# Favorite String Quartets (Musicians)



## Common Listener

I couldn't find a thread on this except for one thread where the OP seemed to mean this but the thread turned into a discussion of favorite pieces (though I feel like such a thread must exist). I mean here the performers/musicians/players like the Guarneri, Juilliard, etc. Quartets, not the composers like Haydn or pieces like "Sunrise."

So what are your favorite quartets - either all-around or for specific composers or periods or whatever (and, if you feel like, why)?


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## Brahmsian Colors

Raphael Ensemble, Quartetto Italiano, Budapest String Quartet, Melos Quartet, Tokyo Quartet, Borodin Quartet


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## DaddyGeorge

There are many, but I try to pick some:

Pavel Haas Quartet
Janáček Quartet (in the original cast)
Cuarteto Casals
Takács Quartet
Cleveland Quartet (especially their Beethoven)
Medici String Quartet (their Janáček Quartets)
Quatuor Mosaïques (they play period instruments)

and many others


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## Allegro Con Brio

The Italianos for their classical elegance and warmth, the Lindsays for their opulent tone and idiosyncratic interpretations, Juilliard for their lighter "French" approach, Takacs for their highly expressive playing, and Busch for the joyful sense of discovery.


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## D Smith

Off the top of my head...

Belcea
Doric
Elias
Pacifica
Pavel Haas
Maggini
Emerson
Italiano
Alban Berg


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## Merl

Takacs
Hagen
Vegh
Alexander
Belcea
Kodaly
Italiano
Panocha


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## Common Listener

I was thinking people might be as passionate about their quartets as many are about their conductors and orchestras (or rock bands). Either way, it looks like Takacs and Italiano may have the edge, at least so far.  Any particular "best works" (or maybe better, "most representative") for them?


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## Merl

Common Listener said:


> I was thinking people might be as passionate about their quartets as many are about their conductors and orchestras (or rock bands). Either way, it looks like Takacs and Italiano may have the edge, at least so far.  Any particular "best works" (or maybe better, "most representative") for them?


There's no performance that is representative of the Takacs' sound as they sound very different in their recordings of SQs. For example their Bartok set has great virtuosity, is forceful and hypnotic. Listen to the Early quartets in their Beethoven cycle and you'd think it was a totally different quartet. They even manage to shift gears for their traversals of the middle and late quartets. It's hard to generalise about the Takacs (apart from they are all terrific musicians). Its a little easier to generalise about the Italianos. Suave, refined, polished and technically immaculate would sum up many of their recordings. Some don't appreciate them but I imprinted on their Beethoven cycle so have a big soft spot for their recordings. I suggest you take a listen and see what approach suits you best in individual works however I can't recommend the Takacs' Beethoven and Bartok highly enough.

Oh, and yes, some people do have a little bias about their choice of quartets but it's nowhere near as pervasive as the conductor fanboys. Most people who listen to SQs just want to hear a great performance. They're less bothered by who's making the music.


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## Enthusiast

Having finally found the Tatrai Quartet recordings of Bartok and going back to those of their Haydn quartets that I have has led me to feel they were something very special. Going further back, the Busch Quartet need to be heard in any recording they made that has reasonable sound (quite a few IMO - the late Beethovens, some late Schubert, Brahms). The Takacs, Vegh, Borodin and Italiano quartets are also among those I seek out.


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## Mandryka

Common Listener said:


> I couldn't find a thread on this except for one thread where the OP seemed to mean this but the thread turned into a discussion of favorite pieces (though I feel like such a thread must exist). I mean here the performers/musicians/players like the Guarneri, Juilliard, etc. Quartets, not the composers like Haydn or pieces like "Sunrise."
> 
> So what are your favorite quartets - either all-around or for specific composers or periods or whatever (and, if you feel like, why)?


Bozzoni 
Ebene

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## erki

Kronos Quartet
Janáček Quartet
Alban Berg Quartet


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## Oldhoosierdude

The most recordings I have by any single quartet is the Fine Arts Quartet. Followed by the Cleveland Quartet and the Emerson Quartet. 

As to why. My Cleveland works were free downloads, yes legal. They played very well indeed. So much that I do not seek further recordings of those works. The Emerson Quartet I find to be supremely competent. The main criticism I see on them is too technical and exacting . I like that everything is clear and concise, black and white if you will. I know I am going to hear the music when I listen to them. The Fine Arts Quartet from the 70s is mastery. Rich and precise at the same time. Enjoyable first note to last. My first choice for the works I have of them. 

There are other Quartets I have that I also like what little I have of them. Kodaly, Medici, Arcata. A few others. 

I have to say that I have tried some of the oft mentioned favorite quartets and liked others better.


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## Judith

Love the Endellion String Quartet. Have a few recordings by them and seen them live for the past few years. Pity, it's their final season this year and don't know if we will get to see them due to virus


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## camus

I don't have an absolute favorite - I only have favorite versions of particular pieces. But I want to say that Borodin no2 by the current Borodin Quartet was a letdown to me. Watched live last year. First violin was plain and dry and rushy. Not saying he was bad, not at all. He was technically impeccable but the interpretation was not comparable to the older team, and certainly did not meet my expectations.


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## Rogerx

Pavel Haas Quartet
Takács Quartet
Aeolian String Quartet
Alban Berg quartet 
In no particular order .


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## Musicaterina

Quartetto Italiano, Hagen Quartett


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## Shosty

Amadeus quartet
Quartetto Italiano (Schubert)
LaSalle Quartet (Beethoven)
Borodin Quartet (particularly for Shostakovich)
Kronos Quartet


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## Simplicissimus

I have two favorite quartets: Emerson and Guarneri.

The Emerson Quartet became a favorite when in 1989 I started seeing them give concerts at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, where they were in residence every year. For the next ten years, while I lived in the DC area, I tried to see them play as often as possible. It was natural for me to collect their recordings after liking them so well in concert.

I never saw the Guarneri Quartet play, but I love their recordings and I recently enjoyed a week-long guest appearance by the first violin, Arnold Steinhardt, on Bill McGlaughlin's _Exploring Music_ radio show. He talked about the 45-year run of the Quartet, which was fascinating. I got into "the Guarneris" in the 1980s by word of mouth among my CM friends and started buying their LPs and CDs.

I tend to prefer the Guarneris for Mozart and Beethoven, and the Emerson Quartet for Dvorak, Bartok, and Shostakovich (to name several of the major string quartet composers that I like). The Guarneris have a lively interplay among the players and a lot of personality, which makes Mozart and Beethoven come alive for me. The Emerson Quartet has the precision and cool-headedness to manage the later composers in the way I like.

Franz


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## Quartetfore

Merl said:


> There's no performance that is representative of the Takacs' sound as they sound very different in their recordings of SQs. For example their Bartok set has great virtuosity, is forceful and hypnotic. Listen to the Early quartets in their Beethoven cycle and you'd think it was a totally different quartet. They even manage to shift gears for their traversals of the middle and late quartets. It's hard to generalise about the Takacs (apart from they are all terrific musicians). Its a little easier to generalise about the Italianos. Suave, refined, polished and technically immaculate would sum up many of their recordings. Some don't appreciate them but I imprinted on their Beethoven cycle so have a big soft spot for their recordings. I suggest you take a listen and see what approach suits you best in individual works however I can't recommend the Takacs' Beethoven and Bartok highly enough.
> 
> Oh, and yes, some people do have a little bias about their choice of quartets but it's nowhere near as pervasive as the conductor fanboys. Most people who listen to SQs just want to hear a great performance. They're less bothered by who's making the music.


Right on the money!!


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## Knorf

An ensemble that by all rights should have received more notice and enthusiasm is the Pražák Quartet. I discovered them when I picked up their superb Schönberg cycle, and they are fabulous in every corner of the repertoire I've heard them in. Alas, almost all of their recordings are currently out of print, on the Praga label.

I'll always have a soft spot for LaSalle, for their advocacy of 20th c. quartets, and Emerson, because I've been privileged to hear them live so many times, and have gotten to know them personally a little. 

The Arditti Quartet is staggering in their virtuosity and accomplishment in the most difficult repertoire there is. They have almost single-handedly kept the string quartet repertoire alive and vibrant to the present day. I have fond memories of hearing a performance of theirs live, in Darmstadt, in a tiny room with no air conditioning, on a 40c day, in a concert with Ligeti String Quartet No. 2 and works by Donatoni, Xenakis, and I forget whom else. Life changing! I got to know their cellist, Rohan de Saram, when he played a piece of mine at a festival. One of the most amazing musicians I've ever met!

Also I must plug the Cuarteto Latinoamericano, for their tremendous skill and musicianship, and for their advocacy of Western Hemisphere repertoire that is otherwise seldom heard: Villa-Lobos, Lavista, Revueltas, Chávez, Sierra, etc. I had the privilege of getting drunk with these guys. (Really just heavily tipsy.) Lovely people!


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## Avey

My favorites are inevtiably those that I've seen mutliple times in concert. Those being more contemporary, younger and based on regional connections -- *Dover* and *Miro*. I am a huge fan of *Takacs* after seeing them live once. Other than that, based purely on theatrical releases, *Belcea* is amazing. 100% in on that group.


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## PeterF

The difficulty here is that I have certain favorites for playing certain composers. That is based on the recordings I have. 
Beethoven - Suske, Italiano, Smetana, Gewandhaus
Brahms - Amadesus, Prazak
Haydn - Kodaly, Schneider, Daedalus, Panocha, Borodin, Tatrai, Tokyo, Doric
Mendelssohn - Zemlinsky, Mandelring
Mozart - Italiano, Chilingarian, Smetana, Suskeu
Schubert - Mandelring, Juilliard
Dvorak - Panocha, Zemlinsky

String quartets


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## BlackAdderLXX

Thanks to everyone who mentioned Pavel Haas. I've been listening to them today and they are fantastic.


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