# Who is the greatest chamber music composer in your opinion?



## Xisten267

I decided to make this poll after reading an interesting thread about the same subject. Define "greatest" as you wish.

You are allowed to change your vote later if you want to.


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## Waehnen

Beethoven is the greatest composer overall, but nobody surpasses Brahms when it comes to chamber music.


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## Art Rock

My top 5 is pretty much fixed:

Brahms
Shostakovich
Schubert
Beethoven
Dvorak
After that ranking gets fuzzy, but candidates are Mozart, Haydn, Mendelssohn, Ravel, Faure and Saint-Saens.


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## Kreisler jr

Beethoven. 
The answer to such questions is always Beethoven, except for vocal and organ music. 

There are summits of chamber music like Bach's violin/keyboard sonatas, Mozart's quintets, Haydn's op.76, Schubert's trios, Brahms' violin sonatas, quartets by Dvorak, Janacek, Bartok, Shostakovich etc. 
Beethoven wrote two or three dozen works that belong to such himalayan summits but one might perhaps still discuss if he is primus inter pares or rather Mozart or Brahms or another one. 

Then he wrote the 5 late quartets and we are transported to "luft von anderem planeten" unreachable for other humans.


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## Yabetz

Schubert.


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## Woodduck

"Greatest," who can say? Do Beethoven's transcendent late quartets outweigh Brahms's large body of masterworks for many combinations of instruments? To hell with it. Today it's Brahms. Tomorrow is tomorrow.


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## ProudSquire

Brahms!!

I'll take Brahschumann too!!!


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## mbhaub

Cesar Franck. Didn't write a lot, but what there is is top shelf! The violin sonata alone puts him up there.


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## Highwayman

Donizetti a chamber composer? Did someone alter the past with their time machine?


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## Woodduck

Highwayman said:


> Donizetti a chamber composer? Did someone alter the past with their time machine?


Actually he wrote quite a bit of music outside of opera, including some pleasant string quartets. Considering how many operas he composed, he was clearly a very busy fellow. But it is a bit odd to find him here in the company of such chamber music geniuses as Beethoven, Dvorak, Bartok and Other.


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## SanAntone

There have been many great chamber music composers: Haydn; Mozart; Beethoven; Schubert; Mendelssohn; Dvorak; Schumann; Brahms; Debussy; Shostakovich; Weinberg; Carter; and almost all late 20th and 21st century composers.


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## espressivo dolente

I have never been comfortable with the descriptor "Greatest" as it's more indicative, I believe, of the person using it than the composer/s so designated. But I decided I'd play the game this once on the basis of my own personal favorite being Brahms. (And three cheers for *mbhaub *whose vote for Franck I heartily concur with).


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## Bulldog

1. Shostakovich
2. Weinberg
3. Ravel
4. Brahms
5. Dvorak


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## bagpipers

Beethoven


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## Xisten267

Chamber music is a category of classical music that still has many, many famous works for me to explore, but, from what I've listened so far, my favorite composers at the moment are:

1. Beethoven and Brahms (tie)
3. Schubert
4. Mozart
5. Bartók

I voted for Beethoven in the poll, at least for now.


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## justekaia

1 Brahms for his large and hi-quality repertoire, especially his divine piano and clarinet quintets
2 Beethoven for the greatest string quartets ever
3 Bartok for a nicely balanced body of works with a few exceptional string quartets
4 Shostakovich for his string quartet cycle, his trios and so many other works
5 Hosokawa an unsung contemporary master who introduces a new sound world with these fascinating Asian instruments


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## Bruckner Anton II

I voted for Brahms, but I actually consider Mozart to be among the top.


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## hoodjem

Art Rock said:


> My top 5 is pretty much fixed:
> 
> Brahms
> Shostakovich
> Schubert
> Beethoven
> Dvorak


I like this list. I might change the order a little, like this:
1. Schubert
2. Brahms
3. Beethoven
4. Shostakovich
5. Dvorak


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## hoodjem

Maybe I can add to it:
6. Haydn
7. Schumann
8. Mendelssohn
9. Ravel
10. Bartok


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## Kreisler jr

Woodduck said:


> "Greatest," who can say? Do Beethoven's transcendent late quartets outweigh Brahms's large body of masterworks for many combinations of instruments?


I think they do. And they are obviously not alone; the non-late Beethoven works already balance out Brahms 24 chamber works.
And if for some others Ravel or Franck with each about 3 main chamber works can be contenders, 5 late quartets could be contenders vs. anything


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## MrTortoise

My short list just based on what currently comes to mind when I think about the chamber music I love to listen to

1) Bartok
2) Schubert
3) Mozart
4) Beethoven
5) Brahms


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## Littlephrase

Most days, it’s a toss-up between Beethoven and Brahms; but today, out of some strange impulse, Mozart won my vote. Whenever I revisit his mature chamber output, I am wooed into the conviction that no one else made music of such perfection and beauty. 

But he never wrote the Op. 131…


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## OffPitchNeb

Brahms, Brahms and Brahms.


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## Simon Moon

I like Bartok and Schoenberg the best from the list, but I voted "other".

I think I'd have to lean heavily toward Elliott Carter, but I also like Charles Wuorinen quite a bit.


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## Kreisler jr

My top chamber composers overlap mostly with my overall top composers. Bach moves down to around 10-12 (because I don't care much for the solo violin and cello), Mahler and Handel drop out, but Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart, Brahms, Schubert, Schumann pretty much stay in the top 10, Dvorak, Bartok, Mendelssohn, Shostakovich, Fauré would probably make up the dozen.


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## allaroundmusicenthusiast

From the list provided I'll conjure up a top 6:

Beethoven
Bartók
Bach
Schönberg
Fauré (completely underrated, better than Brahms)
Brahms


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## justekaia

allaroundmusicenthusiast said:


> From the list provided I'll conjure up a top 6:
> 
> Beethoven
> Bartók
> Bach
> Schönberg
> Fauré (completely underrated, better than Brahms)
> Brahms


while i love faure, his weakness is in the string quartets and his strength in the cello pieces; brahms was also rather weak in the string quartets but has some magical meaty pieces that Faure does not have; that is why i prefer brahms


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## bagpipers

^^^^
I'd agree on the Brahms string quartets,Brahms best was the piano trio's and piano quartets/quintets

I think Beethoven,Haydn,Bartok were kings of the string quartet


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## allaroundmusicenthusiast

I don't find Fauré lacking in magic, maybe only relative to the late clarinet pieces by Brahms.


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## Pat Fairlea

Impossible question.
I voted for Ravel only because whenever I trip over one of his chamber works that I haven't heard before, I think it's brilliant and I want to hear it again and again.


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## ansfelden

Schubert, with no second of hesitation.


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## mmsbls

I did not vote, but I would probably go with Brahms. I loved his quintets (string, piano, and clarinet) and string quartets, and I remember being stunned by the beauty of his string sextets when I discovered them. 

Honorable mention would go to Mozart for the remarkable range of beautiful works including winds and horn, serenades, and especially the string quintets and to Beethoven for his quartets alone.


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## Agamenon

Shostakovich. Indeed, he is underrated by many critics.


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## BBSVK

I see Brahms is winning. I barely know him. If I should listen to one chamber piece by him, what should it be ? People at another thread decided it is "Brahms week", so I feel like I should


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## Art Rock

BBSVK said:


> I see Brahms is winning. I barely know him. If I should listen to one chamber piece by him, what should it be ? People at another thread decided it is "Brahms week", soI feel like I should


Unless you don't like the sound of the clarinet, I'd suggest the clarinet quintet. The only ones I would not tackle first are the three string quartets, all his other chamber music would do as an introduction.


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## Waehnen

BBSVK said:


> I see Brahms is winning. I barely know him. If I should listen to one chamber piece by him, what should it be ? People at another thread decided it is "Brahms week", soI feel like I should


I would strongly suggest the 3rd Piano Quartet in C Minor, Op. 60


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## Kreisler jr

I think there are a lot of comparably tough pieces by Brahms if one is not used to chamber music, but there are also very accessible ones; I'd recommend the op.8 piano trio and the piano quintet op.34 (although the latter, I took to be among his most popular, does not seem as universally liked as I thought).


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## Waehnen

Kreisler jr said:


> I think there are a lot of comparably tough pieces by Brahms if one is not used to chamber music, but there are also very accessible ones; I'd recommend the op.8 piano trio and the piano quintet op.34 (although the latter, I took to be among his most popular, does not seem as universally liked as I thought).


I second the Piano Trio op. 8. But the first movement of the Piano Quintet is very Sturm und Drang and sounds like very young Brahms indeed.

In Piano Trios and Piano Quartets the balance of the instruments is perfect.


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## Kreisler jr

But the quintet is actually not so early. [Of course, the trio in the standard revised version is not really early either because all movements but the scherzo were substantially cut in the revision.] 
The piano quintet has a complex history but it is later than the piano quartets, I think. The 3rd piano quartet might be the earliest in core, only the finale was composed close to its publications. And while it might be the best of them, I found it the most difficult to get into whereas I liked the trio and quintet immediately as a teenager...


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## NovAntiqua

It's a quite nonsense question!
there is so much wonderful chamber music written by a lot of composers!
here some ideas:

















but also quite unkown composers presented us some beautiful pages:




https://open.spotify.com/track/1k9e18xpTBjyCyHXJ07z0G
https://open.spotify.com/track/4GnU1RAuernSKY67wmS7Rc


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## wormcycle

Brahms, but the life without Beethoven string quartets is not the life worth living. So:
1 Brahms
1 Beethoven
2. Schubert
3 Mozart


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## Laraine Anne Barker

I listen to so much chamber music (it's my number one passion) that I have a list of composers too long to choose from. Having said that, I can't stand much music after Beethoven; too noisy and unmelodic. Mind you, even Beethoven can make a right racket!


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## Laraine Anne Barker

NovAntiqua said:


> It's a quite nonsense question!
> there is so much wonderful chamber music written by a lot of composers!
> here some ideas:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> but also quite unkown composers presented us some beautiful pages:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> https://open.spotify.com/track/1k9e18xpTBjyCyHXJ07z0G
> https://open.spotify.com/track/4GnU1RAuernSKY67wmS7Rc


Cambini is new to me and I'm always looking for something new. Very easy listening; pity it's not more challenging. But thanks.


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## AClockworkOrange

I’m interpreting “greatest” as favourite and I voted Felix Mendelssohn at present. The various configurations of String ensemble work, the Piano/String ensemble works, Sonatas for Piano & Cello or Violin are all very rewarding listens. My gateway works were the Piano Trios and the String Octet which quickly hooked me.

I really enjoy Mendelssohn’s approach and style in his music, which is as well represented in his Chamber Music as in any of his output.

Beethoven, Haydn and Mozart are high on my list and at times Beethoven displaces Mendelssohn - my favourite isn’t rigidly fixed (in any form or genre of music)

In pure String Quartet terms, Haydn might be my choice - even edging ahead of Beethoven. However one element of Chamber Music I also love are works for Piano/String ensembles and whilst I enjoy Haydn’s contributions in his Piano Trios, I find I prefer works from later Composers with greater autonomy for the various parts of the ensembles.

Beethoven’s String Quartets, like Haydn’s are excellent but when one includes his works for Piano Trio (which I love) and Cello Sonatas amongst others, Beethoven edges ahead of Haydn (and Mozart) and rotates with Mendelssohn at times as my favourite Chamber Music Composer.

I also have to give honourable mentions to Dvorak, Faure, Schubert and Brahms. Regarding Dvorak in particular, I haven’t heard close to all of his Chamber Works yet but what I have heard so far has made a very positive impression.


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## Kreisler jr

I dislike the "underrated" trope when used with famous and well-established composers like Haydn, Schumann, Mendelssohn etc., but I also think that Mendelssohn's chamber works are overall a bit underrated, or at least unduly overshadowed by only two works, brilliant as those are, the octet and first trio.


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## Xisten267

Woodduck said:


> Actually he wrote quite a bit of music outside of opera, including some pleasant string quartets. Considering how many operas he composed, he was clearly a very busy fellow. But it is a bit odd to find him here in the company of such chamber music geniuses as Beethoven, Dvorak, Bartok and *Other*.


I wonder who you had in mind with this "Other". Maybe Sibelius, Elgar, Taneyev, Franck, Carter or Chausson...?


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## ORigel

I changed my vote from Beethoven to Haydn when I saw that no one had voted for him. (He is arguably second to only Beethoven in the string quartet genre, if he isn't the best.)


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## ORigel

Kreisler jr said:


> I dislike the "underrated" trope when used with famous and well-established composers like Haydn, Schumann, Mendelssohn etc., but I also think that Mendelssohn's chamber works are overall a bit underrated, or at least unduly overshadowed by only two works, brilliant as those are, the octet and first trio.


People also trot out the F Minor Quartet as the one work in which Mendelssohn was truly profound.


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## Kreisler jr

Which is nonsense, IMO. I think the f minor quartet has become a bit overrated because of the story with the sister's (and eventual his own) death. But this is fairly recent; the first trio was one of the most popular trios since the 19th century whereas even in the 70s the quartets were rarely recorded (and some famous quartets played only a few, usually not the f minor).
In any case the discrepancies are a bit bizarre e.g. that his second trio used to be almost unknown, when they are not that different neither in quality nor mood etc.


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## Merl

I've got to say that this was a really difficult choice as there are a few composers who have a lot of chamber music I love. I voted Beethoven but when I actually thought about it I probably play as much Mendelssohn these days. Mendelssohn's string quartets, in particular, are wonderful works that I hold in the highest regard.I think it was Kreisler, earlier in this thread, that said Mendelssohn's chamber works are underrated. I totally agree. He composed some absolutely stunning music. 😉🎻🎹


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## Waehnen

Merl said:


> I've got to say that this was a really difficult choice as there are a few composers who have a lot of chamber music I love. I voted Beethoven but when I actually thought about it I probably play as much Mendelssohn these days. Mendelssohn's string quartets, in particular, are wonderful works that I hold in the highest regard.I think it was Kreisler, earlier in this thread, that said Mendelssohn's chamber works are underrated. I totally agree. He composed some absolutely stunning music. 😉🎻🎹


I listen to a lot of music with random play. Quite a few times I have at first mistaken a Mendelssohn string quartet movement to be either Beethoven or Schubert before figuring it out. Those 3 stand out for me as probably the most excellent early romantic SQ composers.


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## Neo Romanza

My favorites would be (in no particular order): Beethoven, Bartók, Debussy, Ravel, Shostakovich, Ives, Schumann, Prokofiev, Dvořák, Janáček, Martinů, Schoenberg, Berg, Britten, Weinberg, Szymanowski, Poulenc, Milhaud, Honegger, Schnittke, Villa-Lobos, Ginastera, Zemlinsky, Schulhoff, Korngold, Hindemith...and I'll have to stop here. There are just too many!


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## EdwardBast

Merl said:


> I've got to say that this was a really difficult choice as there are a few composers who have a lot of chamber music I love. I voted Beethoven but when I actually thought about it I probably play as much Mendelssohn these days. Mendelssohn's string quartets, in particular, are wonderful works that I hold in the highest regard.I think it was Kreisler, earlier in this thread, that said Mendelssohn's chamber works are underrated. I totally agree. He composed some absolutely stunning music. 😉🎻🎹


You got me listening to the quartets for the first time in ages and I must agree with you and Fritz. They're gems, finely wrought. Mendelssohn was a perfect master of counterpoint and quartet writing is ideal for his skill set. I just listened to this wonderful performance of the Fourth by a pick up group (I assume) — I've been doing a lot of that lately, listening to obscure student and festival performances:


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## Merl

EdwardBast said:


> You got me listening to the quartets for the first time in ages and I must agree with you and Fritz. They're gems, finely wrought. Mendelssohn was a perfect master of counterpoint and quartet writing is ideal for his skill set. I just listened to this wonderful performance of the Fourth by a pick up group (I assume) — I've been doing a lot of that lately, listening to obscure student and festival performances:


Thanks for that link, Edward Bast. That's an impressive pick-up group performing there.That's Suyoen Kim, formerly of the Artemis Quartet, on violin nailing the lead. This is a lovely performance. Particularly impressed with the viola playing of Manuel Vioque-Judde (a name I'm not familiar with).


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## EdwardBast

Merl said:


> Thanks for that link, Edward Bast. That's an impressive pick-up group performing there.That's Suyoen Kim, formerly of the Artemis Quartet, on violin nailing the lead. This is a lovely performance. Particularly impressed with the viola playing of Manuel Vioque-Judde (a name I'm not familiar with).


Yes, the violist was superb. I didn't know any of the players, I just wanted to hear and see a live performance and this one really sold the work to me.


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## Brahmsian Colors

For me, greatest ? remains an unanswered question. My primary concern is most satisfying---in the label on the left.


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