# Was I lucky or unlucky?



## juliante (Jun 7, 2013)

The first chamber piece I listened to when classical music finally clicked (in a big way) with me was Death and the Maiden. Five years on and it is still my favourite, by some distance. I wish I still had it to discover .... Can anyone excite me? I do love the late quartets by that German bloke.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Austrian, not German.

Have you heard his string quintet? Even better imo.


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## GreenMamba (Oct 14, 2012)

I think "that German bloke" refers to Beethoven.


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## Steatopygous (Jul 5, 2015)

Do you just want string quartets? there are some extraordinary piano trios, not least by your favourite German and that young Austrian.


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## leroy (Nov 23, 2014)

The surrounding quartets 13 and 15 are pretty good too, how about some Strum und Drang from Haydn?


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

How about piano trios or other piano and string chamber ensembles? The piano adds a new tone color to chamber for me.

Joaquín Turina: Piano Trio in F


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## SARDiver (Jan 6, 2014)

Try Schubert's string quintet.


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## doctorcdf (Jul 16, 2015)

Try Mendelssohn's String Quintets. MDG does a great version with the Leipzig String Quartet.


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## juliante (Jun 7, 2013)

It has yet to fully click with me. I really want it to though!! What's the best version? I only have a little l own one I think. Schuberts quintet that is.


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## SARDiver (Jan 6, 2014)

I don't know if it's the best, but I really like the Alban Berg Quartett with Heinrich Schiff from EMI.


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## Steatopygous (Jul 5, 2015)

Well, there is no best because people look for different things. I have eight accounts because in my younger days I sought it out. But I learnt it with the Amadeus and Pleeth as the second cellist, and still love that account. But to modern ears, used to period performance, it may sound saccharine, or at least too sweet (ie not artificial). Rostropovich tends to dominate. The Raphael are pretty good and the Lindsays. 

Amadeus Quartet, William Pleeth vlc
Hungarian String Quartet, Laszlo Varga vlc
Lindsay Quartet, Douglas Cummings vlc
Melos Quartet, Mstislav Rostropovich vlc
Mstislav Rostropovich vlc, Emerson String Quartet
Raphael Ensemble
Vienna Konzerthaus Quartet, Gunther Weiss vlc
Vienna Philharmonic Quartet, Richard Harand vlc


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## Triplets (Sep 4, 2014)

GreenMamba said:


> I think "that German bloke" refers to Beethoven.


He moved to Austria...


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## juliante (Jun 7, 2013)

Thanks for this


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## EDaddy (Nov 16, 2013)

If you're not opposed to a piano being added as the 5th voice to a string quartet, Schubert's Piano Quintet in A major, D. 667, a.k.a. the Trout Quintet is truly one of the greatest works for quintet ever penned by man. This recording is my personal favorite:


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## Musicophile (May 29, 2015)

Fully agree on Death and the Maiden, love it very very much, and probably more than all others including LvB. As my predecessors I'd add the String Quintet and also include Rosamunde. I've written about my favorite versions on my blog:

http://musicophilesblog.com/2015/06...ing-quintet-played-by-the-pavel-haas-quartet/

http://musicophilesblog.com/2015/06...sic-2-rosamunde-played-by-the-takacs-quartet/


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## GKC (Jun 2, 2011)

juliante said:


> It has yet to fully click with me. I really want it to though!! What's the best version? I only have a little l own one I think. Schuberts quintet that is.


I agree with other replies. The recording by the Alban Berg and H. Schiff is great. Best I've heard.


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Two album recommendations. :tiphat:








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