# Your Ten Favorite String Quartets



## LvB

The title says it all.

Mine (as always, in no particular order and off the top of my head):

1) Beethoven #10 in Eb, Op. 74, "The Harp"
2) Beethoven #14 in c#, Op. 131
3) Shostakovitch #8 in c, Op. 110
4) Rubinstein #2 in c minor, Op. 17, #2
5) Porter #3
6) Schoenberg #3
7) Martinu #6
8) Schubert #14 in d, "Death and the Maiden"
9) Dvorak #12 in F, Op. 96, "American"
10) Bacewicz #5

Haydn by rights should be on the list, but there's no single quartet which leaps out when I think of favorites. Oh, well....


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## World Violist

Dvorak 12 "American"
Haydn 63 "Sunrise"
Shostakovich 13
Shostakovich 8
Beethoven 1
Grieg
Sibelius "Intimae Voces"
Beethoven 13
Beethoven 16
Ravel

These are, of course, in no particular order.


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## Artemis

1. String Quartet No. 14 in D minor "Death and the Maiden" - Schubert 

2. String Quartet No. 14 in C sharp minor - Beethoven 

3. String Quartet No. 19 in C major "Dissonance" - Mozart 

4. String Quartet in C major, Op. 76 No. 3 "Emperor" - Haydn 

5. String Quartet No. 13 in B flat major - Beethoven 

6. String Quartet No. 1 in D major - Tchaikovsky 

7. String Quartet No. 12 in F major "American" – Dvorák 

8. String Quartet No. 2 in D major "Nocturne" – Borodin 

9. String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 110 - Shostakovitch 

10. String Quartet No. 4 in C major - Bartók


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## Lisztfreak

Beethoven op.59 no.3
Beethoven op.74
Beethoven op.130
Debussy
Grieg in G minor
Shostakovich no.8
Janáček no.2
Tippett no.3
Saint-Saëns no.2
Schubert no.14

Order is of no importance, and frankly, I couldn't make a list in which it would be.


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## Sid James

1. *Janacek* _No. 2_
2. *Janacek* _No. 2_
3. *Walton*
4. *Shostakovich* _No. 8_
5. *Schubert* _No. 12 'Quartet Movement' _
6. *Schubert* _No. 13 'Rosamunde'_
7. *Schubert* _No. 14 'Death & the Maiden'_
8. *Bliss* _No. 2_
9. *Prokofiev* _No. 1_
10. *Prokofiev* _No. 2_

(The first 3 I like best, then in no particular order)


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## Lisztfreak

Andre said:


> 1. *Janacek* _No. 2_
> 2. *Janacek* _No. 2_


Two Janáčeks No.2? You must really love it then!


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## Rasa

No Bartok?


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## Lisztfreak

I'm ashamed to say I haven't yet heard any of Bartók's quartets. However, I bought a set by Emerson Quartet yesterday, so I'll start exploring today!


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## livemylife

I can't believe no one mentioned Smetana!!!


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## Taneyev

I've recordings of about 300 SQ, so it's very difficult to me to made a list. But I'll try. In no particular order:
Borodin 1 and 2
Tchaikovsky 3
Franck
Smetana 1 and 2
Grieg 1 and 2
Glazunoff 3 and 5


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## bdelykleon

That's a very hard list, and I will keep with my classic and modern taste

Haydn op. 33 no. 1, op. 76 no. 4
Beethoven op. 127 & op. 131
Mozart Kv. 465
Mendelssohn op. 44 no. 3
Bartók no. 3 & 5
Janacek no. 2
Schoenberg no. 1

I'm just amused someone said Bartók's no. 4 was in C major. It is so hard to ascribe a tonality to some of Mahler's symphonies, wonder what to say about Bartók's Quartets...


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## wolf

bdelykleon said:


> That's a very hard list, and I will keep with my classic and modern taste
> 
> Haydn op. 33 no. 1, op. 76 no. 4
> Beethoven op. 127 & op. 131
> Mozart Kv. 465
> Mendelssohn op. 44 no. 3
> Bartók no. 3 & 5
> Janacek no. 2
> Schoenberg no. 1...


Only 10 as usual. It's too cruel. The above one is ridiculously like the one I was going to write. So I change mine a little, Haydn get out, 76:4 is your best.

Mozart K465 (So funny)
Mozart K387
Mozart K575
Beeth Op 131
Beeth Op 133 GrF.
Beeth Op 59:2 (so funny)
Mendelssohn op 44 no2 then...no take 6th op 80.
Schönberg no 4
Berg Lyr Suite
Schubert Death & Maiden (and may the q-mvt in C sneak in, it's so small?)


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## JAKE WYB

1 bartok 4th
2 janacek 1st
3 bartok 3rd
4 janacek 2nd
5 schubert 14 death and the maiden
6 bartok 5th
7 bartok 2nd
8 dvorak 13th- 
9 bartok 1st
10 bartok 6th


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## Saturnus

1. *Bartók* 5th
2. *Beethoven* in Eb (op.127)
3. *Schumann* 3rd (op.41-3)
4. *Haydn* 61st, in d (op.76-2)
5. *Shostakovich* 4th, in D
6. Bartók 4th
7. Beethoven in c# (op.131)
8. Dvorák 'American'
9. Bartók 2nd
10. Beethoven in f (op.95)


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## Efraim

1-3. Haydn: C, D, B, Op. 50
4. " d Op. 9
5-6. " C, g Op. 20
7. " b Op. 33
8. " G Op. 76
9. Beethoven: Op. 132
10. Brahms: a

If I am allowed to add 10 more, then

11. Haydn: D Op. 20
12. " f sharp Op. 50
13-14 " Op. 77 both
15-19. Beethoven: Op. 127, 131, 59 F, 18 F, B flat
20. Ravel


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## nimmysnv

I'm ashamed to say I haven't yet heard any of Bartók's quartets.


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## Guest

No particular order:
Barber - String Quartet, Op. 11
Schubert - Death and the Maiden
Schubert - Rosamunde
Beethoven - Rasumovsky Quartets 1-3
Beethoven - Grosse Fuge
Haydn - Emperor Quartet


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## emiellucifuge

Shostakovich - 8
Dvorak - 12


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## Sid James

I thought I'd update my list, as I've gotten to know a few more SQ's since the last one (no particular order):

1. Janacek - No. 1
2. Janacek - No. 2
3. Carter - No. 1
4. Lutoslawski
5. Surinach
6. Walton
7. Lees - No. 5
8. Beethoven - Grosse Fuge
9. Berg
10. Tcherepnin

Szymanowski, Schubert, Bliss, Shostakovich didn't make it to the list this time. & I've yet to hear any of Bartok's efforts in the genre. A big omission which I will rectify soon...


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## symphonicrevolution

In no particular order:

1. Borodin 2nd
2. Tchaikovsky 1st
3. Dvorak "American"
4. Schubert "Death and the Maiden"
5. Shostakovich 3rd
6. Shostakovich 8th 
7. Beethoven Rasumovsky (Number 1)
8. Mozart piano quartet in g minor
9. Beethoven op 127
10. Beethoven op 131


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## Sid James

Andre said:


> 10. Tcherepnin


I'm sorry, I omitted to say it was the _String Quartet No. 2_ of Tcherepnin....

Ligeti is another major C20th composer whose SQ's I have not heard yet. Apparently they're very engaging...


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## Aramis

1. Brahms No. 1
2. Grieg
3. Grieg
4. Mendelssohn in A
5. Debussy 

Can't go any further yet.


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## Air

Andre said:


> I'm sorry, I omitted to say it was the _String Quartet No. 2_ of Tcherepnin....
> 
> Ligeti is another major C20th composer whose SQ's I have not heard yet. Apparently they're very engaging...


I was going to get his string quartets today... the Gyorgy Ligeti Edition 1, which has fantastic all-around reviews. Unfortunately, I had to pick between that and Bartok (Emerson), so I went for the latter.

(It's selling at under 5 dollars for anyone who wants to go and grab it.)


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## Sid James

Air said:


> I was going to get his string quartets today... the Gyorgy Ligeti Edition 1, which has fantastic all-around reviews. Unfortunately, I had to pick between that and Bartok (Emerson), so I went for the latter...


Both the Ligeti & the Bartok quartets are also ones I want to get, but I got Carter's cycle on Naxos in recent months & I want to get to know these better before I move on. Tell us what you think of the Bartok once you've heard it, I'd be interested in your impressions...


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## Guest

If we can pick only 10 then I will go with the last 10 of Beethoven.


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## jurianbai

surely a lot of Haydn string quartets to be included but if can only choose one per composer, the list would be :

Haydn - Op.76 No.4 'Sunrise' in Bb
Mozart - no.23 in F K590 'Prussian'
Beethoven - Op.18 no.2 in G
Dvorak - 'America' Op.96
Debussy - String quartet in G Minor
Ravel - String quartet in F
Sibelius - 'Voice Intimidate' Op.56 in D Minor
Borodin - no.2 in D 
Schubert - 'Death and the Maiden' no.14 in D D810
Verdi -String quartet in E minor


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## Head_case

1. Szymanowski No.1
2. Szymanowski No.2
3. Myaskovsky No. 3
4. Bartok No. 4
5. Basner No. 5
6. Bartok No. 6
7. Myaskovsky No. 7
8. Shostakovich No. 8
9. Taneyev No. 9
10. Myaskovsky No. 10


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## Waehnen

Mine might be a rather conventional list? I really had to think about it, anyways, here it is:

Schubert: no 14, Death and The Maiden
Beethoven: No 16, op 135, F-Major
Beethoven: No 15, op 132, a-minor
Shostakovich: no 8
Sibelius: Voces Intimae
Brahms: Quartet no. 1, C-minor
Mendelssohn: No 6, F-minor
Beethoven: No 8, E-minor
Debussy: g-minor
Ravel: F-major


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## Merl

Good grief. This is a struggle and it changes weekly. At the moment here's 10 in no particular order...

* Janacek 2
* Prokofiev 2
Elgar
Dvorak 10 (Slavonic) 
Schubert 13 (Rosamunde) 
Ravel
* Beethoven 11 op.95 (Serioso) 
* Mendelssohn 6
Shosty 8
Grieg op.27

* I would say that these quartets never seem to drop out of the top 5 though so perhaps I'd class them as my favourite SQs. I've also got multiple recordings of all of those quartets.


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## SanAntone

Not ranked

Debussy
Bartok 2nd
Carter 2nd
Holmboe 2nd
Meyer, Krzysztof 5th
Myaskovsky 4th
Shostakovich 13th
Weigl 7th
Wellesz 3rd
Zemlinsky 2nd
Golijov _Tenebrae_
Schoeck SQ in C, Op. 37
Gershwin _Lullaby_
Berg _Lyric Suite_
Dusapin 2nd
Braunfels 2nd
Bruch 2nd
Draeseke 2nd
Fuchs Op. 58
Gál 2nd
Hahn 1st
Hartmann 2nd
Ligeti 1st
Martinu 1st
Pfitzner 2nd
Rautavaara 2nd
Reinecke 4th
Ropartz 2nd
Rott SQ in C Minor
Stenhammer 6th
Szymanowski 2nd
Wuorinen 2nd


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## starthrower

Janácek 2
Schoenberg 2
Bartok 1-6
Prokofiev 2
Beethoven Op.132
Berg: Lyric Suite
Dutilleux
Ravel
Debussy

I have neglected my Shostakovich set but I hope to eventually discover a few favorites among those works.


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## tdc

Bartok 1-6
Ravel
Debussy
Stravinsky - _Three Pieces for String Quartet_
Mozart SQ no. 19 "Dissonance"

When we did the String Quartet TC game I also remember liking the SQ's of Schoenberg, Hindemith, Kagel, Carter, Villa-Lobos, Ginastera, Janacek, Nielsen and Britten.


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## Xisten267

I have a clear predilection for Beethoven's late SQs:

1. Beethoven #14, Op. 131
2. Beethoven #15, Op. 132
3. Beethoven #16, Op. 135
4. Beethoven #13, Op. 130 (including the _Grosse Fuge_)
5. Schubert #14 "Death and the Maiden", D. 810
6. Beethoven #12, Op. 127
7. Schubert #13, D. 804
8. Bartók #6, Sz. 114
9. Schubert #15, D. 887
10. Mendelssohn no. 6, Op. 80


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## Brahmsian Colors

Favorites in no particular order: 

Debussy
Ravel
Borodin # 2
Mozart #14 "Spring"
Mozart # 20 "Hoffmeister"
Haydn: "Prussian" #1
Haydn "Prussian" #3
Haydn "Erdody" #1
Schubert # 13 "Rosamunde"
Tchaikovsky #1


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## StDior

Haydn: String Quartet No. 25 in C major, Op. 20 No. 2
Haydn: String Quartet No. 26 in G minor, Op. 20 No. 3
Schubert: String Quartet No 14 in D minor, D. 810 "Death and the Maiden"
Beethoven: String Quartet No. 15 in A minor, Op. 132
Debussy: String Quartet
Bartók: String Quartet No. 1
Janáček: String Quartet No.1 "Kreutzer Sonata"
Radulescu: String Quartet No. 4 "infinite to be cannot be infinite, infinite anti-be could be infinite" 
Xenakis: Tetras
Scelsi: String Quartet No. 3

HM:
Mozart: String Quartet No. 20 in D major, K. 499 "Hoffmeister"
Rihm: String Quartet No. 13
Gubaidulina: String Quartet No. 2
Manoury: Tensio


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## Bwv 1080

Bartok 3
Beethoven op 133
Carter 3
Ferneyhough 6
Haydn op 20 (cant pick one)
Mozart K428
Reger 4
Schuman 1
Schnittke 3
Shostakovich 7


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## Merl

Bwv 1080 said:


> Bartok 3
> Beethoven op 133
> Carter 3
> Ferneyhough 6
> Haydn op 20 (cant pick one)
> Mozart K428
> Reger 4
> Schuman 1
> Schnittke 3
> Shostakovich 7


An eclectic mix, Bwv!


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## starthrower

I never did get hold of a complete Schnittke quartet set. I have that Virgin CD by the Borodin's with No.3, and the piano quartet and quintet. And the BIS CD which is missing No.4.


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## Allegro Con Brio

Beethoven 13
Ravel
Beethoven 15
Franck
Bartok 4
Dvorak 13
Shostakovich 6 (or 3? or 10? or 13? I dunno, but one of them has to be there)
Berg
Zemlinsky 4 (the 2nd is also spectacular)
Schubert 15

Honorable mentions: Dutilleux, Schumann 3, Schnittke 2, Schoenberg 1, Schubert 13, Haydn Op. 20 and 76, all of Beethoven, Bartok, Sibelius, Borodin 2, and Shosty's others...plus a whole load of others that I don't want to bore you with


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## starthrower

Forgot about the Zemlinsky 4. That's a good one!


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## tdc

I forgot to mention Ligeti's 2 SQ's, they are both very good.


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## Prodromides

In alphabetical order:

Erik Bergman's only String Quartet
Ernest Bloch's String Quartet No.1
Paavo Heininen's String Quartet
Charles Koechlin's Quartet No.3, Op.72
"Vita et mors" Quartetto II, Op.36 by Jón Leifs
Serge Nigg's only String Quartet
Maurice Ohana's Quatuor No.2
Giacinto Scelsi's String Quartet No.4
Karol Szymanowski's String Quartet No.1
Tetora by Iannis Xenakis


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## Roger Knox

Prodromides said:


> In alphabetical order: ...


Your list is "learn-ed." But thanks for submitting it! It would take me a long time to develop such a knowledge of the repertoire. One reason is that I don't play any string quartet instrument.

If there are one or two of these that you recommend especially please advise.


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## Prodromides

Roger Knox said:


> Your list is "learn-ed." But thanks for submitting it! It would take me a long time to develop such a knowledge of the repertoire. One reason is that I don't play any string quartet instrument.
> 
> If there are one or two of these that you recommend especially please advise.


Greetings, Roger K. You are aware my tastes run late 20th century, so I shouldn't recommend too much of such to a connoisseur of French romanticism like yourself. If you are already familiar with Henri Dutilleux, then I think you might be receptive toward Maurice Ohana's works. My favorite is Koechlin, but I recall you've had some disconnect with a Koechlin piece during the recent past so circumspect exploration is advised.


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## ORigel

1.Beethoven Grosse Fuge
2. Beethoven String Quartet No. 14
3. Beethoven String Quartet No. 15
4. Beethoven String Quartet No. 12
5. Beethoven String Quartet No. 13
6. Schubert String Quartet No. 15
7. Beethoven String Quartet No. 16
8. Beethoven String Quartet No. 8
9. Beethoven String Quartet No. 9
10. Beethoven String Quartet No. 7

I'll add more since my Top Ten are almost all Beethoven.
11. Beethoven String Quartet No. 10
12. Haydn Op 77/1
13. Schubert String Quartet No. 14
14. Ravel
15. Bartok String Quartet No. 3
16. Bartok String Quartet No. 5
17. Mozart String Quartet No. 19
18. Shostakovich String Quartet No. 8
19. Bartok String Quartet No. 4
20. Shostakovich String Quartet No. 9


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## hvannes

Prodromides said:


> In alphabetical order:
> 
> Erik Bergman's only String Quartet
> Ernest Bloch's String Quartet No.1
> Paavo Heininen's String Quartet
> Charles Koechlin's Quartet No.3, Op.72
> "Vita et mors" Quartetto II, Op.36 by Jón Leifs
> Serge Nigg's only String Quartet
> Maurice Ohana's Quatuor No.2
> Giacinto Scelsi's String Quartet No.4
> Karol Szymanowski's String Quartet No.1
> Tetora by Iannis Xenakis


Could you point to albums where Heininen's and Ohana's quartets are featured?


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## Prodromides

hvannes said:


> Could you point to albums where Heininen's and Ohana's quartets are featured?


Sure thing. All 3 of Ohana's string quartets are on a single CD album - via the 'Ar Re-Se' label from 2004.










http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2005/apr05/ohana_quartets_psophosAR20047.htm

The Heininen is on a 1990 Ondine CD, sharing disc program with 3 others:


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## Sid James

Janacek 2, Ravel, Beethoven Op. 132, Carter 1, Walton A minor, Borodin 2, Dvorak "American"

After those, its a bit hard to sort out which would fill out my top ten, but a few of these would be my best bet:

Elgar, Tippett 3, Glass 2, Debussy, Berg Op. 3, Bartok 5, Haydn "Emperor"

This was my third bite at the cherry:

https://www.talkclassical.com/5282-your-ten-favorite-string.html#post50306
https://www.talkclassical.com/5282-your-ten-favorite-string-2.html#post78296

The stayers from the two previous lists where Janacek, Carter, Walton and Berg (also Beethoven, but previously it was his Grosse Fuge). Generally speaking, my taste has become more mainstream.


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## Waehnen

Waehnen said:


> Mine might be a rather conventional list? I really had to think about it, anyways, here it is:
> 
> Schubert: no 14, Death and The Maiden
> Beethoven: No 16, op 135, F-Major
> Beethoven: No 15, op 132, a-minor
> Shostakovich: no 8
> Sibelius: Voces Intimae
> Brahms: Quartet no. 1, C-minor
> Mendelssohn: No 6, F-minor
> Beethoven: No 8, E-minor
> Debussy: g-minor
> Ravel: F-major


I have to correct that one. I had to leave the Brahms out, plus some other changes.

Schubert: no 14, Death and The Maiden
Beethoven: No 16, op 135, F-Major
Beethoven: No 15, op 132, a-minor
Beethoven: No 7, F-major
Shostakovich: no 8
Sibelius: Voces Intimae
Mozart: Quartet 19, K465, Dissonance
Dvorak: String Quartet 12, American
Debussy: g-minor
Ravel: F-major


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## HerbertNorman

Waehnen said:


> I have to correct that one. I had to leave the Brahms out, plus some other changes.
> 
> Schubert: no 14, Death and The Maiden
> Beethoven: No 16, op 135, F-Major
> Beethoven: No 15, op 132, a-minor
> Beethoven: No 7, F-major
> Shostakovich: no 8
> Sibelius: Voces Intimae
> Mozart: Quartet 19, K465, Dissonance
> Dvorak: String Quartet 12, American
> Debussy: g-minor
> Ravel: F-major


This resembles my list tbh:

Schubert: no 14, Death and The Maiden
Shostakovich: no 8
Beethoven: No 16, op 135, F-Major
Beethoven: No 15, op 132, a-minor
Beethoven: No 7, F-major
Schubert • String Quartet No. 13 in A minor op. 29 D 804 "Rosamunde"
Dvorak: String Quartet 12, American
Debussy: g-minor
Ravel: F-major
Mozart: Quartet 19, K465, Dissonance


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## Waehnen

HerbertNorman said:


> This remebles my list tbh:
> 
> Schubert: no 14, Death and The Maiden
> Shostakovich: no 8
> Beethoven: No 16, op 135, F-Major
> Beethoven: No 15, op 132, a-minor
> Beethoven: No 7, F-major
> Schubert • String Quartet No. 13 in A minor op. 29 D 804 "Rosamunde"
> Dvorak: String Quartet 12, American
> Debussy: g-minor
> Ravel: F-major
> Mozart: Quartet 19, K465, Dissonance


Wow! There sure is some resemblance!


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## bwv543

In no particular order,

Schumann 1
Shostakovich 8
Debussy
Beethoven 1
Dvorak 12
Bach AoF (sorry, sorry... I just love Emerson's recording of this)

String quartet rep is a relative weak spot for me...


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## Terrapin

1. Beethoven No. 12, 13, 14, 15 (tied)
2. Beethoven No. 16
3. Beethoven No. 10
4. Bartok No. 4
5. Beethoven No. 7, 8, 9; Dvorak No. 12; Mozart K 387, 465; Schubert 14 (tied)


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## Andante Largo

Brahms - String Quartet in C Minor, Op. 51 No. 1
Brahms - String Quartet in B-Flat Major, Op. 67 
Dobrzyński - String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 7
Fuchs - String Quartet No. 4 in A Major, Op. 106
Melartin - String Quartet No. 1 in E Minor, Op. 36 No. 1
Melartin - String Quartet No. 4 in F Major, Op. 62 No. 1 
Noskowski - String Quartet No. 3 in E Minor 'Fantasy Quartet'
Paganini - String Quartet No. 1 in D minor, MS 20 
Paganini - String Quartet No. 2 in E-Flat Major, MS 20 
Paganini - String Quartet No. 3 in A Minor, MS 20 
Perosi - String Quartet No. 6 in F Major
Perosi - String Quartet No. 7 in C Major
Perosi - String Quartet No. 8 in E Minor
Perosi - String Quartet No. 10 in A Minor
Perosi - String Quartet No. 11 in G minor
Reinecke - String Quartet No. 2 in F Major, Op. 30
Reinecke - String Quartet No. 5 in G Minor, Op. 287
Respighi - String Quartet in D Minor
Rheinberger - String Quartet No. 2 in F Major, Op. 147
Sgambati - String Quartet in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 17
Sibelius - String Quartet in A Minor, JS 183
Sibelius - String Quartet in B-Flat Major, Op. 4
Sibelius - String Quartet in D Minor, 'Voices Intimae', Op. 56
Żeleński - String Quartet No. 1 in F Major, Op. 28
Żeleński - String Quartet No. 2 in A Major, Op. 42


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## MusicSybarite

Beethoven: No. 7 Op. 59-1
Janacek: No. 2 _Intimate Letters_
Dvorak: No. 13
Mendelssohn: Op. 80
Honegger: No. 2
Schubert: No. 14
Bartók: No. 5
Ravel: in F
Szymanowski: No. 2
Shostakovich: No. 8


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