serioso', Op 95 Sine Nomine Quartet (Patrick Genet, François Gottraux vns

Hans Egidi vii MarcJaermann vc) Claves ® © 50-2509/10(153' • DDD)

Coupled as above - selected comparison: Takics Qt (7102, 5105) (DECC) 470 847-2DH2, 470 849-2DH3 Quartet No 7 selected comparison: Borodin Qt (3104) (CUAN) CH4NI 0178 Quartets Nos 7-9 - selected comparisons:

Tokyo Qt (2106) (HARM) HMU80742314 Energy and elegance aplenty but this Swiss group face tough opponents

The Lausanne-based Sine Nomine Quartet bring to these performances a splendid combination of energy, commitment and elegance. It's very satisfying to hear the middle-period Beethoven quartets done with such expertise and spirit. Only once, in the Minuet of No 9, is there a serious miscalculation: in their desire to keep the music flowing, the players adopt a tempo some way beyond the composer's metronome mark, and lose the sense of warmth and suavity as the smooth melodic lines unfold. Apart from this, the Sine Nomine view of the music is entirely persuasive.

But the list of fine recordings of these works is very crowded. Does the Sine Nomine measure up to the best of the competition? The fine account of Op 95 compares well with the Takács Quartet (at least until the slightly shallow interpretation of the finale) and I prefer the Sine Nomine to the Takács in Op 74's final variations, on account of the compelling sense of progression towards the coda.

But elsewhere one is aware that others have found greater depth and variety. The Borodin Quartet, for instance, adopt a similar flowing tempo for No 7's Adagio, but its richer tonal palette gives the movement a much wider expressive range. Next to the irresistible impetus of the Tokyo Quartet's performance of No 9's finale, the Sine Nomine sound slightly tame. And this account of No 8's Scherzo, airy and full of life though it is, lacks the Takács's imaginative phrasing and the whirling momentum given to the Russian theme. Admirable performances, then, but not quite at the top of the list. Duncan Druce