BARTOK. COMPLETE STRING QUARTETS. Vegh * Quartet (Sandor Vegh, Sandor Zeldy, vns; Georges Janzer, va; Paul Szabo, vc). Astree Auvidis/Pinnacle (D E7717/19 (three discs, oas: 57, 38 and 60 minutes) From Telefunken SKH25083-T/1 -3 (11/73).

E7777—No. 1 in A minor; No. 2 in A minor. E7718—No. 3 in C sharp minor; No. 4 in C major. E7719—No. 5 in B flat major; No. 6 in D major. Comparative CD version:

Takacs Qt (3/85) HCD12502/04-2

One of the last recordings by one of the great Hungarian string quartets and one of the first by compatriots two generations younger—a fascinating comparison. There are differences of approach, but these reflect certain technical preferences (and limitations) rather than any generation gap; and the shared tradition, with the sense of expressive authenticity it brings, is in turn more obvious than any of these differences (it is even more powerfully expressed in the great Hungarian Quartet LP recordings on DG).

The romantic lyricism of the first two quartets shows that the Veghs favour a rather narrow vibrato. This is fine in principle and often most effective, but in practice it also tends to show up flaws in intonation and to give climaxes a slightly constricted feel. Their articulation is also choppier here—the smoother Takacs approach on Hungaroton preserves a more effective contrast with BartOk's driving, barbaric allegros.

In Quartet No. 3 the Veghs are, surprisingly, rather cautious with sul ponticello passages, and both ensembles are out of tune at the final cadence. Generally, however, both are in their element in the propulsive fast movements of the middle quartets, and there are special insights from the Takacs in the slow movement of No. 4 (a real difference, for once, between vibrato and nonvibrato) and from the Veghs in the Adagio molto of No. 5 (the Takacs's second violin miscounts in this movement and misreads an important accidental in the fugue subject of the finale). The Telefunken/Astree recording is clear but relatively dry, with an occasional peculiar buzz in the middle register. The Hungaroton acoustic is more resonant but there is a touch of exaggerated stringiness which I do not recall from hearing the Quartet live.

To summarize, I would prefer the Takacs Quartet in Quartets Nos. 1 and 2 and the Veghs in Nos. 4 and 5. There is the slight suspicion that the Takacs have been recorded a little before their prime and the Veghs a little after it. Neither performance of No. 6, to my mind, captures its profound sadness quite so movingly as the Hungarian Quartet, who are also above the kind of minor shortcomings I have noted. If it seems that I have gone on a bit about these, this is partly in the hope that DG will return the Hungarians to the catalogue—on CD, at least, they would be without peer. D.J . F.