Jump to content

Best String Quartet...Ever.


cyberstrings

Recommended Posts

Morton Feldman's string quartets both approach boredom.

I think so too. But in a good way. I often think that with Feldman's music, the constant changes in the listeners perspective (attentive listening, drifting off, boredom, relaxation, etc.) and the different perceptions of musical time/form/structure that result from it, are some of the fundamental (if not the fundamental) qualities of Feldman's work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh yes, Feldman's music is something very different from minimalism to me.

Oddly, I think of the ode to joy in his ninth symphony in the same way. But I'm sure it's just me.

Oh, I'd prefer the 9th symphony without the ode to joy too. Actually, I'd have preferred if Beethoven had never written that ridiculous tune in the first place :P

As for the Grosse Fuge: Well, yes, it seems somewhat weirdly proportioned (in terms of "weight") at the end of Op. 130 - but then, balanced proportions bore me to death.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...
  • 3 months later...
  • 5 months later...
  • 4 months later...

Beethoven's late quartets (especially opp. 131 and 132) are my favorites. Sublime. It's actually my favorite music of all time.

Shostakovich nos. 7, 8, 9, 13 and 15 are great, too.

And Barber.

And Haydn.

But Beethoven's quartets started my interest in string quartets... And made me write some.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have to add another vote for Ravel's quartet. Perhaps it's not as tight in form and development as other pieces, but it's so well orchestrated and I love the harmonies (plus the motives are fun to follow throughout). And every time I hear the second movement I'm reminded of The Royal Tenenbaums!

Does anyone like Dutilleux?

[Edit] I just saw Morgri's post, so there's one vote! [Edit]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Siblelius' Voces Initimae may not be groundbreaking but is very solid and definitely fun to listen to.

The string quartets of E.J. Moeran are also fabulous as he meshes the folk music of his land (England) with French and British impressionism but still retains a strong sense of form, so the quartets feel like a story.

I would also recommend Prokofiev's first quartet.

I don't know, but for me, the Schumann quartet isn't very vocal/strong melodically/doesn't tell a convincing story, so I am not pulled into the music.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Schubert is cool....when quoted in George Crumb's Black Angels! haha...

Schubert is a great melodist and harmonist, but large scale form - not so much. And really, enough with the age comparison to Beethoven. Schubert died at age 31. By age 34 Beethoven single-handedly changed the entire course of music with his 3rd Symphony. 3 years - big deal. There is no comparison to Beethoven. Period.

As for greatest string quartet - without a question the C# minor quartet, op.131. by Beethoven. The greatest single piece for SQ would easily be op. 133, the Grosse Fuge. Beethoven's late works are just a completely higher level than anyone else's works, with the possible exception of some of J.S. Bach.

Other quartets that seriously kick donkey..........

Morton Feldman's Quartet #2

Elliott Carter's Quartets 1-4

Lutoslawski Quartet

Phillip Glass #2

Schoenberg 3 & 4

Bartok (ALL)

Beethoven (Middle and other Late Quartets)

And honorable mention to Haydn for inventing the genre and for his late quartets. Gotta love Papa Haydn!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Ravel, Debussy, some of the Haydn, Elliot Carter 3, all Bartok, all Shosty, Sibelius. Also, Stravinsky wrote one which I also thought was cool.... AND Beethoven C# minor is the other. Shoenberg I like too..but I prefer the first ones.

Out of all of those, my Favorite is Bartok 5th... I LOVE THAT! :D next probably Ravel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What about Martinů’s string quartets? Nobody has named them yet… All of them belong to my favourites, as well as Bartók (all), Schönberg (esp. 1), Brahms 1+2 and Beethoven of course.

Plus, I have yet to discover most of Shostakovich’s, all Hindemith and Prokofiev, and I'm interested in Henze and Rihm as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • 5 months later...

Sorry to revisit this topic again, but I have a few more to add after listening to more string quartets. Mendelssohn 2 and 4 and Beethoven 9 and 13 (for some reason I'm not that big a fan of number 14, but I've only listened to the first movement at this point) are all awesome. Anyone who questions Mendelssohn's strength as a composer needs to listen to his string quartets. If his parents hadn't attempted to conceal his brilliance, he might have been received as as much a of prodigy as Mozart (although he's much better in my opinion).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...