Over the years, various composers and conductors have taken selected chamber works of other composers and transcribed them for larger ensembles (string, chamber, even full-sized orchestra). The Barshai transcriptions of Shostakovich"s 8th and 10th string quartets into two very famous chamber symphonies are perhaps the best (they also had the composer"s blessing). Here, we have a Beethoven string quartet translated by Dimitri Mitropoulos and a Verdi string quartet translated by Arturo Toscanini into bright and energetic performances. Andre Previn"s handling of the Beethoven is particularly illuminating. You can hear Wagner and Strauss to come, even though they are 75 years away. Toscanini"s sculpting of the Verdi String Quartet in E minor reflects the great conductor"s devotion to the full range of the strings. It hardly betrays its original, and much limited, framework. Very highly recommended. --Paul Cook