BEETHOVEN'S LATE STRING QUARTETS

I agree with Rushton, the Vegh Quartet is superb. But then the Alban Berg Quartet on EMI is in a class of its own. They are absolute masters of ensemble playing and give especially 15 and 16 an intensity and passion, which is truly out of this world!

As the above recommendations

My Favorite: ABQ
My Wife's favorite: QI

Our Alternative choices: Tokyo and Vegh

Historical: Budapest

I agree, as I usually do, with Detlof. I have the Alban Berg live and studio versions of the quartets, plus parts of almost all the other quartets listed. The Alban Berg has long been one of my favorite groups for their extraordinary ensemble, and I always seem to resort to their Beethoven after listening to any of the others. I don't particularly care for the Emerson versions. The Tokyo give their best interpretations in the early Beethoven quartets, as opposed to the late ones.

I am surprised nobody mentioned Talich Quartet version? Performance and sound are exceptional

Data, Greg did mention the Talich, which indeed give a beautiful rendering. Does anybody, besides Plsl remember the Budapest Quartet? The old one, that is and the Borodin Quartet? They are high on my list as well, but like Flex, I also generally return to the ABQ, after listening to ANY other Beethoven interpretation, be it the early or late quartets.