# What are your favorite Shostakovich String Quartets?



## RobertJTh (Sep 19, 2021)

I've been listening a lot to these pieces recently, both in the Fitzwilliam Quartet recordings and the Borodin Quartet (Melodiya).
As a row of chamber music masterpieces, it must be unequaled in the 20th century. And together, these quartets tell the story of a life, the evolution of an artist - even more so than the more famous cycle of symphonies. We get to know the real Shostakovich here, free of the stylistic restrictions that were imposed on his more "public" orchestral works.

Which ones are your favorites, and why? Of course #8 will be on top, I would be surprised if it weren't - but it would be great to see some love for the more neglected ones in the cycle.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I went with my current faves (4,6,8). As for recordings there are many paths to nirvana and no fans of these quartets ever seem to agree (see also Bartok). As I said these are just the last 3 that I listened to more than once. If you'd have asked me a few months ago I'd have come up with 2, 5 and 8. The eighth has remained a favourite and no doubt will be for many others, too, just because its such a superb quartet.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

All of them, with the 8th as primus inter pares. None of them score below "essential" in my personal rating system.


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## maestro267 (Jul 25, 2009)

8, 12 and 13 for me.


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## Barbebleu (May 17, 2015)

Perm any three from fifteen. I’m with Art on this. 😎


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## RobertJTh (Sep 19, 2021)

Art Rock said:


> All of them, with the 8th as primus inter pares. None of them score below "essential" in my personal rating system.


Agreed. In the cycle of symphonies there are a couple of weak installments (2, 3, 12, maybe 11 too) but I can't name a single string quartet that's less than excellent. Not even the 1st, such a delightfully bright-eyed work (though the Fitzwilliams unearthed quite a bit of Weltschmerz from beneath the sunny surface...)
Then there's the two "symphonic" quartets, 2 and 3, big meaty works, stylistically as far removed from the lean and mean later quartets as possible. Nevertheless, very impressive.
To my ears, the "real" Shostakovich appeared in the trilogy 4-6, with its ironic statements, biting sarcasm, infinite depth of expression in the slow movements - and the spicy Klezmer-infused melodies. Hard to choose one from this group of quartets, I went for 6.
After that there's 7 and 8, I always loved 7 (it was the first DSCH quartet I heard, taped off the radio), so concise and to the point, like a definitive distillation of Shostakovich' middle style. The famous #8 never really clicked with me, I find it a bit "over the top" and one-dimensional.
But 9 is probably my single favorite work in the cycle. It just does everything right. All the familiar elements are there, combined and polished to perfection. 10 and 11 follow in its wake, with 10 maybe being too much of a close sibling to 9 - and it pales in comparison. 11 is just plain weird, sort of an even more bone-dry version of 8 - but strinkingly original.
Then comes the 4 late quartets, with the trilogy of 12, 13 and 14 each highlighting a single instrument. Difficult works, with 12 and 13 probably the least immediately accessible of the cycle. 12 is the most "symphonic" of the late quartets, with a huge range of expression, controlled by very tight melodic development. It's maybe the most technically accomplished quartet of the series.
I still have trouble understanding 13, it's so hermetic and locked up in itself - and very, very depressing too. Even more so than 15.
14 is another sort of enigma, but it's much more bright and open, more bittersweet than sad.
I always regarded 15 as a sort of stretched out, valedictory version of 8, with the same kind of single-minded expression. It's not my favorite, but it works very well as a conclusion of the series.

So in short, it's 6, 9, 12 for me.


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## HerbertNorman (Jan 9, 2020)

I like all of them , 3 , 8 and 12 have a special place in my heart though.


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## Waehnen (Oct 31, 2021)

At this time, I choose 3, 8 and 12. Cannot really explain why. For me the Shosta quartets mean more than the symphonies. Seems like this medium suits the composer perfectly.

Edit: Oh, I happened to choose the same as @HerbertNorman !


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

I'm with @Art Rock on this one. All of them are outstanding. For me, one of the most important SQ cycles of the 20th Century. Absolutely incredible music.


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## Neo Romanza (May 7, 2013)

Waehnen said:


> At this time, I choose 3, 8 and 12. Cannot really explain why. For me the Shosta quartets mean more than the symphonies. Seems like this medium suits the composer perfectly.
> 
> Edit: Oh, I happened to choose the same as @HerbertNorman !


I think it's apples and oranges. The symphonies, concerti, orchestral suites, ballets, operas, etc. are Shostakovich's public face whereas the chamber and solo piano music are the private face. They both serve their purpose and Shostakovich does so masterfully.


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## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

I voted 2, 5 & 11 the only three without any love so far - simply because none of these quartets deserve to be left with no votes.


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## methuselah (10 mo ago)

3, 8, 9. 3 is basically four distinct works in one, so that's cool; 8 is high-brow death metal and more; 9 is folky, morbid, ironic, etc. 9 is easily my favorite. 5, 6, 10, 12 and 15 are solid. 1, 2, 7, 11, 13, 14 haven't clicked with me.


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## robertcostagliola10 (17 d ago)

Listening to Borodin Quartet play No. 11. Very eerie. Very well-recorded and played. I also have Emerson, Fiztwilliam, Beethoven quartets cycle. Quartet No. 3 (1st movement) sounds more musical and catchy. I have to listen to The Shoshtakovitch Qt. perform these (they have good reviews). I have yet to hear The Danel Qt., Manhattan Qt., Rubio Qt., Kontra Qt. and Eder Qt. perform Shostakovitch quartets.

Mandelring Quartet recording is really good. I like String Quartet No. 6.
I just purchased Mandelring Quartet CD, Shostakovich Quartet CD, Pacifica Qt. and entire Emerson Quartet CD. I listened to Rubio Quartet (on youtube) and didn't really do anything for me.
Penguin Guide to Classical Music states that Beethoven Quartet recording is the finest and closest to Shostakovich.


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