# Favorite Octet with recording



## hapiper (Mar 2, 2015)

Not too many composer's wrote multi-performer chamber music pieces. The famous ones I could number on one hand (just me, not to imply that is all there is). I just discovered one last night that I really love and had never heard of before, though I should have, and that was Mendelsshon's Octet on Decca. Others I know of and own are Schubert's Octet and also his Quintet. I also have a Septet by Beethoven and that is about it. I don't necessarily want to know of every Quintet, Septet and Octet ever written but what are some that you really really like. Under rated if you will.


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

Beethoven wrote a passable Octet, not his best work though. 

I recently acquired an album of Louis Spohr's Octet and Nonet (The Nash Ensemble, 1996), but haven't really explored them in full yet. They sound decent, but maybe not up to Mendelssohn's level.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

Francaix has a nice one. The Esbjerg Ensemble recording, released on several labels, is surprisingly good.









And there´s Stravinsky´s Octet too.


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## Marsilius (Jun 13, 2015)

Probably complete heresy but my favourite octet is Medelssohn's - but as arranged for orchestra and performed fabulously by the NBC Symphony Orchestra/Toscanini.


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## Avey (Mar 5, 2013)

Um, Mendelssohn's Octet is preeminent--no, not in chamber music, but throughout the classical music genre. I have several recordings of it, but I will opt not to list them simply because it is one of those pieces that regardless of recording the music just _sounds_ so so great. It is aurally indomitable IMO.

Otherwise, *to your inquiry*: I do want to recognize Schubert's Octet. I have long been of the opinion that the Octet was only surpassed by the Quintet in C for Franz. One of the great chamber pieces, ever. If you ask for underrated, this one comes to mind. Most classical music/Schubert fans know this work, but I still think it is underrated for its lack of performance (of course, the number of (unique) players is a factor).

Oh, but then Stravinsky, too. He never wrote bad music, so yeah I put my back-up vote toward that.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

What do you mean by "Not too many composer's wrote multi-performer chamber music pieces"? To my knowledge, that describes almost all chamber music. You mention in the title that you want octets...but then you and others are mentioning septets and quintets too. I am thoroughly confused. 

Anyway, some of my favorite octets, septets and quintets include:

Schumann's piano quintet in E-flat

Brahms' Piano Quintet in f minor

Brahms' string quintet #2 in G Major

Mozart's String Quintets - any of them

Stravinsky's Octet

Stravinsky's Septet

Schoenberg's Suite for Septet

Schoenberg's Wind Quintet

Reich's Eight Lines (Octet)

Faure Piano Quintet #2


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## haydnfan (Apr 13, 2011)

So I'm guessing you mean more than four, less than an orchestra.

Shostakovich's Piano Quintet, Brahms' string sextets, Tchaikovsky's string sextet Souvenir de Florence.

Really stretching the bounds, scored for thirteen instruments somewhere in between orchestral and chamber is Mozart's magnificent Gran Partita Serenade.


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## chesapeake bay (Aug 3, 2015)

Enescu has a great string octet, I enjoy the performance by Gidon Kremer and Kremerata Baltica


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## quack (Oct 13, 2011)

Octets aren't really my favourite form of classical although it is difficult to go wrong with Mendelssohn. A couple of modern works I like:

*Galina Ustvolskaya* - _Octet_ - 



*Sofia Gubaidulina* - _Hommage à T. S. Eliot_ - 



 for octet and soprano so a nonet maybe

Gubaidulina also composed a octet for cellos which I only just found out about _Fata Morgana: The Dancing Sun _



 unfortunately there only seems to be this recording in poor sound.


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## QuietGuy (Mar 1, 2014)

One of my favorite pieces is Ravel's _Introduction and Allegro_ for Harp, Flute Clarinet and String Quartet. Fantastic!


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

From the 20th c. I'd choose the following:

Hindemith - Octet for clarinet, bassoon, horn, violin, two violas, cello and double bass (1958)

Varèse - _Octandre_ for flute/piccolo, oboe, clarinet/E-flat clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, and double bass (1923)

Stravinsky - Octet for Wind Instruments: flute, clarinet, two bassoons, two trumpets and two trombones (1923)

Janáček - Capriccio for Piano Left-Hand & Chamber Ensemble: piano, flute, two trumpets, three trombones and bass tuba (1926)


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Thanks to quack & cb for the* Gubaidulina *and *Enescu* octets...two favorites. For the oft-mentioned *Mendelssohn* octet, I like Nash's live at Wigmore. :tiphat:


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