# Off the beaten path string quartets.



## Itullian

what are the ones to hear/get?


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## Ukko

Depends on the path you've been beating. Maybe you haven't heard Janacek's; you're foolish if you don't. The Nowak (I have one, maybe there are more) is a good follow-up to those. Feels related, even if it isn't.


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## Itullian

thanks, have the Janacek, not Nowak.
you have the Villa-Lobos? really good


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## elgar's ghost

Itulian - do you mean stylistically unorthodox and/or just rarely - if ever - mentioned? If the former then try Morton Feldman's 1st (be warned - it's well over an hour long and there seems to be just as many rests as there are notes). Or maybe try the 3rd and 4th by Frank Bridge by which time he was gradually wrenching his idiom away from the more conventional parameters which characterised his first ones. Ditto Zemlinsky. 

If the latter? Well, for whole 20th century cycles which have been overshadowed/undervalued when compared to the towering achievements by the likes of Bartok and Shostakovich then look out for those by Hindemith (he wrote seven) and Tippett (five).


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## Itullian

elgars ghost said:


> Itulian - do you mean stylistically unorthodox and/or just rarely - if ever - mentioned? If the former then try Morton Feldman's 1st (be warned - it's well over an hour long and there seems to be just as many rests as there are notes). Or maybe try the 3rd and 4th by Frank Bridge by which time he was gradually wrenching his idiom away from the more conventional parameters which characterised his first ones. Ditto Zemlinsky.
> 
> If the latter? Well, for whole 20th century cycles which have been overshadowed/undervalued when compared to the towering achievements by the likes of Bartok and Shostakovich then look out for those by Hindemith (he wrote seven) and Tippett (five).


thanks anyone heard Robert Simpsons?


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## Vaneyes

British Composers - Arnold, Britten, Elgar, Moeran, Rawsthorne, Vaughan Williams, Walton.

Others - Berio, Carter, Dutilleux, Enescu, Ginastera, Krenek, Ligeti, Myaskovsky, Schnittke.


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## clavichorder

William Schuman's wrote at least 5 string quartets, my favorite of which is the 3rd. It sounds like his 3rd symphony, but in string quartet form!


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## Ukko

Itullian said:


> thanks, have the Janacek, not Nowak.
> you have the Villa-Lobos? really good


I have sampled. My chimes are silent. If you can handle 'modern', Benjamin Lees has had some of his recorded. His 'language' (never mind, _Poley_) is serious and on the bleak side, but effective - at least for me. His music (there is quite a bit of it on record) should be better known than it seems to be by the younger 'set'.

 [older 'set', between short periods of consciousness]


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## Oskaar

The Janacek string quartets is absolutely superb!


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## Oskaar

Hilltroll72 said:


> Maybe you haven't heard Janacek's; you're foolish if you don't.


There are louds of music I dont have heard yet. So I must be extreemly foolish.


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## Jeremy Marchant

Itullian said:


> thanks anyone heard Robert Simpsons?


Yes, thery are well worth exploring.

Vagn Holmboe wrote 21 string quartets. 
Hilding Rosenberg wrote 14.
Both of these, like Robert Simpson, were fine symphonists, so they are likely to well worth seeking out - something I must do too.

Then there are the five, so far, of Aulis Sallinen

And, of course, there is the _Helicopter _quartet of Stockhausen - so far off the beaten track it is up in the air.


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## Jeremy Marchant

[repeated post]


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## Itullian

wow, great, many riches. i love string quartets the most. following all the voices is amazing. and imo just the right size.


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## Oskaar

Spohr wrote many. And when I am in the mood, I like to listen to them. They are very simple, and mayby not so exiting, but they have kind of childlike charm. Quite melodious.


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## Itullian

oskaar said:


> Spohr wrote many. And when I am in the mood, I like to listen to them. They are very simple, and mayby not so exiting, but they have kind of childlike charm. Quite melodious.


yes! Spohr, right.


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## Taneyev

Paganini's 3 traditional string quartets (and a lot with guitar)
Arkady Fillipenko 1 and 4
Hermann Scherhen SQ op.1
Grieg Nº2 (unfinished)
Lekeu
Chausson
6 by Antonio Bazzini
9 by Vissarion Shebalin
3 by Alexander Taneyev
Saint-Saëns
Bruch
Glazunov
Miaskovsky
You can choose. When you've all of that, let me know and I'll recommend some more. Have about 200.


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## Itullian

Odnoposoff said:


> Paganini's 3 traditional string quartets (and a lot with guitar)
> Arkady Fillipenko 1 and 4
> Hermann Scherhen SQ op.1
> Grieg Nº2 (unfinished)
> Lekeu
> Chausson
> 6 by Antonio Bazzini
> 9 by Vissarion Shebalin
> 3 by Alexander Taneyev
> Saint-Saëns
> Bruch
> Glazunov
> Miaskovsky
> You can choose. When you've all of that, let me know and I'll recommend some more. Have about 200.


ok, got 'em. :lol: how about Cherubini?


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## kv466

A certain pianist wrote one worth listening to in the key of f minor.


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## Tapkaara

I wonder if Sibelius's Voces intimae counts. It's not completely obscure but I doubt that it is firmly located on the beaten path of the most often performed quartets.

I feel it is one is Sibelius's more challenging works. It's dark with a slight modernist feeling. It's not overtly melodic like most of his symphonic work.


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## Taneyev

Itullian: The 6 Cherubini's are some of the best romantic quartets of the 19Th.century IMHO. And the Melos recording is just extraordinary. An anthological version.


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## Taneyev

kv466 said:


> A certain pianist wrote one worth listening to in the key of f minor.


Glenn Gould.


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## Weston

If you want to go way, way off the beaten path you could grab a machete and try a string quartet by Emil František Burian, who was a little bit of everything, actor, playwright, singer, composer, and poodle groomer (or something).

I only have the No. 4. It's different at least, and the whole thing is available for hearing on YouTube if you follow the various links.


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## Head_case

....still haven't found it lol. 

Where did you get it?


Listening to Maciej Jablonski's quartet entitled 'E'.

I think he might have intended to entitle it "€" to pay for his electricity bills


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## Prodromides

*I miss Finlandia Records*

Almost all of the album programs done by Finlandia Records during the late 1980s & early 1990s were contemporary and off the beaten path. Here is one of them, and with superb sound recordings as well:










(I wonder if Head_case has got this string quartet music by Usko Merilainen - or any discs of quartets from Finlandia?)


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## Celloissimo

I strongly reccomend Emerson SQ's recordings of Shostakovich String Quartets No. 1 and No. 2. Both beautiful albeit overlooked. Plus this particular Emerson recording is available online for free


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## oogabooha

I've been enjoying Harvey's quartets a lot


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## Head_case

Prodromides - that looks really fascinating. I like Scandinavian flute and wind chamber music much more than string quartets from the same region. 

The Mouvements circulaires en douceur sounds sensually alluring. Is it as good as it sounds? Unfortunately I'm rather ignorant when it comes to Scandinavian string quartet music. 

Curious minds want to know. Let us know!


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## Prodromides

*Finlandia*

Hi, Head_case

Yes, it is an interesting disc. That Finlandia CD was issued in 1987, and it's currently being described by a seller @ CDandLP.com as a "rare" item. I had most likely gotten it by 1995 at Tower Records when they still had a classical annex in Phila. Much to my surprise, the album content (as well as with other Finlandia CDs) is available for download at www.classicsonline.com

http://www.classicsonline.com/catalogue/product.aspx?pid=1614572

If this site functions in your country, you may be able to download. There's 30-second sound samples, too.

The first string quartet (1965) by Merilainen is 12-tone.
Merilainen had went onwards from serialism since then, so, by the time of his 2nd quartet of 1980, his compositional approach had shifted towards creating sound 'particles' which are no longer regulated by exactly defined intervals.

Usko's 1985 _Mouvements circulaires en douceur_ for Pierre-Yves Artaud's Quatuor de flutes Arcadie is primarily concerned with coloristic techniques. Subdued utterances are contrasted with chromatic timbres to animate each member of the flute family. The note-spining lends a jazzy feel throughout, although the music itself is not jazz.

Sensual indeed. Your initial impressions are spot-on! If you do ever get the album in whatever format, I hope you enjoy it.


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## Machiavel

I'd recommend George Onslow quartets. WHy on earth are they not more known by most people including players? It's a shame


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## KenOC

Machiavel said:


> I'd recommend George Onslow quartets. WHy on earth are they not more known by most people including players? It's a shame


Not everybody loved Onslow! de Marliave, writing about Beethoven's Op. 59 quartets in 1928, says: "...among its bitterest enemies was one Onslow, a clever amateur but a musician without genius; he was himself a composer of chamber music and even of symphonies, which he esteemed superior to Beethoven's, and he harbored a grievance in the fact that Beethoven's were preferred to his by Habeneck and the Conservatoire orchestra."


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## ScipioAfricanus

Volkmann, Rheinberger, Volkmann, Rheinberger


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## Art Rock

I second Max Brucch, and personally I quite like the SQ's by Franz Schmidt.


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## Quartetfore

Add to this list Goldmark,Korngold,Dessoff, Fibich,Gernsheim,Schoeck. Zemlinsky. Bonnal,Ropartz and so on. There are a great number of very fine and rewarding Quartets that are NEVER played in concert, but are available on recordings.


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## Head_case

The Franz Schmidt recording (there is only one in print by the austrian group) are very charmingly decadent. Saint Saens lovers will dig these. They sound nothing like the fierce 20th century string quartet literature of his contemporaries.


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## jurianbai

Off the beaten path string quartets? Yes I would like to heard your recommendations. Mines:

from Classical era:
Hummel - three sq, the Delme String quartet CD
Adalberg Gyrowetz - three sq
selection of Boccherinis
Viotti - six sq
Ignaz Pleyel
Albretchberger - by Authentic SQ , nicely composed from this era
Pavel Vranicky
Donizetti - Italian opera composer that composed 18 string quartets
.... there still dozens of unsound Classical era guys that randomly can save the day

George Onslow - glad somebody mentioned him
Louis Spohr - he composed a lot and some did repetition, but there exist something to listen in his

Wilhem Stenhammer
Joseph Joachim Raff
Antonio Bazzini - italian six sq
Joseph Guy Ropartz - French style with lots of folk tune
Vaughan Williams 
John McEwen - Scotland feel
Dohnanyi - three SQ
Borislav Martinu 
Charles Ives - only two SQ, maybe a bit overrated but it's enjoyable - American

and the Russians
Myaskovsky
Sergey Taneyev
Vissarion Shebalin
Kabalevsky
Reinhold Gliere
Glazunov

the modernist
Villa Lobos
Ginastera
Ligetti
Schoenberg
Britten
Ernst Bloch

these are what I really will bring to remote villa, along with those 'on the path' string quartets.

and many other, if this not satisfied you, then I recommend the thread HERE.... :lol:


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## JCarmel

I don't know enough to make any recommendations, really...I'm hear to take the recommendations!


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## Quartetfore

I`m glad to see the Hummel works listed. They where composed just three years after the Beethoven Op18, but seem to be on the cusp of the early Romantic period, while the Beethoven Quartets are a summing up of the Classical period. The Hummel quartets are very enjoyable, and the last in the set to my mind is a little gem.


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## Head_case

jurianbai said:


> Off the beaten path string quartets? Yes I would like to heard your recommendations. Mines:
> 
> Joseph Guy Ropartz - French style with lots of folk tune
> Vaughan Williams
> John McEwen - Scotland feel
> Dohnanyi - three SQ
> Borislav Martinu
> Charles Ives - only two SQ, maybe a bit overrated but it's enjoyable - American
> 
> and the Russians
> Myaskovsky
> Sergey Taneyev
> Vissarion Shebalin
> Kabalevsky
> Reinhold Gliere
> Glazunov
> 
> the modernist
> Villa Lobos
> Ginastera
> Ligetti
> Schoenberg
> Britten
> Ernst Bloch
> 
> these are what I really will bring to remote villa, along with those 'on the path' string quartets.
> 
> and many other, if this not satisfied you, then I recommend the thread HERE.... :lol:


Haha ..none of those are obscure. You've mentioned them in every other thread about string quartets :lol:

Yup - the Gliere, Grechaninov (III & IV), Myaskovsky, Shebalin & Salmanov, Tischenko, Boris Tchaikovsky are all standard repertoire like Beethoven and Haydn quartets now (PS - write this 100 times on the internet and it will become true! :lol

With the obscure repertoire, I love the Stankovich string quartets; the Stachowski set, along with mid-20th century gems like Vladimir Sommer;Jiri Teml, not so much Klusak, but Lysenko, Lourie, Levitin, and Falik are all terrific. Sadly,terribly let down by poor availability on digital format hence their relative obscurity.

Contemporary gems by Maciek, Bargielski and their Polish contempories like Nowak, the student of Alexsander Lason are all wonderful discoveries - this is the obscure stuff of today which will become classics of tomorrow.

Now to repeat this 100 times on the internet


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## Quartetfore

Have just started to do as you request, but my fingers started to get tired so I had to stop.


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## kv466

Den Grieg


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## jurianbai

Lol.. not much obscure string quartet I can quickly fall in love. The list was only a slightly further the upbeat repertoire that got 100 recordings nowdays.

Do you mean Arthur Lourie? That's quite good, I prefer the #3, by Utrecht String Quartet. Which is also recorded Glazunov, Der Roos, Van Delden. I had mentioned them previously. Hope that obscure enough ... lol


































I think I also like Draeseke, Koechlin of French, Fibich, and how about Leukeu.









all listenable for me


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## Head_case

Head_case said:


> Haha ..none of those are obscure. You've mentioned them in every other thread about string quartets :lol:
> 
> Yup - the Gliere, Grechaninov (III & IV), Myaskovsky, Shebalin & Salmanov, Tischenko, Boris Tchaikovsky are all standard repertoire like Beethoven and Haydn quartets now (PS - write this 100 times on the internet and it will become true! :lol
> 
> With the obscure repertoire, I love the Stankovich string quartets; the Stachowski set, along with mid-20th century gems like Vladimir Sommer;Jiri Teml, not so much Klusak, but Lysenko, Lourie, Levitin, and Falik are all terrific. Sadly,terribly let down by poor availability on digital format hence their relative obscurity.
> 
> Contemporary gems by Maciek, Bargielski and their Polish contempories like Nowak, the student of Alexsander Lason are all wonderful discoveries - this is the obscure stuff of today which will become classics of tomorrow.
> 
> Now to repeat this 100 times on the internet





> Have just started to do as you request, but my fingers started to get tired so I had to stop


....99 to go....... :/


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## Prodromides

Head_case might be interested in Edith Canat de Chizy's first string quartet entitled _Vivere_, which can be heard on aeon's CD of her chamber music for strings ("Moving"):










http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2003/Apr03/canat_de_chizy1.htm


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## Novelette

I'm very fond of the String Quartets of Gossec. Charming and sparkling works.


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## worov




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## Selby

worov said:


>


There is something undeniably mystical about Hovhaness' string quartets. Some criticize that they are approaching a "new age" type of feel - but I love them anyway.


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## Head_case

Prodromides said:


> Head_case might be interested in Edith Canat de Chizy's first string quartet entitled _Vivere_, which can be heard on aeon's CD of her chamber music for strings ("Moving"):


Thanks for the recommendation. Suitably entitled "Moving" as I have been...thus the restricted internet access. I've been quite strict with myself, and trying to limit myself to buying complete string quartets on CDs, rather than one string quartet, and other filler bits on a CD. I'll get discovering....


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## Head_case

Mitchell said:


> There is something undeniably mystical about Hovhaness' string quartets. Some criticize that they are approaching a "new age" type of feel - but I love them anyway.


That's how his flute music feels to me:






Oh. It's entitled ''Mystic Flute". Duh! Now I know why!

Was this his take on Mozart's Magic flute?

Great composer with a sonic signature.


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## Melvin

I don't think I saw anyone mention Draeseke? His quartet #1 is great; I'll play it just because I want to hear the opening theme!

Also the Zemlinsky Quartet #1 is pretty alright, and I have enjoyed it on occasion. It has sort of a brahmsy feel. 
...I'm listening to it right now, it's a good one.


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## Quartetfore

The Zemlinsky #1 is one of the very best of the post Brahms quartets. There is a very early quartet composed by Schoenberg very much in the style of Brahms. Its a work without an Opus number. Its played by the Artis Quartet of Vienna, with great care.


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## Melvin

Just came across some surprisingly amazing quartets from "the Spanish Mozart" Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga. He died when he was only 19, but he completed three quartets. I'm listening to #3 right now, and, just, wow, I can't believe how good it is! It's not what I expected from such an obscure composer. A forgotten masterpiece!


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## Selby

Melvin said:


> Just came across some surprisingly amazing quartets from "the Spanish Mozart" Juan Crisóstomo Arriaga. He died when he was only 19, but he completed three quartets. I'm listening to #3 right now, and, just, wow, I can't believe how good it is! It's not what I expected from such an obscure composer. A forgotten masterpiece!


Interesting, I have a record of his small cycle but haven't spent much time with it. I'll be sure to listen to it again soon.


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## KenOC

Arriaga was an enormously talented kid. His three quartets are very like Beethoven's Op. 18, and of nearly the same quality. He also wrote a couple of overtures and a symphony, plus stuff that didn't survive. When I first heard his quartets, I was amazed!

What a loss.


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## Novelette

KenOC said:


> Arriaga was an enormously talented kid. His three quartets are very like Beethoven's Op. 18, and of nearly the same quality. He also wrote a couple of overtures and a symphony, plus stuff that didn't survive. When I first heard his quartets, I was amazed!
> 
> What a loss.


Agreed, Ken. At least Arriaga hasn't been completely relegated to oblivion!

His untimely death is indeed a tragic loss. =\


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## KenOC

Novelette said:


> Agreed, Ken. At least Arriaga hasn't been completely relegated to oblivion!


They remember Arriaga well in Basque country, in Bilbao. Here's the Teatro Arriaga, an opera house named in his honor.


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## jurianbai

That is a nice view of the building and city.
For Arriaga, I somehow feel the three quartets are good, but couldn't need to go beyond that. It's a pity the Spanish kid didn't make it throught the later day, he would be something better by time. I've listen both Camerata Boccherini and Guarneri Quartet CD for Arriaga, and the later seems click more to me.


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## KenOC

Speaking of "off the beaten path," does anybody here listen to Simpson's quartets? I find them very interesting to listen to, if a bit cool.


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## Kleinzeit

Got a lot of time for Simpson's symphonies (and they require it). Indebted to his book on Carl Nielsen, with extra appreciation of Sibelius as well.

Time to Youtube the SQs I guess, because they're beyond the budget. If they came as a box like the syms I'd be first in line.


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## jurianbai

Tan Dun string quartet , Ghost Opera. I'm sure it's off beaten enough... Kronos Quartet and Chinese instruments.









http://amzn.to/19jqAI7


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