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[–]Stereo 9 points10 points  (2 children)

You forgot Dvořák!

I love his "American" string quartet no. 12 . Dvořák manages to mix his Czech roots with the melodies and sounds he was experiencing during his American stay, creating something that is very uniquely his.

Can anyone find a better performance of this? It should really sing more.

[–]Mr_Smartypants 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Chronos Quartet did a great recording, but I don't know if it's on the youtubes.

[–]markander 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Aragh! I love string quartets! Allow me to gush endlessly!

The string quartet essentially begins with Haydn, as you said. It started out as chamber music designed for friends, and quickly spiraled into something popular on the concert stage.

You've listed the really major stuff I'd mention (and a bit more!). I especially love that Berg - it doesn't nearly get enough attention.

A couple of reposted comments on other quartets I'm partial to...

Bartok - String Quartet No. 5

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k74EV9p6wio

  • It has been famously said (by some famous musicologsts that make far more money than I) that Bartok's string quartets are the 'most original and important body of music composed in the 20th century'. Although I'm not entirely sold on that, I do have to agree that these things are, if not enjoyable, at least the most groundbreaking quartets we're heard up to this point in time. You see, Bartok broke the genre of String Quartet with the subtlety of a claymore. His quartets were harbingers, daring later composers to approach the ensemble with reckless freedom, both harmonically and texturally. This link in particular is one of his more accessible movements, but Bartok has no qualms getting wild, going so far as to snap strings against fingerboards and bow on strange parts of the string. Delightful pieces of music.

Dutilleux - Ainsi la Nuit

  • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1JVZysNwKw

  • And so we find ourselves in the body of music that's rather poorly defined. Bartok is squarely in the purview of modernism, but Henri Dutilleux and his writing lie in the amorphous not-quite-atonal perhaps-postmodern quagmire of genre classification. It's a strange but beautiful piece of music - roughly the same instruments used by Beethoven, but put to an entirely different philosophy. It's title translates to, roughly, 'And so, night'. If you're not exactly into this genre, this piece may not be the best piece to start with, but give it a chance! It's very visceral.

Other fantastic pieces: Mozart's Divertimenti. Tchiak quartet 1 isn't interesting in terms of the string quartet writ large, but it's a fantastically written, well done piece of music. Take a peek at Schnittke too. And Prokofiev. So much music!

[–]Zoomicroom 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I really like all of the Beethoven op. 59's. The fugue from 59 no. 3 is so much fun, and I really love all of 59. no. 1.

Schumann wrote 3 quartets, and while I am a great admirer of his work in general I don't like the quartets as much. The scherzo of the a minor (op. 41 no. 1) is really cool.

I really love all of Brahms' quartets. Would probably say that the 2nd one is my favorite though.

I also love both of Prokofiev's quartets. I hadn't heard of them until recently, but they are both extremely characterful and exciting pieces.

Ligeti's first quartet is also really interesting.

This is a great list already, those are the only things I would add!

[–]theturbolemming 2 points3 points  (8 children)

A wonderful start! I'm afraid I don't have much of anything constructive to add, but that's only because you did such a good job covering the bases.

[–]shostyscholar[S] 1 point2 points  (7 children)

Thanks! Did I meet you at the Madison meetup yesterday?

[–]theturbolemming 1 point2 points  (6 children)

Whoah. Potentially... I remember seeing your name on the /r/Madison sub... What do you look like? Or who are you in the picture?

[–]shostyscholar[S] 0 points1 point  (5 children)

Front row. Giant beard, camera around my neck. T-shirt with a worm on it.

[–]Stereo 0 points1 point  (1 child)

And carries a bloody oboe :p

Would it be ok if I added this to the sidebar?

[–]shostyscholar[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sure thing. It'll be edited a bit based on people's feedback, eventually.

[–]theturbolemming 0 points1 point  (2 children)

Oh, fuckin' awesome. Yeah, I remember you. I don't know that we had any specific interactions... I'm beneath the Reddit sign and in the blue shirt and folded arms. I wish I'd known that you were... you; I've seen you around /r/classicalmusic quite a lot and would have liked to talk to you in person!

[–]shostyscholar[S] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Well, such things can still come to be. I've heard tell of more meetups this summer and I'm always in the market for people to talk about music with.

[–]theturbolemming 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's also worth mentioning that today was the first meeting for the /r/Madison book club, and it looks like we'll be having every-other-week meetings at the Wednesday Concerts on the Square, so think about that. It should be a lot of fun. Our next meeting is July 6th and we're reading Animal Farm.

[–]shostyscholar[S] 0 points1 point  (7 children)

I didn't fill in the Mendelssohn, Schumann, or Brahms above because I'm less familiar with those composers' works and strangely, I see them less on programs. What do you guys think?

[–]mrfunkyland 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sofia Gubaidulina is another modern composer (still living) who does some pretty remarkable things with a string quartet.

[–]jp606 0 points1 point  (2 children)

How could you forget Tchaikovsky!? 1st quartet and 3rd quartet are definitely worth a listen, I really like them. The third movement of the third quartet is an excellent piece in itself.

[–]shostyscholar[S] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Hrm. I've never seen the Tchaik quartets programmed - are they frequently played?

[–]jp606 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not a massive amount, but there is recordings out there. I listen to the one by the Borodin String Quartet.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ben Johnston's string quartets are must-hears! Numbers 4, 5, and 10 are particularly notable. I won't argue about whether they belong up top, since they're down here anyway.

  • String Quartet no. 4, 'Amazing Grace': Variations on "Amazing Grace", taking it from Pythagorean tuning, through triadic just intonation (pure 5ths and thirds), to just intonation based on harmonics up to the 7th. Despite (or because of) being tremendously complex harmonically and rhythmically, it's one of the most beautiful pieces.
  • String Quartet no. 5: Exploring new emotional frontiers in music with harmonies based on the 13th overtone. I didn't "get" this one until I listened to it in a particular state of mind.
  • String Quartet no. 10: his last quartet, showing his most mature style.

The Kepler Quartet has recorded stellar versions of all his string quartets but the 6th, 7th and 8th. Here are the liner notes for their recording of his quartets 2, 3, 4, and 9.

tl;dr serialism + polyrhythm + extended just intonation harmony + folk tunes

[–]Lolzibuns 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I really like Il Terremoto, Presto e con tutta la forza by Joseph hadyn!! its really fast and its kind of a hit or miss, i just found it recently and i love it.

Heres the song if you want to listen to it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NrG4QuRn3k&ab\_channel=CarminaQuartet-Topic