Your favorite string quartets
Posted by: Todd A on 02 March 2002
When I first began seriously listening to classical music it was the string quartet to which I turned the most often. Since then I have broadened my horizons substantially to encompass all manner of orchestral, instrumental (especially piano), and other forms of chamber music. I have not succumbed to (my perception of) the excesses of opera and have only relatively recently begun exploring choral works. Yet I still turn to the string quartet quite often. There is something about this particular format that I enjoy. Perhaps, to paraphrase the famous quote, it is the attraction of hearing four highly intelligent people talking to each other; perhaps it is the intricacy, delicacy, and intimacy that four strings afford; perhaps it is the profound intellectual rigor behind the notes. Whatever the attraction I still highly prize the string quartet. It is the genre by which I personally assess the relative abilities of composers, especially ones new to me.
At the risk of diminishing the value of this genre by asking such a simple inquiry: what are your favorite string quartets? Here, as perhaps in no other genre, the one-off work or unknown composer can really make an impact. I personally don't rank string quartets per se, but they do fall into general categories, with the best being obviously more favored than the rest. I sort of look at the broad categories as representing overlapping circles, with the best of the second rank equal to the meanest of the best, an so on. You may note some omissions from my list. For instance, there is no Mozart. How can that be? Well, try as I might, I have not heard performances that have compelled me to listen to Wolfie's works often. Perhaps someone can be of assistance and recommend some superb versions (I have not yet heard the Quartetto Italiano yet, for instance). Also, note the relative lack of French quartets. I just have not heard one yet that captures my fancy. To give you an example, I just listened to my Debussy and Ravel quartets after about 18 months. Not exactly big works for me. The list includes all the works I enjoy and listen to at least a few times a year. (Yes, I like that much Haydn; I often go on binges of his works.) This is not even close to being an attempt at a definitive or comprehensive list. Anyway, here goes.
My list:
The Supreme Works
Bartok - All
Beethoven - Op 18/5-6, Op 59/3, Op 95, Op 127, Op 130 (with revised ending), Op 131, Op 132, Op 135
Haydn - Op 77, Op 76 (all six), Op 33/2 & 4-5, Op 64/3-5, Op 50/3, Op 74/3, Op 20/3-5
Schulhoff - Nos 0, 1, 2
Shostakovich - Nos 2, 4, 9, 11, 13, 14, 15
Ligeti - No 2
Schubert - Nos 14, 15
Dvorak - Nos 10, 12
Schoenberg - No 3
Ives - No 2
Janacek - Both
The second rank:
Schoenberg - Nos 1, 4
Smetana - No 1
Dvorak - Nos 5, 13, 14
Beethoven - all others
Ligeti - No 1
Prokofiev - Nos 1 & 2
Shostakovich - all others
Dusapin - No 3
Haydn - Op 20 (remaining), Op 50 (remaining), Op 33 (remaining), Op 54 (all)
Hartmann - No 1
Korngold - No 1
Carter - Nos 3-5
Third tier:
Hummel - No 3
Schumann - Nos 2, 3
Britten - No 3
Martinu - No 2
Hartmann - No 2
Barber
Ives - No 1
Smetana - No 2
Ginastera - No 1
Vaughn Williams - No 1
Villa-Lobos - Nos 1, 12, 17
Syzmanowski - Both
[This message was edited by Todd Arola on SATURDAY 02 March 2002 at 19:40.]
Posted on: 24 May 2002 by herm
Hi David,
I got your name wrong, truly sorry about that.
I don't know when this HongKong recital took place, but a lot of people would say the Hagens are a grown-up quartet by now. But perhaps you thought they played with a youthful testosterone that's bound to wear off? I wonder... It looks like this wild stuff is their chosen style, bringing back excitement (and good looks) to the music.
You really ought to try some of those wonderful Mozart quartets. A piece like K 387 is the nec plus ultra in the genre - it doesn't get any better. If you like the Lindsays, take their recording. I seem to recall 387 was coupled with an equally stellar Mozart quintet.
You have a good weekend too
Herman
Posted on: 18 June 2002 by DJH
Well I have now had a chance to listen to several of Mozart's quartets, having found the Quartetto Italiano box set available at a very low price. The influence on Beethoven of these great works is unmistakeable. Thanks, herm, for your advice - I will be listening to this set a lot throughout the summer.
Posted on: 18 June 2002 by herm
Endless Summer
Hi David,
I'm really glad you like the Mozart quartets. It doesn't get any better than this.
If at any time you're gagging for more, there's Mozart's string quintets. Four (out of six) are as good as the best quartets, if not better. The best recording is by the augmented Grumiaux Trio. I think they're available, somewhat inconveniently, on two Duo Philipses.
And, there's the two piano quartets (in the late K 400s), best performed by the augmented Beaux Arts trio. They, too, belong to the very best Mozart composed.
This is music that'll be with you for the rest of your life.
Herman
Posted on: 20 June 2002 by Former member
I presently have compete sets of the Shostakovich
Quartets by the Emersons, the Fitzwilliam SQ, the Eder, and some by the Manhattan SQ. I would like to acquire the Borodin set but have not been able to find it anywhere. Is this set still available, and if so, where can I buy it? Thanks for any help forthcoming.
Jack
Posted on: 20 June 2002 by herm
Hi Jack,
this is truly weird. Walk into any store (in Europe) and there's boxes of the Melodiya Borodin recordings for giveaway prices. But not on any web store. There's some nineties Virgin recordings, but those are wrong. Don't give up though... The Borodin on Melodiya is the best of any performance on record.
Could you BTW tell us what you think of the recordings you have, comparatively? I was so disappointed with the Emerson - but of course in comparison with the Borodin you don't (yet) have.
Sproggle: vinyl? how about the Juilliard on CBS? And there's bound to be an old Budapest or something.
Herman
[This message was edited by herm on FRIDAY 21 June 2002 at 04:09.]
Posted on: 21 June 2002 by Former member
Hi Herm,
It is interesting that the Borodin is available in many stores in Europe and not available in the U.S. I have tried many of the on-line stores without success. I will keep trying however. I just wondered if anyone in the U.S. could recommend where they had purchased the set. It is very frustrating to want to obtain a certain set and not be able to find it.
I think I have a more favorable view of the Emerson set than you do. I find the performances thoughtful and convincing. They seem to play the quartets a tad faster than the other groups, but otherwise this is great music making to my ears.
I am presently listening to the Fitzwilliam SQ play the 8th. This set was originally done between 1975 and 1977. The overall sound is warmer
(recorded anlalog)and the performances are much slower than the Emerson. The playing is beautiful and is able to touch me deeply.
The Manhattan plays all the notes, but somehow something seems to be missing. They are reasonably recorded; I think what is missing is the passion of the Emerson's. It is simply a much lower keyed performance. Same for the Eder on Naxos. You can excuse the Eder because it is a much lower cost set and they are competant performances. The Manhattan is on ESS.A.Y which here in the States is an expensive label. I rank the Manhattan above the Eder in terms of technical precision and sound.
I like the Emerson and the Fitzwilliam renditions of the Shostakovich SQ's. Hopefully, one day I will be able to audition the Borodin set.
How is it possible that the Borodin set is not available on line? I work in Manhattan, NY and I will check out stores there in the next few days. I will let you know what I find. I assume that I could order the set via Amazon, Great Britian?
I have meet some folks who claim that the European pressings of CD's sound better, I find this hard to believe.
Jack
Posted on: 21 June 2002 by herm
Hi Jack,
it is weird. Maybe they finally depleted this enormous stock at Melodiya - after all BMG has been doing sales for like ten years now. It's not available through British Amazon either.
It's not the same world anymore if one can't get the Borodin any longer...
Have you ever tried Parnassus, a sort of rare and s / h music store in Saugerties? Tey do have a thing for S. Richter, the pianist who's on the Melodiya set, with the piano quintet...
Herman
Posted on: 22 June 2002 by Former member
Herm,
I am sorry to hear that the Borodin is not available through Amazon G.B. I collected records for many years and am now involved with CD's. There have been many great recordings that have disappeared over the years with no apparent explanation. Eventually they return, although it can take years for a particular performance to resurface.
I am not familiar with the Parnassus store. Perhaps you can give me some information as to how they can be contacted.
I have been listening to the Manhattan SG perform the Shostakovich pieces; I think I was too hard in my assessment of the group. I felt they did not have the passion of the Emerson SQ. That was too quick a judgement; there are many fine moments in their playing and I enjoy listening to this group--and yes, they have passion. I have learned over the years that there are many valid ways a piece can be played. It is the different interpretations of a piece of music that has facinated me with classical music. I do not think there is just one way a piece can be performed. These different interpretations allow us to gain insights into the music and deepen our appreciation. I think that is one of the reasons many of us own more than one rendition of a particular piece of work.
Jack
Posted on: 23 June 2002 by herm
Jack, I'll send you an e-mail. OK?
Herman
Posted on: 23 June 2002 by Sproggle
Jack Rubinson: I have learned over the years that there are many valid ways a piece can be played. It is the different interpretations of a piece of music that has facinated me with classical music. I do not think there is just one way a piece can be performed. These different interpretations allow us to gain insights into the music and deepen our appreciation. I think that is one of the reasons many of us own more than one rendition of a particular piece of work.
I've found that as I've got older I have lost my natural ability to instantly appreciate the inner logic of a piece of music, so I benefit even more now from having different performances on LP.
Of course it helps when different performers really are trying to do different things. Part of the late 20th century seems to have been dominated by a fashion for pathologically slow interpretations of orchestral music - some of which were so bad, in my view, that my time listening to them would have been better spent listening to the fridge humming.
Actually, I quite enjoy listening to the fridge humming...
--Sproggle
Posted on: 23 June 2002 by herm
So what's your favorite fridge quartet?
Posted on: 23 June 2002 by Sproggle
My favourite fridge quartet. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...
Posted on: 25 June 2002 by David Hobbs-Mallyon
After Stockhausen's Helikopter Quartet, fridges don't sound like such a bad idea..
Posted on: 26 June 2002 by ejl
Herm mentioned Schnittke's Fourth Quartet near the start of this thread, and I would add that Schnittke's Second and Third are also quite worth hearing (the First is rather hard going). Of course the influence of Shostokovich on Schnittke is well known, but the latter was experimental to a greater degree; Schnittke's Second and Third are actually interestingly akin to Bartok's early quartets. Anyway, people who like Bartok and Shostokovich quartets would probably enjoy Schnittke's also. His first three are available on BIS in a respectable if not inspired recording by the Tale Quartet.
Just out of curiosity, and since I noticed some people talking about the fine Fitzwilliam recording of the complete Shostokovich quartets earlier in this thread, did anyone besides me have the following experience? For years the Fitzwilliam was the only Shostokovich Quartet recordings I had (they may have even been the only complete recording available in the late 70s and early 80s). But their rendition of the 14th was badly mistaken -- they played it at half tempo -- and embarassingly enough even performed it that way in front of S. himself. The Fitzwilliam later released another recording of the 14th at the right speed. I however learned to listen to the 14th in their early, incorrect version, and now find it very hard to listen to it at the correct tempo. In fact, I think I prefer it slow. Does anyone else
Posted on: 29 June 2002 by herm
Nielsen string quartets
By now of course we're talking about interesting pieces, rather than all-time greats. (For these you'd have to be at the top of the thread.)
This week I picked up the two disc recording of Carl Nielsen's four string quartets (plus a Little Suite arranged for quartet). It's a good Chandos recroding by the Russian - Danish Zapolski Quartet.
These quartets are mostly apprentice works: the first dates from 1888, the second from 1892, the third from 1898 and the fourth, in F major, from 1906.
This fourth quartet, called Piacevola, is indeed a very agreeable piece of music, written at the same time as the opera Maskerade, in the long span between Nielsen's second and third symphony.
The earlier quartets are kind of weird, as if the apprentice composer is first putting his legs into his jacket sleeves, then tries to put his left shoe on his right foot etc. Clearly Nielsen doesn't want to write regular late 19 th C musical phrases, but he doesn't have his own musical language yet, so what he does is write half-length phrases (but he doesn't want to go Brahms's motivic variation route either).
In the Piacevola, especially the first movements, the real Nielsen appears: the music attains that particular Nielsen drive and spaciousness. There are special effects reminding one of sounds coming from a symphonic orchestra. In this piece Nielsen isn't trying to write a String Quartet any longer (fitting his foot in the wrong shoe). He's writing Nielsen music.
The discs are available seperately, so you could get just the one with the fourth quartet on it, if you like Nielsen.
Herman
