# Chamber music quest.....



## juliante (Jun 7, 2013)

Hi all, just joined 

Having been a huge music fan for 20 years i finally 'got' classical in a big way a couple of years ago. Have explored and come to love many symphonies and concertos. One of the first pieces that made classical music click for me was Death and the Maiden, quickly followed by Mendelsshon's Octet. 

So I was anticipating a world of wonderful chamber music awaiting me - but, unlike my experience with orchestral works, i seem to find most chamber music rather dry and un-engaging. I g=have come to love Shubert's quintet, but really those three pieces are the only chamber works i love. 

When listening to music i devote my full attention and focus. And i am not afraid of 'difficult' pieces. 

Help! 

Thanks for any thoughts.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Try the late Dvorak string quartets (especially 12, "American") and Brahms (Clarinet quintet, String quintets, String sextets, for starters).


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## Cheyenne (Aug 6, 2012)

Well, Mr Karajan had trouble with the String Quartet genre too, and posted a thread on it: http://www.talkclassical.com/25975-help-karajan-1-how.html Perhaps it will help you too.

What have you tried before?


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## schuberkovich (Apr 7, 2013)

Schubert quartets 13 & 15. I think of no.15 to be like younger brother of the quintet - they have a lot of similarities.
As someone mentioned definitely listen to Dvorak quarter no.12 "American".
And finally, the Mozart clarinet quintet which I think is the greatest piece of chamber music from the 18th century


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Though it's nowhere near what most consider essential chamber music, I try at every opportunity to promote *Joaquín Turina's Piano Trio in F major*. The themes are so majestic and momentous I feel as if it were my life's soundtrack and my life gets a whole lot more important while listening.


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## MagneticGhost (Apr 7, 2013)

The Brahm's and Mozart Clarinet Quintets are essential.


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## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

Art Rock said:


> Try the late Dvorak string quartets (especially 12, "American") and Brahms (Clarinet quintet, String quintets, String sextets, for starters).


I second this, and add Brahms' piano quintet.

You may or may not like some of the string quartets by Shostakovich.


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## Selby (Nov 17, 2012)

Welcome to the forum!

Oh how I love a good string quartet (or quintet!).

If Schubert and Mendelssohn are your base then the obvious recommendation would be to look at their influences. Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, in that order. Not anywhere near my favorite era, but, I find that the Quatuor Mosaiques do wonderful interpretations of Haydn and Mozart's string quartets. For Beethoven go here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/syltguides/fullview/R3T5Y25MLG0WZW/ref=cm_pdp_sylt_title_1

My recommendation would be that it is time to leave both Vienna and the 19th century!

Adventure north young Viking and gobble up both *Sibelius* (Voces Intimae) and Grieg's string quartets. If you like them there will be plenty more less obvious Scandinavian's waiting for you; Norgard, Nielsen, yadda yadda.

From there venture France-ward! Really, in my opinion, France from around 1880-1940 produced the greatest era of string quartets. There is an entire thread dedicated to them here: http://www.talkclassical.com/8073-what-about-french-string.html

Grab the recent Quatuor Ebene offering with *Debussy*, Ravel and *Faure*'s only, yet timeless offerings: http://www.amazon.com/Ravel-Debussy...&qid=1370787515&sr=1-1&keywords=ebene+debussy

Feel free to stay in France, or return frequently  The parenthesis are the pieces I recommend if they are large cycles: Magnard, *Crass*, Gounod, Saint-Saens, Bonnal, Franck, Chaussan, *Durosoir* (all 3), D'Indy, *Ropartz* (3-5), *Koechlin* (1 & 2), Milhaud (3)

Enjoying the impressionism? Take a ferry to the islands. *McEwen* is waiting for you. Don't pass up *Vaughan Williams' *Phantasy Quintet. Feel free to leave the rest of the Brits behind. Well, Bax and Tippett might be worth your time.

Has all this melody and happiness gotten to you?

Time to head east young troubadour.

While you're passing by remember to stop and chat with *Janacek*, Bartok, Bacewicz, *Smetana*, and Szymanowski, maybe even Kodaly.

Was that too soon, too modern?

Make your way to the mother Russia: *Shostakovich*, *Borodin* (2), Myaskovsky, Glazunov, Taneyev, Prokofiev, and Gliere are waiting.

Oh wait, you were enjoying the perks of modernity? I'm sorry...

*Ives* (both), Shonberg (2), Enescu (both), *Ligeti* (both), *Gorecki* (all 3), and Dutilleux (Ainsi la nuit) need a big fat huge from you. (Seriously though, be careful, I find that after listening to Gorecki's cycle in one sitting I am a bit prickly).

If you are really loving this there is Laderman and Carter. Eeek.

While you are being modern and traveling all over the place, *Ginastera* (all 3) is in Argentina, don't forget. Villa-Lobos is down that direction also if you need a large cycle to chew on.

Just want something simple and beautiful? Listen to *Barber*.

Feeling spiritual? *Hovhaness*.

Wait. What's that? Oh, you never wanted to leave the German-Austrian alliance? Okay.

*Bruckner*'s Quintet. Schumann has 3 underrated string quartets, Brahms has 3 also and 2 quintets and 2 sextets.

Happy travelling through space and time! In case this wasn't obvious I personally recommend the bold, not that the others are bad or that I don't listen to them, they just don't resonate as strongly with me as those in *bold*. Also, in case you are wondering, I do own everything I included - I'm not just spouting off.

Feel free to respond and say that you weren't looking for string ensemble recommendations at all, so we can both have a good laugh.

regards,

M.














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## GGluek (Dec 11, 2011)

The Brahms sextets will not disappoint. Oftentimes, chamber music recordings work best after you've heard a piece in concert and it's made a live impression.


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## Guest (Jun 9, 2013)

As others have suggested, there are a lot of different kinds of chamber music, and you really ought to browse a bit to find out what you like and don't like as much.

Three dimensions to explore: what instruments, what time period, what region.

For example, concerning instruments, I'm not terribly fond of solo piano or string quartet (trio, etc), but I found just about every other combination agreeable, and particularly like violin sonatas, cello sonatas, etc. Even some rare combinations (e.g. violin and guitar) can be fantastic. Also be sure to explore various lieder combinations.

Concerning period and region, I'm particularly fond of late 19th century to mid 20th century romantic works, particularly from France but not only. I find a lot of the most celebrated German chamber music to be pretty lifeless.

Everyone's tastes will be different. The key is to browse enough to understand yours.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Wow! All these posts and nobody has mentioned the greatest chamber music composer of all...


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

KenOC said:


> Wow! All these posts and nobody has mentioned the greatest chamber music composer of all...


Webern? Boulez? Messiaen? Takemitsu? Who is it? Tell us!


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## Cheyenne (Aug 6, 2012)

KenOC said:


> Wow! All these posts and nobody has mentioned the greatest chamber music composer of all...


That some 'blindingly obvious' one? :tiphat:


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Mozart: 
Piano Quartets (2 of 'em) 
STRING QUINTETS
Quintet in E flat major for Piano and Winds, K. 452

Poulenc ~ Sextuor for piano and winds

Milhaud ~ Le Cheminee de Roi Rene / Wind Quintet, Op.443

Beethoven ~ Septet

Stravinsky ~ Septet

Gavin Bryars ~ One last bar, then Joe can Sing / The south downs





David Lang ~ Child





Terry Riley ~ Requiem for Adam / Sunrise of the Planetary Dream Collector / 
G Song




Cadenza on the Night Plain / Sun Rings

John Adams ~ John's book of alleged Dances


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Cheyenne said:


> That some 'blindingly obvious' one? :tiphat:


Yep. That's the one!


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## Selby (Nov 17, 2012)

David Lang ~ Child





I hadn't heard this.

I was just listening to Lang's The Little Match Girl Passion last night; I find it so eerie and mesmerizing, so original.


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## juliante (Jun 7, 2013)

Thanks so much all....this is why classical music is so exciting - several months worth of stuff to explore in your responses! Mitchell...thanks! Will feedback. Ken OC - ?? BPS - i have mainly just tried germanic, string only - thanks. But mot brahms yet - so i will try his, as i love his orchestral pieces. Right, better get on with it.


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## peeyaj (Nov 17, 2010)

Schubert.

String Quintet in C major
Piano Trio no. 1
Piano Trio no. 2

Try that!!!


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Mitchell said:


> David Lang ~ Child
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Seriously great sounding and just as seriously intelligent music. Hats off to Mr. Lang. There are five movements to_ Chlid_I strongly recommend the complete work. That performance on youtube is quite good, all five links easily found.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

Schoenberg ~ Verkarte Nacht, for string sextet









Martinu ~ Nonet





Irving Fine:
Woodwind quintet
Notturno for Strings and Harp









Samuel Barber ~ Summer Music (woodwind quintet)









Luciano Berio ~ Concertino, for violin, clarinet, strings, harp and celeste.





Messiaen ~ Quartet for the end of time


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## mtmailey (Oct 21, 2011)

You should listen to string sextets they sound better than string quartets.BRAHMS has 2,DVORAK has 1 & TCHAIKOVSKY has one.


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## brudy (Jun 11, 2013)

PetrB said:


> Seriously great sounding and just as seriously intelligent music. Hats off to Mr. Lang. There are five movements to_ Chlid_I strongly recommend the complete work. That performance on youtube is quite good, all five links easily found.


I love this work. I was obsessed with Lang for a while after hearing this. I also like his soundtrack to the movie "Untitled." It was largely Child and then Max Richter's "24 Postcards" that pulled me into contemporary classical and experimental stuff.


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## juliante (Jun 7, 2013)

Verkarte Nacht - WOW!! Thanks PetrB.


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