Sämtliche Streichquartette = Complete String Quartets = Intégrales Des Quatuors A Cordes

Released in 1981 by Telefunken, this boxed set collects the three string quartets of Johannes Brahms as performed by the Alban Berg Quartett. The recordings were captured during a period when the ensemble, formed in Vienna in 1971, was establishing its international reputation for technical precision and a refined, intellectual approach to the Austro-German repertoire. By the early 1980s, the quartet was highly regarded for its rigorous adherence to the score, a hallmark that solidified their status as premier interpreters of the Second Viennese School and their Romantic predecessors.

The production reflects the high fidelity standards of the Telefunken label during the transition into the early digital era. The design choices prioritize clarity and classical austerity, positioning the set as a definitive reference for chamber music enthusiasts. Upon its release, the performance was praised by music critics for balancing Brahms's dense, motivic textures with the ensemble's characteristic transparency and ensemble balance. It remains a notable entry in the catalog, representing a bridge between the tradition of mid-century European chamber music performance and the precise, analytical style that gained dominance in the following decades.