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Favorite Classical String Quartets

When I started listening to Classical Music as a teenager over 50 years ago I quickly became seduced by the sounds of a string quartet.  My school library had a Seraphim 3LP set of Beethoven Middle Period Quartets with the Hungarian SQ (this was in stereo; they had recorded them in mono as well).  Op. 59/1, the first of the Razumovsky Quartets, was my seductress:  those long soulful cello lines, with the viola weaving in and out, the violins then sweetly taking over the main themes, and then all the instruments trading places-I was hooked.

 59/3 has a second movement dominated by the cellist who sounds like a jazz walking bass, and that furious fugal finale.  The Harp Quartet in that with its flying pizzicatos was another revelation.

  Beethoven’s late quartets are another thing entirely, and took a few generations for nineteenth century listeners to absorb.  Mozart and Haydn invented the genre and a lot of their best music is in their quartets.

  The aforementioned Classical Period composers are generally thought to have represented the apex of the genre, but I have always been fascinated by Dvorak, Borodin, and Shostakovich, all of whom seemed to luxuriate in the special sonic world of the string quartet.

 

 Other favorites?

  T

mahler123
kirkwallace's avatar
kirkwallace
405 posts
 

@mahler123 thank you. I will stop hunting!

larryi
4,629 posts
 

The Bennewitz Quartet did a good recording of some of the quartets of Schullhoff, Ullman, Haas, and Krasa (victims of the holocaust).

larryi
4,629 posts
 

Another living composer whose quartets and piano quintet I like is Thomas Ades.

inagroove
299 posts
 

@billstevenson 

J.S. Bach was born into a musical family, including his father and two uncle’s; his Grandfather, Great Grandfather and Great-Uncles - all professionals.  J.S. also had several sons who were professional musicians.

Funny - after a time, to be an organist in that part of Germany was to be known as ‘a Bach’.

Organ was THE instrument in the early part of Bach's life (often scored with vocals). Being a great composer/keyboardist for the church or royalty was, arguably, the best way for a musician to make a good living at that time.

It is a well-known story that "Johann Sebastian Bach walked more than 200 miles to listen to the great organist and composer Dieterich Buxtehude in Lübeck (Germany)."  Buxtehude was, primarily, the organist at St. Mary’s church.

Outside of Germany - Pachelbel, Vivaldi, Albinoni, and Couperin are also prolific musicians whose music was well known to J.S. 

Most music was shared as written works, but improvisation was part of daily life was well...

I hope this helps...  A deeper dive awaits you!

 

 

billsw
32 posts
 
@retiredaudioguy  

 

The Große Fuge takes a little getting used to and is quite complex.  Personally, I think is a masterpiece.  It was originally supposed to be the final movement to the 13th string quartet, but apparently with some advice, Beethoven decided that it was best to stand alone.

The Heilger Dankesang at the close of the 15th (Op 132) quartet is one of the most moving and beautiful pieces in the entire repertoire.  Beethoven wrote it to thank God after recovery from a serious intestinal illness.  His genius is so profound - the composer of the 9th symphony wrote this quiet song on thanks.

I agree with all the suggestions in this thread, although I still have to hear a few.  Allow me to add another name --  Mieczyslaw Weinberg, a contemporary of Shostakovich who championed his music.  You will not similarities and differences in their compositions.

Among them all, for me Beethoven and Shostakovich from the early 19th century to mid 20th century they form bookends of great composition.  We are the beneficiaries.

 

 

 

 

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