# Dvorak - String Quartets



## Arsakes

Another poll. Choose your top 5 Dvorak's string quartets. The opus numbers aren't well organized, but still you can realize the correct ones!

No.1,8,9,13 and 14 for me.


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## ScipioAfricanus

My favorites are the A major, C major, A flat Major, E flat Major, F major, G major and E major.


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## Head_case

I'm just pleased to see that the American Quartet (No.XII) isn't topping the poll quite yet! I voted for the last 5; these are the ones I recall most. If pressed, the no. XIII and no. XIV are the ones which I listen to most. 

My reference cycles are either the Prager Streichquartett or the Vlach Quartet Prague. Neither cycles offer the last word in interpreting Dvorak although both are very well played and recommendable for anyone on a budget. The Prager Streichquartett is probably the oldest one on CD available, although the Panocha Quartet also did individual recordings of the Dvorak string quartet numbers. 

The cycle I enjoy most is ....yep..the ancient Vlach Quartet on Supraphon vinyl LPs. These were not recorded in their entirely as far as I know. I only have the late quartets, which are actually misnumbered in the vinyl LP set. Some 1970's scribe must have had a bad hair day trying to sort through all those opei numbers. The Prazak Quartet are just indescribable. They share honours in recording a cycle for Praga Digitalis with the excellent Kocian Quartet. These two quartets. Just surprised that Praga Digitalis has not yet issued its own complete string quartet cycle. 

Whereas I can see the value of dipping into a few quartets here and there, there's something wonderful about discovering a composer's inner life from his first string quartets all the way through to the last ones.


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## Hassid

I love all beginning from the fifth. The first four don't like them much. And the third is a failure; too long, boring and "brucknerian".


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## ScipioAfricanus

Hassid said:


> And the third is a failure; too long, boring and "brucknerian".


I take umbrage with you putting boring and brucknerian in the same sentence. Bruckner's string quartet and only string quintet are of shorter lengths than these works.


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## Hassid

I didn't name Bruckner for the extension of the work, but because IMHO it's heavy and boring like his symphonies. But I like his quartet and quintet.


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## Head_case

Hassid said:


> I didn't name Bruckner for the extension of the work, but because IMHO it's heavy and boring like his symphonies. But I like his quartet and quintet.


Wow...that two more likes you have for Bruckner than me


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## jurianbai

No.10, no.13, no.14 all my favorite. But of course the American is genius melodious works, only that it overplayed now and we need room for other Dvorak string quartet in performance.

Beside the Prager cycle, this CD is one single disc I love.


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## Head_case

I heard the Wihan Quartet play the No. XII last year. It sounds fantastic live ...just the first five notes gave it away when I turned up late and forgot what the concert programme was.

The opening bars of string quartet no.XIV are darkly splendid. The range of mood coloration this piece of work opens up is mesmerising with a really decent recording.


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## Vaneyes

Head_case said:


> I'm just pleased to see that the American Quartet (No.XII) isn't topping the poll quite yet! I voted for the last 5; these are the ones I recall most. If pressed, the no. XIII and no. XIV are the ones which I listen to most.
> 
> My reference cycles are either the Prager Streichquartett or the Vlach Quartet Prague. Neither cycles offer the last word in interpreting Dvorak although both are very well played and recommendable for anyone on a budget. The Prager Streichquartett is probably the oldest one on CD available, although the Panocha Quartet also did individual recordings of the Dvorak string quartet numbers.
> 
> The cycle I enjoy most is ....yep..the ancient Vlach Quartet on Supraphon vinyl LPs. These were not recorded in their entirely as far as I know. I only have the late quartets, which are actually misnumbered in the vinyl LP set. Some 1970's scribe must have had a bad hair day trying to sort through all those opei numbers. The Prazak Quartet are just indescribable. They share honours in recording a cycle for Praga Digitalis with the excellent Kocian Quartet. These two quartets. Just surprised that Praga Digitalis has not yet issued its own complete string quartet cycle.
> 
> Whereas I can see the value of dipping into a few quartets here and there, there's something wonderful about discovering a composer's inner life from his first string quartets all the way through to the last ones.


Some good name-dropping there. Any love for Stamitz Qt. in Dvorak?


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## Head_case

I only heard a few of their later Quartettsatz discs and liked them a lot......they offered a great cycle at a cheap price (cheaper than the Prager Streichquartett Cycle and more modern recording). The Panocha Quartet still seemed to hold my attention far longer...until Jana Vlachova's group of the Vlach Quartet Prague came out on Naxos. I took a risk with this Naxos cycle, partly because I can't stand the way Naxos' covers are always very iffy looking, and secondly, their typography is always dyslexic or poorly edited. For example - in the Dvorak cycle on Naxos, some of the discs are numbered; some are referred to by their opus numbers only. Some are numbered as volumes, others are not. It shows bad planning and execution of a cycle. 

None of these editing problems happen with the Panocha; the Prager or the Stamitz Quartet. Thankfully the playing of the Naxos collection is up there with the best (i.e. - her father, Josef Vlach of the Vlach Quartet lol and the Prazak Quartet). 

The only problem is...the Stamitz Quartet are also called 'The Stamic Quartet' or in Czech, 'Stamicovo Kvarteto'. The one and the same. They did the fabulous disc of Jiri Teml's contemporary works, my collection of Foerster's double CD of string quartets as well as Bodorova, Klusak and Martinu and a real gem which I can't find any more ...interpretations of chinese folk music on string quartet. This is the dimension of their work I love. The other side ...the usuals as well as Vanhal, Vranicky, Kozeluh and other older classical stuff I don't listen to but is still worthwhile if you like romantic music. 

The Litmus test for the Dvorak Cycle for me, is the opening bars of the No. XIV; listen to the slow opening twilight crescendo into an explosive sfz which holds you under arrest and makes your heart stop. It's great having spotify and other digital sources to get a better than blind feel for the music before committing an expense. One reason why I stick with the Prazak, is that playing is just so refined that even ancient vinyl LPs which I treasure, seem to be reinterpreted by them, not in order to surpass them, but with an authentic artistry which renders their work unmissable. There are a few quartet ensembles like that whom I develop a preference for all their repertoire rather than just some of their repertoire. Perhaps in the Dvorak Cycle, they just haven't got as much experience as the Vlach Quartet or the Prazak Quartet in terms of years before their recordings were committed?


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## Head_case

jurianbai said:


> No.10, no.13, no.14 all my favorite. But of course the American is genius melodious works, only that it overplayed now and we need room for other Dvorak string quartet in performance.
> 
> Beside the Prager cycle, this CD is one single disc I love.


My goodness. Where on earth did you unearth that?!! 

They are British you know...they played for a different generation, but theirs are the only recordings I know of Robert Simpson's epic string quartet cycle, as well as Daniel Jones, the prolific Welsh composer.


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## KenOC

Head_case said:


> The other side ...the usuals as well as Vanhal, Vranicky, Kozeluh and other older classical stuff I don't listen to but is still worthwhile if you like romantic music.


All three composers are featured in the Chandos series "Contemporaries of Mozart." They wrote good music but may not be precisely "romantic" in period or otherwise.


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## Head_case

Thanks for clarifying....I've only listened to these works briefly on spotify and realised they weren't for me. 

I've realised that when I listen to earlier than 20th century music to a composer who didn't die after 1828 or has a surname rhyming with 'oven' then the chances of my sticking out a purchase with them is too high a risk. I'd be better off getting something to eat 

Argh...I think I'm slowly mutating into one of those awful curmudgeonly modern 21st century weirdo music fans :/


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## Quartetfore

Add to the list of outstanding Dvorak Quartet recordings the Pavel Haas Quartet recording of the op. 96 and op.106.


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## Novelette

Representing for #3 in D!


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## davinci

Favorite is #10. Then in no particular order: 3, 12, 13, 14.


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## Progstreaming

Hmm, I forgot to read this was a multiple choice poll, so with much hesitation I put in no. 9 as my favorite. Contenders, and by that if I've read more carefully official choices, would've been/are no. 1 (especially the later version, no. 5 (sadly overlooked on this poll), no. 8 and no. 10. Make no mistake, I do adore the later quartets (11-14) too, but for some reason the middle quartets remain my favourites.


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## Novelette

Dvorak's string quartets, aside from #12, don't get the exposure they deserve, I think.

The third is still my favorite of this group, but its length can be rather off-putting.


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## schuberkovich

Sorry to be so predictable but nos. 12, 13 & 14 really stand out.


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## Cnote11

I am sitting here, currently listening to String Quartet No. 1 in A Major and it is like discovering music for the first time! What a fantastic piece; I have not listened to Dvorak in some time and I always feel a strong sensation, perhaps stronger than any other composer, when I finally do take the time to sit down with one of his compositions.


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## Mandryka

Thanks for drawing my attention to the 3rd quartet, which I hadn't heard before. I don't like it at all, but it is a curiosity.


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## Keith

I love them all. The Panocha Quartet play them with so much commitment, even the early ones sound amazing. They play the 3rd string quartet (which usually lasts around the 70 minute mark), at a brisk pace - and the total time is just over 55 minutes. It's the set I will always return to. The Stamitz are a little boring, the Prager on the other hand, are very good, but not as good as the Panocha. However, that's only my opinion.


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## Brahmsian Colors

Of the various groups I've heard performing the Dvorak String Quartets, I find the Stamitz Quartet consistently displays a splendid balance of lyricism, dynamics, refinement and technical excellence.


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## KenOC

The Stamitz folks have a big package of all the Dvorak quartets, plus all those of Smetana, Martinu, and Janacek, for an amazing price (downloads).

https://www.amazon.com/Dvorak-Quart...p3-albums-bar-strip-0&keywords=dvorak+stamitz


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## Pugg

Favourite is 10, closely followed 12, 13, 14.


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## sbmonty

Favourite is 14. Then 12. 13 and 1 are really enjoyable too.


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## starthrower

KenOC said:


> The Stamitz folks have a big package of all the Dvorak quartets, plus all those of Smetana, Martinu, and Janacek, for an amazing price (downloads).
> 
> https://www.amazon.com/Dvorak-Quart...p3-albums-bar-strip-0&keywords=dvorak+stamitz


I'm gonna buy myself that box for Christmas. And since I'm working on the 25th, I'll have the extra dough!


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## hpowders

The American Quartet is a fine effort. I would auction off the rest.

His greatest string chamber music, however, was the String Quintet No. 3 in E Flat.


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## Merl

I voted 3, 10, 12, 13 &14. Fairly predictable but those later quartets are much better (although I love the 3rd). A bit like Dvorak's symphonies, they seemed to, mostly, get better as time went on. I bought this set years ago and still rate it as the best by far (much better sound and playing than Prague and especially Stamitz - both of which I have too).


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## juliante

This thread has prompted me to explore these works - I am rather embarrassed to admit I was led by the TC Top SQ poll, which has American at 9th then nothing until SQ 14 placed at 55th then SQ 10 placed at 62nd - meaning I had not yet got round to listening to any except SQ 12 (which I do to be fair find unlistenable - _that_ tune...)


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## Brahmsian Colors

Vaneyes said:


> Some good name-dropping there. Any love for Stamitz Qt. in Dvorak?


Yes. As I put it succintly several years back in a review I wrote for the Stamitz Quartet's complete performances of the Dvorak String Quartets: "What makes the Stamitz so convincing is its ability to convey lyricism, gentleness, dynamics, technical excellence and polish in one package."


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## Czech composer

This is another example of why I sometimes hate musicologists. 
Quartets no.2-6 shouldn´t be in this series in my opinion. They aren´t regular Dvorak quartes. 
All of them was premiered long after composer´s death. They was never intended to be published
by composer. I am not saying that there aren´t good music in them, but in genegal their inclusion
into Dvorak regular string quartet serie damages high standard of later Dvorak´s output.
There should be special category for works which have never been wanted to be published.

You can check background of each quartet at this site http://antonin-dvorak.cz/en/works


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## Dumbo

Well, I voted for the American. The second movement isn't just melodic and intense, which are fine things. It's CLEVER. The same theme is played, note for note, with only the harmony shifted up or down a third. That's what keeps it charming even after many overwrought performances.


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## Olias

Dumbo said:


> Well, I voted for the American. The second movement isn't just melodic and intense, which are fine things. It's CLEVER. The same theme is played, note for note, with only the harmony shifted up or down a third. That's what keeps it charming even after many overwrought performances.


Plus I love birds and trains which he depicts in the 3rd and 4th movements respectively.


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