A concert of all six of Beethoven's Op. 18 quartets

[srappoport]

It was played on Sunday by the Miro Quartet in Philadelphia. Before the intermission, it played the first three in the sequence of 3,2, and 1. After the intermission (which was long enough to allow the audience to eat from buffet tables), the group played the last three in the sequence of 5,4, and 6. This was the sequence in which they were written (although I believe that I and 2 were written at the same time).

It was fascinating, even for a non-specialist non-musician, to hear Beethoven come of musical age in these quartets. In one quartet, you could hear something new and something being explored and marvel at what he was doing. But then you would hear the next quartet, which would go even further. He was trying out different styles and working his way through Mozart and Haydn. By the end, you get the sense that he was ready to graduate to Middle Beethoven (although that would not come officially for some years).

I had heard the quartets before, but always on a stand-alone basis. Having gone through this experience, I want to do it again (and so I bought the Miro's CD containing all six).

Have any of you ever had the pleasure of hearing all of these quartets in a single occasion?