# History of the String Quartet



## Olias

I'm putting together a series of lessons for high school orchestra students on the history of the string quartet. Given the time I have to present it, I've decided to pull excerpts from ten landmark string quartets that cover the entire development of the genre.

To avoid my personal bias getting in the way, I would like to know what 10 string quartets people here would select to present in an overview.


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## Aramis

Haydn - Beethoven #14 - Schubert #14 - Grieg #1 - Debussy - Ravel - Webern op. 28 - Shostakovich #8 - Penderecki #2 

Haydn, Beethoven, Debussy and Schubert for influence. Ravel, Webern, Shostakovich and Penderecki because of being major examples of particular styles. Grieg for being one of peaks of nationalistic style in music, maybe the greates in string quartet genre. 

I listed 9 because I'm not sure about last one which should be example of minimalism


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## Nix

I don't know which composers overall I would present, but I know for specific composers which ones I would show them. That being a Haydn Op. 20 to show it in its early years, and Haydn #61 to show how he advanced it. Then also try Beethoven 7 and 14 to show how he progressed it (these 2 by themselves were probably the most important in it's development). Then also try Debussy, Bartok 4 and Shostakovich 8. Not sure about the rest of the gaps (i.e. late romantic, contemporary).


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## Quartetfore

I would add the Dvorak "American" quartet. The others all ready listed pretty much would do it. `Though you might you might add the 4th of Bartok.


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## Webernite

Haydn and Schubert should definitely be in there, and hadn't you better mention the Grosse Fuge? I'd also go with the last movement of Schoenberg No. 2 over the Webern quartet. It's the first movement he wrote without a key signature, and therefore his first officially atonal work.


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## jurianbai

apart from said above can add Borodin's No.2 for sample from Russian influence.
Elliot Carter or Ligetti, for contemporary sample. Phillip Glass for minimalist, maybe.


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## elgar's ghost

By and large I agree with the suggestions above, although my choice for chronologically bookending Haydn would be Reich's Different Trains. As I'm biased towards his works I would also try to fit in one of Hindemith's quartets as well.


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## hocket

I suppose it depends what you're hoping to achieve. If the examples are supposed to be showing the history and development of the quartet then it might be wise to include quartets by Sammartini showing their original relationship to the symphony, or perhaps even Alessandro Scarlatti's quartet.


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## emiellucifuge

At least one by Beethoven!
And also Schoenberg's 2nd was quite important, including a soprano.


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## Olias

Wow, this could be a long course. 

Okay, here's what I've put together so far. Feel free to tweak if you think I am leaving out something extremely important. (I know I'm leaving a LOT out but I have limited time to teach this so I have to pick and choose).

1) Haydn - Op 33 #3 "Bird"
2) Mozart - #19 "Dissonance"
3) Beethoven - #7 "Razumovsky 1"
4) Beethoven - #14
5) Schubert - #14 "Death and the Maiden"
6) Dvorak - #12 "American"
7) Debussy - Op 10 Quartet
8) Bartok - #4
9) Shostakovich - #8
10) ??? (Carter, Crumb, Reich, Schoenberg)


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## Aramis

C'mon, Dvorak doesn't represent anything important except maybe conservative romanticism in last decades of XIX century. Why should he be at this list when so much more important styles like serialism and sonorism are not represented at all?


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## Webernite

Yeah, I think I'd cut the Dvorak so that you have room for a minimalist as well as Schoenberg.


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## PianoCoach

Since the string quartets started in the Classical era, I would start with a Haydn Quartet (the bird as mentioned would be great .... the "squawking" would be interesting to the high school aged kids, and would illustrate Haydn's clever wit). Next would be Mozart, my favorite is the Hunt Quartet (K 458). Then I would take the opportunity to show the influence of Hayden and Mozart on the early Beethoven. Beethoven honored Hayden (Opus 18 no 2 in G major) with "bows" and "curtsy's" which are easily heard in the first movement. Beethoven modeled Mozart (Opus 18 no 5 in A major) as he borrowed a theme from Mozart. From this beginning, you could show the development of the greatest quartet composer in history .... Beethoven.

His Razumovsky quartets were mature Beethoven at his finest. Although written, as required by his patron Razumovsky, each quartet included a Russian theme. 

After Beethoven wrote the 9th Symphony, he spent the remainder of his life writing string quartets. These are great works. Probably the most popular was the Grand Fugue which was originally written as the final movement for the opus 130 quartet in Bb Major. But after performance, he was encouraged to write a new finale of lighter work. The Grand Fugue is now a stand alone work.

I am not too familiar with the Romantic and 20th Century String Quartet works.


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## Sebastien Melmoth

I've given the top five SQs as:

The top five most `popular' string quartets:

1) Haydn `Emperor' Quartet (C-major) Op. 76 No. 3 
2) Beethoven `Resolution' Quartet (F-major) Op. 135 
3) Tchaikovsky `Cantabile' Quartet (D-major) Op. 11 
4) Borodin `Notturno' Quartet (D-major) No. 2 
5) Dvorák `American' Quartet (F-major) B. 179.

http://www.amazon.com/Dvorák-String-Quartet-Antonin-Dvorak/dp/B000007SZV/ref=cm_cr-mr-img


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## emiellucifuge

The list is too conservative Olias,
if you want to properly represent the entire history you dont need two by beethoven, nor do you need a total of 5 from the classical era alone. 

What you should include is:
Schoenberg 2
One minimalist composition
An avant Garde
Shostakovich 8
Late romantic
Early Romantic (Beethoven)
Haydn

Flesh it out a bit with three more wherever you like


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## Argus

Olias said:


> Wow, this could be a long course.
> 
> Okay, here's what I've put together so far. Feel free to tweak if you think I am leaving out something extremely important. (I know I'm leaving a LOT out but I have limited time to teach this so I have to pick and choose).
> 
> 1) Haydn - Op 33 #3 "Bird"
> 2) Mozart - #19 "Dissonance"
> 3) Beethoven - #7 "Razumovsky 1"
> 4) Beethoven - #14
> 5) Schubert - #14 "Death and the Maiden"
> 6) Dvorak - #12 "American"
> 7) Debussy - Op 10 Quartet
> 8) Bartok - #4
> 9) Shostakovich - #8
> 10) ??? (Carter, Crumb, Reich, Schoenberg)


For minimalist, probably Reich's Different Trains, although it does use tape. For SQ only, go for Glass' SQ #3 or Feldman's #2.

If you drop Dvorak like Aramis suggested, add either Stockhausen's Helicopter SQ or Xenakis' Tetora.


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## jurianbai

I know I should not post this here.... but in paralel to the thread "Attacking contemporary ...... ", if we included Xenakis Tetora, which I like to think as different kind of music, then we must included many other kind of music using String Quartet as their ensemble. Maybe Bond or Vitamin String Quartet should be included as well.. I know I shouldn't open the pandora box..but I'm love to read .. debate..:devil:

For serious recomendation, add Gorecki's.


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## Olias

Aramis said:


> C'mon, Dvorak doesn't represent anything important except maybe conservative romanticism in last decades of XIX century. Why should he be at this list when so much more important styles like serialism and sonorism are not represented at all?


I included Dvorak as an example of the post 1848 Nationalism movement, but I take your point.


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## Delicious Manager

As manager of a top quartet, perhaps I have some insight into this. If forced, my list of 10 _landmark_ quartets (popularity doesn't enter into it) would comprise:

Haydn - D minor, Op 9 No 4 (the first 'true' string quartet - the first of the Op 9 set to be written)(1771)
Mozart - C major K 465 (_Dissonance_)(1785)
Schubert - D minor D 810 (_Death and the Maiden_)(1824)
Beethoven - C-sharp minor Op 131 (No 14)(1826)
Debussy (1893)
Schoenberg - No 2 Op 10 (1908)
Janáček - No 1 (_Kreutzer Sonata_)
Bartók - No 3 (1926)
Elliott Carter - No 1 (1951)
Shostakovich - No 8 Op 110 (1960)


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## Olias

Delicious Manager said:


> As manager of a top quartet, perhaps I have some insight into this. If forced, my list of 10 _landmark_ quartets (popularity doesn't enter into it) would comprise:
> 
> Haydn - D minor, Op 9 No 4 (the first 'true' string quartet - the first of the Op 9 set to be written)(1771)
> Mozart - C major K 465 (_Dissonance_)(1785)
> Schubert - D minor D 810 (_Death and the Maiden_)(1824)
> Beethoven - C-sharp minor Op 131 (No 14)(1826)
> Debussy (1893)
> Schoenberg - No 2 Op 10 (1908)
> Janáček - No 1 (_Kreutzer Sonata_)
> Bartók - No 3 (1926)
> Elliott Carter - No 1 (1951)
> Shostakovich - No 8 Op 110 (1960)


THANKS :tiphat:


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## Victor

Olias said:


> Wow, this could be a long course.
> 
> Okay, here's what I've put together so far. Feel free to tweak if you think I am leaving out something extremely important. (I know I'm leaving a LOT out but I have limited time to teach this so I have to pick and choose).
> 
> 1) Haydn - Op 33 #3 "Bird"
> 2) Mozart - #19 "Dissonance"
> 3) Beethoven - #7 "Razumovsky 1"
> 4) Beethoven - #14
> 5) Schubert - #14 "Death and the Maiden"
> 6) Dvorak - #12 "American"
> 7) Debussy - Op 10 Quartet
> 8) Bartok - #4
> 9) Shostakovich - #8
> 10) ??? (Carter, Crumb, Reich, Schoenberg)


Olias, I'm no music teacher, but I'd suggest you leave off the last three from your provisional list (Bartok, Shostakovitch and Scheonberg), so as not to alienate your students. Instead, add Haydn's "Lark" Op 64 No 5, Tchaikovsky's Op 11 No 1 in D (Cantabile), and Borodin's No 2 in A (Notturno). In this way, you might instill, in some of your students, an appreciation for the beauty, clarity, and tunefulness of string quartets in our western classical tradition.

I think it is appropriate to have two works by Haydn, as he was the "Father' of the string quartet.


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## elgar's ghost

I have to disagree, Victor - any history of the quartet MUST include post-romantic works from the 20th Century. Otherwise it would be like explaning the evolution of man and then suddenly curtailing at the Neanderthal stage. Modern works have to be included however unpalatable they may appear at first listen, and I think most students would be sufficiently open-minded to appreciate their merits and their contribution to the repertoire. It would be both pointless and unrepresentative for any list to stay stuck in a classical/romantic loop and give the impression that no progress has been made since then.


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## Delicious Manager

Victor said:


> Olias, I'm no music teacher, but I'd suggest you leave off the last three from your provisional list (Bartok, Shostakovitch and Scheonberg), so as not to alienate your students.


This is PRECISELY how closed-minded attitudes towards 'difficult' music arise. Shame on you!


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## Webernite

If Olias's students can't handle the Shostakovitch quartets, of all things, they're never going to get anywhere.


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## Olias

Webernite said:


> If Olias's students can't handle the Shostakovitch quartets, of all things, they're never going to get anywhere.


Actually, in years past I've sampled DSCH 8th SQ with the kids and they usually get into it, especially when they learn the history behind that particular piece.


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## Webernite

That's what I meant. The Shostakovitch quartets aren't that difficult to understand, so it would be surprising if your students couldn't "get" them.

I was replying to Victor, who said, "I'd suggest you leave off the last three from your provisional list (Bartok, Shostakovitch and Scheonberg), so as not to alienate your students."


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## Olias

Webernite said:


> That's what I meant. The Shostakovitch quartets aren't that difficult to understand, so it would be surprising if your students couldn't "get" them.
> 
> I was replying to Victor, who said, "I'd suggest you leave off the last three from your provisional list (Bartok, Shostakovitch and Scheonberg), so as not to alienate your students."


I knew what you meant, and although I understand Victor's point, I think that with the right preparation and historical context the students (or anyone for that matter) can find the more modern quartets accessible.


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## Head_case

Hmmm. I was wondering .... if living in the modern era makes modern quartets more accessible.....or letting time elapse, like a few hundred years....makes them more accessible. Does modern history become more relevant to us, than say, ancient history? Possibly not....since we all start off learning about ancient history, rather than contemporary history...?

Maybe there is no relationship between _time_ and _appreciation_ of a modern string quartet.

Maybe it depends more, on the state of mind...and the state of preparedness of a student's mind. Maybe some get it...some won't....some will return to it when they are ready.

Guess all you can do is get them ready to experience it - and it looks like you're already doing that! Including Shosty's String Quartet No.VIII. You'd be surprised at how many students connect with it. I for one, found it rivetting. I guess a lot of heavy metal loving students will also connect better with Shostakovich, than say, Brahms or Haydn.

Good luck!


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