# Fav Quartet



## 009

My fav quartet is Tackas. Their complete recordings of Haydn's early and late works were superb, so is their interpretation on Schubert's Death and the Maiden.
Wild enough, yet beautifully refined.


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## Daniel

I don't have one favourite quartet (maybe because i have a mixed collection of quartets) 

I adore like you death and the maiden. 

And the Mendelssohn quartets: so amazing. The op. 80 f-minor (Fanny's Requiem) is one of the most moving pieces ever written.


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## jacqueline

What about Shostakovich? His string quartets are very great. Death and the maiden I am also fond of. The beethoven string quartets are wonderful. Brahms quartet no. 1 is so beautiful. The second mv. is really warm and lovely.


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## Daniel

> *Brahms quartet no. 1 is so beautiful. The second mv. is really warm and lovely.*


Absolutely. I love Brahms slow movements 

I must say to my shame i didn't listen to much shostakovich. Must take a look to....oh there is so many to be looked for B)


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## baroque flute

I like Haydn's Emperor Quartet quite a bit. My favorite is actually a quintet, by Beethoven, in E minor. I don't remember what it's called or what the instruments were, but it included piano.


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## godzillaviolist

*chamber music*

My favorite chamber peice for strings isn't a quartet, but Strauss" Capriccio sextet. It's my favorite peice of chamber music


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## Daniel

Strauss' chambermusic I don't know very well. I should have a look on it. What would you suggest to start with? I think he wrote some violin sonatas, hornsonatas? Or shall I start with the Sextet?


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## godzillaviolist

*strauss*

Unfortunatly the Sextet is the only peice of chamber music I've heard by Strauss. His chamber music is hard to find. I've heard the Sextet both in a reccording along with the Brahms sextet, and as it was originally intended, as the overture to Strauss' opera "Capriccio". Though his idea of using a string sextet to open an opera is original, the opera itself isn't very good.


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## Doro

DW said:


> My fav quartet is Tackas. Their complete recordings of Haydn's early and late works were superb, so is their interpretation on Schubert's Death and the Maiden.
> Wild enough, yet beautifully refined.


I also like Takacs a lot, in fact just went to seen a concert of them in New York.
The Emerson String Quartet also is relly great.


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## val

Alban Berg Quartet gave the best version I know of Schubert last two Quartets.
But there is also de Lindsays Quartet: hear Haydn's Quartet opus 54 nº 2!


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## val

Godzillaviolist

Sorry you don't like "Capriccio". I think it is the most perfect and poetic of Strauss operas.


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## godzillaviolist

*capriccio*

I didn't mean to imply that it was awfull or anything like that. When I said it wasn't _very_ good, I meant just that; I didn't think it was Strauss' best. Nearly everything Strauss wrote was good. Personally I preffer Elektra and Ariadne auf Naxos.
However, all this might have changed, I haven't listened to it in nearly a year.


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## Poeme_elegiaque

I like Chausson´s String quartet and Franck´s string quartet....


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## Ray

B)


> I must say to my shame i didn't listen to much shostakovich. Must take a look to....oh there is so many to be looked for B)


Listen to quartet number 6 ..that will really get your attention. Furthermore number 7, a very violent short work, and number 8 which is the most popular one.


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## Ray

*The Italian Quartet*

Personally the Italian Quartet are the best group I have ever heard. Unfortunately they disbanded 30 years ago. I have many of their recordings...amongst the best recordings I have is Schubert's Death and the Maiden Quartet.


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## val

Ray

The Italiano Quartet made two extraordinary recordings: Webern's opus 5, 9 and 28 and, from their complete recording of Beethoven's Quartets the 12th, opus 127. But I also love their version of the the opus 132.
As for Schubert, I prefer the Alban Berg recordings and those of the Viena Philarmonic Quartet (with Boskovsky).


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## kennychoy_126

Hi everyone, I'm new to here.

Some of you were talking about Strauss chamber music. Apart from the Capriccio Sextet, he also wrote 2 Piano Trios, a Piano Quartet, a String Quartet, at least 5 pieces for Piano Quartet, a set of variations for String Trio.

There are a few chamber music I like, such as Brahms Piano Trio no.1 the original version, Beethoven Great Fugue, Nielsen String Quartet no.2, Schubert the BIG G major quartet, Debussy Soanta for Flute, Viola and Harp, and Strauss Piano Quartet.


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## Daniel

Welcome on the board kennychoy_126!

Two other wonderful string quartets are the ones by Camille Saint-Saens! Charming, wonderful in their invention, for me just great works!

Daniel


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## DavidW

DW said:


> My fav quartet is Tackas. Their complete recordings of Haydn's early and late works were superb, so is their interpretation on Schubert's Death and the Maiden.
> Wild enough, yet beautifully refined.


Oh I thought they only recorded Op 76 for Haydn! My bad.

My favorite ensembles are (in no particular order) the Talich, Tackas, Juilliard (early stuff only), Vegh, Ysaye, Panocha, ABQ (early stuff only), Hungarian (early stuff only), Tokyo (early stuff only) and Mosaiques.


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## DavidW

As for my favorite string quartets... Haydn (Op 20 and beyond), Mozart's mature ones, all of Beethoven's, the late Mendelssohn's, the late Dvorak's, all of Bartok's, all of Shostakovich's, Schnittke's #2,3 and Ligeti #2.


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## AnthonyAthletic

I know we all have our favourites, but at the moment I have taken great pleasure in Smetana's two quartets, the recording I have with the Lindsays is a real delight, beautifully charming music. Anyone appreciate these works as much as I do? They are a long way from Shostakovich's world, whom I am exploring along with revisting Beethoven soon.

As for Haydn, well no comment there. I have only heard two, but the happiness it brings many a poster is making me think "*What am I missing out on*". Wonderful music, I do not doubt


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## DavidW

Yeah those Smetana Quartets are good! I had this Brilliant box set with them, Martinu's and Janacek's. All great SQs, Janacek being my fav. Janacek SQs I still have, but the dynamite Skampa Q recording.


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## Gurn Blanston

Seems almost impossible to choose a favorite quartet, because everytime I think of one it's like "but what about... "  

Mozart's last 10, particularly K 465 (Dissonance)

Haydn's last ... 50, particularly Op 76 #2 (Quintens)

Beethoven's last 16, particularly Op 95 (Serioso)

Mendelssohn's 6, particularly Op 44 (all three!)

Schumann's 3

Brahms' first one in c minor Op 51#1

Dvorak's last 10

Tchaikovsky's 3

Smetana & Janacek & Strauss & Debussy & Ravel & ......


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## DavidW

Wow Smetana's feeling the love today!


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## DavidW

That's a clever use of the word _last_ there.


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## Gurn Blanston

DavidW said:


> That's a clever use of the word _last_ there.


Yup.  Every word the truth.


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## Daniel

I'm going to go to the city tomorrow...I'll have a look on the Smetana's!


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## Todd

If we’re talking the actual ensembles, the list isn’t too long, but if we’re talking works . . .

Sticking to string quartet ensembles:

Budapest
Vegh
Emerson
Hungarian
Takacs
Mosaiques
Arditti
Juilliard
Janacek
Skampa
Petersen
Talich


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## Violinista

[I know so typical Mozart's "The Hunt". I've played it many times...love it every time!


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## liebeslieder

Piano Quartet: B&A


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## Zombie Woof

Hello all,
I'm fairly new here. 
For ensembles, I'm very keen on the Takacs, as are a lot of you. I saw the Chilingirians earlier this year and they were superb! I'm also an enthusiast of the period approach taken by the Quatour Mosaiques.
I've always enjoyed the Lindseys' approach. I was sorry when they called it a day, after having seen them many times during their residence at Leicester University. Their final concert here was most memorable, finishing with Beethoven op131. Magnificent evening.

For pieces, Schubert's final quartet has a special place in my listening, as do any of Shostakovich's quartets; they are the intimate private utterances of a passionately troubled man.

Outside of the strictly quartet repertoire, a particular favourite is Chausson's Concert for piano, violin and string Quartet. 
And I think I would also have to place an affectionate hand on Mozart's Trio (Divertimento) K563 in E flat. 

Regards,
ZW


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## Celloman

Dvorak's American quartet is a blast...so are the Beethoven Middle Period quartets.


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## linz

Schnittke's 3rd Quartet as preformed by the Kronos Quartet is an absolute triumph! This work, even though it's somewhat dissonant it is still also extremely beautiful and romantic.


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## World Violist

My old-fashioned side likes the Budapest Quartet. Obvious reasons.
My newfangled side (the side I like the least, I'm afraid) likes the Emerson and the St. Petersburg Quartets (Has anyone heard the St. Petersburg play Borodin's quartet? That is an astounding performance!)


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## MungoPark

There are many rather obscure and rarely recorder string quartets that are very delightful, including Abel's Quartet in a major op. 8 no 5, von Dittersdorff's Quartet no 5 in G major, all string quartets by Saint Georges, and John Marsh's string quartet in B flat major. Other good but not uncommon quartets I like are those by Cherubini, Donizetti, and Rossini.


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## Handel

My favourite quartet (I hope you mean the work and not the chamber orchestra) is Haydn's op. 20 no 2. Intensity. Variety. The whole op. 20 is his greatest quartet opus (better than the famous op. 76 - which very good too).


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## Leporello87

If I absolutely have to pick one, perhaps Op. 131 of Beethoven. I can't imagine living without all the other ones, though!

(I'm assuming "quartet" means just string quartets here.)


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## Frasier

I like the Bartok Quartets, in particular No 5 and played by the Fine Arts Quartet. I had to transcribe the LP to a CD so the sound isn't that great but I like the slightly nervy performance*. Second would be the Juilliard rendering brought off with their usual verve.

As for Beethoven I'll go for the Op 95 played by the Juilliard.


*Just noticed, this has been remastered on CD.


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## Frasier

These CDs arrived and the sound quality is far higher than I expected. The performances are magical. These people can _play_. They follow the score (the 5th at least) closely in dynamics and the articulations are brilliant. They have the ability to change from an easy lightness to darker timbre at will. My single criticsm is that the balance of just the occasional notes here and there might be better. It barely notices though.

As I said earlier, the performance is a little nervy but that gives it a vibrancy missing from the Juilliard (who are incidentally recorded far closer to the standard mezzoforte) and other recordings I've heard. I think I once heard these done by the Berg Quartet and simply didn't like them.

The recording is from 1959 when the simplest miking up was used with great care producing some of the super-fine recordings by Mercury and RCA. It holds up perfectly against modern digital recordings and....I've decided to throw away my CD transcription from the LPs. How did they manage to make LPs sound so BAD with so excellent source material????

Edit: The 3rd seems to make a lot more sense with these people than any I've heard. It's probably the most difficult of the set to listen to and come to terms with.


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## Rod Corkin

Leporello87 said:


> If I absolutely have to pick one, perhaps Op. 131 of Beethoven. I can't imagine living without all the other ones, though!
> 
> (I'm assuming "quartet" means just string quartets here.)


Apparently Beethoven rated this his favourite of the last quartets. No special recommendations for recordings, I play and old Hungarian CD by the Bartok Quartet that is coupled with op127. As good as I have heard of these pieces, but there are others. Alas for me of these only op135 is available on CD performed on gut strings. A rather poor effort by the Eroica Quartet.


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## cato

There are so many quartets that I love it's hard to pick just one.  

I love both Shostakovich's quartets (all of them 1-15) and Beethoven's late quartets. (I don't care for his early works.)

Lately however, I have been really giving a good listen to Tchakovsky's No. 1 and No. 3 quartets, especially the No. 3.

His third quartet is really striking in it's complexity, and sensuality. I really love this work.


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## Guest

I've had many favourite string quartets over the last 15+ years I've been mad keen on classical music.

Guess what. I have a very high regard for a lot of Haydn's music, and among his String Quartets, 76/3 and 76/4 stand out. Of course I love Mozart too, and my favourite is SQ 19 "Dissonance".

Who doesn't like Beethoven? He was tops for me for many years. As noted on another thread, I'm not that keen on the early SQs, but the Middle and Late SQs are obviously superb. Of the late SQs, I guess Op 131 is my favourite. Recently I made what turned out to be a splendid recording of Op 131 from a live event in London by the Emerson Quartet. I'd say this tops the lot in my collection. Among the middle SQs, I have to agree with an earlier poster that Juilliard Op 95 is exceptonally good. I love the Juilliard, especially for Mozart.

Over the past few years I have rather found that I enjoy Schubert's chamber works more than Beethoven. It's all personal taste and I wouldn't want to argue it objectively but I now prefer what I perceive to be the better melody, modulation, edginess of Schubert. I think his String Quintet D 956 is supreme among all chamber music, but confining attention to his String Quartets *"Death & the Maiden" D 810 *is the best, and the Takacs version of this an absolute must have. This is my current overall favourite SQ of all. I'd say Rosamunde D 804 is my next favourite, and the Tokyo SQ is good, extremely clear, and crisp. Next is No 15 D 887, and then No 12, "Quatettsatz, D 703. I just love this last one.

There are many other SQs I like, e.g Borodon SQ2 , Tchaikovsky SQ 1-3, Dvorak SQ 12, Shostakovich 8. I haven't yet been able to get into Bartok's 1-6, although one or two are beginning to appeal slightly.


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## cato

Mango has echoed what I said about Beethoven's quartets. The difference between his early and late SQ is striking. In some ways, listening to the early SQ vs the late ones, you would almost get the immpression that they were written by different composers.

Yes, there is a HUGE difference between his late and early works. I love the late SQ, but the early ones leave me cold.


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## Guest

cato said:


> Mango has echoed what I said about Beethoven's quartets. The difference between his early and late SQ is striking. In some ways, listening to the early SQ vs the late ones, you would almost get the immpression that they were written by different composers.
> 
> Yes, there is a HUGE difference between his late and early works. I love the late SQ, but the early ones leave me cold.


In fact, *Cato*, I said on another thread on 8 June:
_"Beethoven's early string quartets are pretty lack-lustre in my view"_​Posts which are now removed. Make of it what you like.


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## Rod Corkin

*Beethoven early quartets*



cato said:


> Mango has echoed what I said about Beethoven's quartets. The difference between his early and late SQ is striking. In some ways, listening to the early SQ vs the late ones, you would almost get the immpression that they were written by different composers.
> 
> Yes, there is a HUGE difference between his late and early works. I love the late SQ, but the early ones leave me cold.


The early quartets are far less studied then the middle or late ones, which is why they are so often made a mess of. But I have recordings that would make you think again about Op18, cold is the last word that comes to mind. On an interpretive level op18 are as much of a challenge as any of the late quartets, maybe more so even, because it is clear they are so poorly understood by performers.

I suggest op18 were as good as it got for string quartets at the time of composition.


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## ChamberNut

Rod Corkin said:


> Quote one comment from me written here about Beethoven that could be regarded as excessive?? One single quote I challenge you!


Very easy....where on more than one occasion you call upon someone to compare another composer's specific work to Beethoven's and you will "destroy" it!


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## Frasier

Let's get this back on topic (and lighten up a bit)! What about Borodin's #2 Quartet?


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## Leporello87

ChamberNut said:


> Very easy....where on more than one occasion you call upon someone to compare another composer's specific work to Beethoven's and you will "destroy" it!


Maybe so, but I still say it's a shame that we now won't get to hear gems from Rod's extensive period instruments collection...


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## Rod Corkin

ChamberNut said:


> Very easy....where on more than one occasion you call upon someone to compare another composer's specific work to Beethoven's and you will "destroy" it!


That was tongue in cheek bravado for god's sake. A vain attempt to add some life where none exists. Forgive me but I am not one of the living corpses I witness every weekend in Oxford Circus HMV Classical Department. Last week there was an old man with a live cat draped around his shoulders wandering about the Wagner section!


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## Rod Corkin

Leporello87 said:


> Maybe so, but I still say it's a shame that we now won't get to hear gems from Rod's extensive period instruments collection...


I'll post them anyway in my own topic, together with stuff from my Handel collection which is 5 times bigger! Who said I was a Beethoven obsessive...? Roll on my genuine favourite topic, Handel vs Bach!!! I 'destroyed' the Bachian Robert Newman in this battle already at my own now defunked Handel forum  I presume this at least meets with general approval!

Proviso: Anyone who listens to the tracks by default accepts my right to present them. Don't call me an obsessive AFTER you've has a good listen!

But back on topic, Beethoven is truly the king of the string quartet, pick whichever one you like to be the best.


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## Leporello87

Rod Corkin said:


> I'll post them anyway in my own topic, together with stuff from my Handel collection which is 5 times bigger!


Nice! I can't wait to hear some. And really, there should be no problem with simply uploading the mp3's, if the "combat" nature is suppressed. Having said that, I am usually game for a substantial discussion/argument...



> Who said I was a Beethoven obsessive...? Roll on my genuine favourite topic, Handel vs Bach!!!


Well, given your misguided insistence on the superiority of Handel, the discussion will probably end up going on for much longer than it deserves 



> Beethoven is truly the king of the string quartet


Sadly, no argument from me there  Haydn has some very nice quartets, and definitely a ton of them, but I don't enjoy them nearly as much as Beethoven's. The late quartets speak of some different universe altogether.


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## Rod Corkin

Leporello87 said:


> Nice! I can't wait to hear some. And really, there should be no problem with simply uploading the mp3's, if the "combat" nature is suppressed. Having said that, I am usually game for a substantial discussion/argument...


The music speaks for itself, I need say not a word.



Leporello87 said:


> Well, given your misguided insistence on the superiority of Handel, the discussion will probably end up going on for much longer than it deserves


Ah I see you have your own favourite, so be it, but all Rob could present was a succession of chorales and other choruses from church cantatas, whereas I offered some of Handel's oratorio epics! No contest really, hope you or somebody can do better than Rob.



Leporello87 said:


> The late quartets speak of some different universe altogether.


And yet Tchaikovsky thought they were rubbish. You see, in the world of music you can't buy or work or study your way to good taste. You've either got it, or you haven't.


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## ChamberNut

Frasier said:


> What about Borodin's #2 Quartet?


I'll add to that Borodin's 1st Quartet. 

I got both quartets yesterday, and I was really impressed by how beautiful both these quartets are.


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## Ephemerid

Betthoven's 16th quartet and also the 14th, without a doubt.

Shostakovich's 8th quartet, as well as the 13th and the 15th are high on my list (especially the heartbreaking 8th).

Barber's 4tet, especially for the adagio.

Debussy's & Ravel's 4tets are quite good & I've heard one (his only one?) by Faure that I thought was beautiful...

But those two Beethoven quartets are pure bliss. 

~ josh


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## Gladiator

fool on the hill said:


> Betthoven's 16th quartet and also the 14th, without a doubt.
> 
> Shostakovich's 8th quartet, as well as the 13th and the 15th are high on my list (especially the heartbreaking 8th).
> 
> ~ josh


I think Shostakovich's 8th is my favorite...at least this week.


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## CampOfTheSaints

I guess I'd have to say mine is Shostakovich's 8th. There is really nothing like it by any other composer, living, or dead. It is my understanding that he wrote it after visiting the bombed out ruins of Dresden after the war, but I have also read that he had the outline for it well before the start of the war. Some say it is a musical protest against war, some say against Nazism, some say against Communism, and some say it is a protest against all three.

Either way, it is some of the most powerful, emotional music ever written by a composer. If you have yet to hear it, do yourself a favor, and give it a listen, you will never be the same after you have heard this wonderful, but sad composition.


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## ChamberNut

CampOfTheSaints said:


> I guess I'd have to say mine is Shostakovich's 8th. There is really nothing like it by any other composer, living, or dead. It is my understanding that he wrote it after visiting the bombed out ruins of Dresden after the war, but I have also read that he had the outline for it well before the start of the war. Some say it is a musical protest against war, some say against Nazism, some say against Communism, and some say it is a protest against all three.
> 
> Either way, it is some of the most powerful, emotional music ever written by a composer. If you have yet to hear it, do yourself a favor, and give it a listen, you will never be the same after you have heard this wonderful, but sad composition.


I am going to check this one out tomorrow!


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## Ephemerid

Oh, yes-- Shostakovich's 8th 4tet is one of the most saddest pieces of music ever written... Without reading TOO much into it, there is the D - Eb - C - B motif which spells our DSCH (in German) which appears all over the place in that piece. Shostakovich wrote this originally as a sort of "suicide note" (this was right after he was given "an offer he couldn't refuse" to officially join the Communist party). He actually quotes other pieces of his throughout as well. 

The second movement is terrifying and the demonic waltz of the third movement has some black humour (the odd note being held out for an inordinate amount of time, as if its a machine that's stuck or broken). 

While it was written with the pretense of it being about war-torn Europe, he had confided that it was also about himself. Getting the "offer" was the straw that broke the camel's back-- thankfully there was a close circle of friends that convinced him to not commit suicide. 

The D-Eb-C-B motif shows up prominently at the end of his 10th Symphony as well in the finale, which I've always taken as a big "f*** you Stalin, I'm still alive you *******!" (damn! that's what I feel when that moment happens!) The very end has always struck me as an odd ending for a symphony supposedly mourning the death of Stalin-- it sounds to me more like "Ding dong the witch is dead!" LOL I believe he (yet again) got into trouble with the "authorities" on that because of the gleeful ending, and Shostakovich once again had to play the "What? Who? Me?" role. 

Yeah, I cannot more highly recommend Shostakovich's 8th 4tet. Incidentally, there is a string orchestra arrangement of it, entitled "Chamber Symphony" (op. 110a). I still prefer the original 4tet version, but the string orchestra version is worth exploring too.

~josh


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