Chamber Music - your best pick.


Be it the solo, duets, trios, quartets or quintets.
What is/are your favorite(s) in this gener?
What are your recommendations - classical, romantic or 20th century composers.

Most played lately in my system is Shostakovich String Quartets.
Others that get a lot of playing time are Brahms, Dvorak and Schubert.

Would like to check out something new that I haven't heard before. I was looking to pick up some Elgar string quartet and piano quintet next. Any other recommendations? Thanks.
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Showing 2 responses by jax2

Haydn, The Seven Words, Rosamunde Quartett ECM

I don't think it falls into the periods you named, but fits the genre: try out some of the astounding music played by Jordi Savall on his label, Alia Vox. This is all early music (baroque) with some emphasis on the Viola Da Gamba if Savall is playing, which he breaths life into in such a remarkable way. If you have SACD (even if not), I'd suggest this 2-CD set of the work of Marin Marais. Most of the work on his label is recorded and mastered beautifully. It'd be difficult to go wrong (search his name on Amazon and see if anything there interests you). I particularly enjoy the renditions of Marais's work as well as Sainte Colombe - both of whom were the subject of the beautiful film, Tous Les Matins du Monde, another good choice with more variety perhaps.

Marco
Oh, brother! Those guys need to hook up with Lara St. John for a titillating double bill. Actually, St. John is pretty damn good...check out her renditions of Bach, which is one of my favorites. It's all solo violin.