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Weekly quartet. Just a music lover perspective.

733K views 9K replies 102 participants last post by  hammeredklavier 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
I love string music and just following another forum friend example am going to dedicate every day of the week time enough to listen quietly a string quartet. I will google for info about the particular opus and post any important info that I found, specially performers interview and so on..

Anyone wanting to join is welcome, just maintaining the perspective stated in the post title. You will probably will find here emotions, personal points of view and so on. If you are a professional, you'll probably will not find the info useful, the only purpose of this entertainment is to increase music enjoyment by knowing a little better the music to listen.

In this thread you will find the activity coordination info. Anyone wanting to participate just post an answer. Quartet selection will be made in order of "appearance".

For the first week, beginning on February, 24 I'll select the first quartet: Beethoven, String Quartet 14, opus 131. Will open the thread tomorrow Sunday.

Enjoy.
Vicente Vida

Talk Classical String Quartet Thread
(quartet of the week in large font)

Abrahamsen - String Quartet No. 4
Ades - The Four Quarters
Alwyn - String Quartet No. 3
Arensky - String Quartet No. 1
Arensky - String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 35/35a
Arnold - String Quartet No. 2
Arriaga - String Quartet No. 2
Arriaga - String Quartet No. 3
Bacewicz - String Quartet No 4
Bach - Art of Fugue
Barber - String Quartet
Bartók - String Quartet No. 3
Bartók - String Quartet No. 4
Bartók - String Quartet No. 5
Bartók - String Quartet No. 6
Bax - String Quartet No. 1
Beach - Quartet for Strings in One Movement, Op. 89
Beamish - String Quartet No. 2 “Opus California”
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 1
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 2
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 7 "Razumovsky 1"
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 8 "Razumovsky 2"
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 11
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 12
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 13
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 14
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 15
Beethoven - String Quartet No. 16
Berg - Lyric Suite
Birtwistle - The Tree of Strings
Bloch, E. - String Quartet No. 3
Boccherini - String Quartet g minor, op. 32 No. 5, G 205
Borodin - String Quartet No. 2
Brahms - String Quartet No. 1
Brahms - String Quartet No. 2
Brahms - String Quartet No. 3
Bretón - String Quartet No. 3
Bridge - String Quartet No. 2
Bridge - String Quartet No. 4
Britten - String Quartet No. 1
Britten - String Quartet No. 2
Britten - String Quartet No. 3
Bruch - String Quartet No.2
Busoni - String Quartet No.2
Cage - String Quartet in Four Parts
Carter - String Quartet no 1
Carter - String Quartet No. 3
Cerha - String Quartet No. 2
Chausson - String Quartet in C minor, op. 35
Cherubini - String Quartet No. 1
Chin, U. - ParaMetaString
Coates, G. - String Quartet No. 9
Crawford Seeger - String Quartet
Crumb - Black Angels
Czerny - String Quartet in D Minor
Davies, Peter Maxwell - Naxos String Quartet No. 3
Debussy - String Quartet in G Minor
Dohnányi - String Quartet No. 2
Donizetti - String Quartet No. 7 in F minor
Dusapin - String Quartet No. 5
Dusapin - String Quartet No. 7 "OpenTime"
Dutilleux - Ainsi La Nuit
Dvořák - String Quartet No. 10 "Slavonic"
Dvořák - String Quartet No. 12 "American"
Dvořák - String Quartet No. 13
Dvořák - String Quartet No. 14
van Eechaute - String Quartet No. 1 "à la mémoire de Maurice Ravel"
Elgar - String Quartet in E Minor
Fauré - String Quartet in E Minor
Ferneyhough - String Quartet No. 6
Franck - String Quartet in D Major
Frank - Quijotidas
Gade - String Quartet in E Minor
Gerhard - String Quartet No. 2
Gernsheim - String Quartet No. 3 in F Major, Op. 51
Ginastera - String Quartet No. 2
Glass, Ph. - String Quartet no. 5
Glazunov - String Quartet No. 5 in d minor, Op. 70
Gliere - String Quartet No. 2 in G minor, Op. 20
Grieg - String Quartet No. 1
Gubaidulina - String Quartet No. 1
Haas - String Quartet No. 2 op.7
Hanson - String Quartet (in One Movement), op. 23
Harvey - String Quartet No.4 with Live Electronics
Haydn - String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 20/3
Haydn - String Quartet in F Minor, Op. 20/5
Haydn - String Quartet in C major, Op. 33/3 "Bird"/"Vogel"
Haydn - String Quartet In G, Op. 33/5 " How Do You Do?"
Haydn - String Quartet in F sharp minor, Op. 50/4
Haydn - String Quartet in B flat major, Op. 64/3

Haydn - String Quartet Op.71, #2
Haydn - String Quartet Op.76, #2 "Fifths"
Haydn - String Quartet Op. 76, #4 "Sunrise"
Hillborg - Kongsgaard Variations
Hindemith - String Quartet No. 4
Holmboe - String Quartet No. 4
Holmboe - String Quartet No. 15
Honegger - String Quartet No. 2
Honegger - String Quartet No. 3
Howells - String Quartet No. 3 'In Gloucestershire'
Hummel - String Quartet No. 1 in C major, op. 30: No. 1
Husa - String Quartet No. 4 "Poems"
Ives - String Quartet No. 2
Janacek - String Quartet No. 1 'Kreutzer Sonata'
Janacek - String Quartet No. 2 'Intimate Letters'
Johnston - String Quartet No. 4 "Amazing Grace"
Kabalevsky - String Quartet No 2
Kagel - String Quartet No.2
Kodály - String Quartet 2, op. 10
Koechlin - String Quartet No. 1
Kokkonen - String Quartet No. 3
Korngold - String Quartet No. 2
Krenek - String Quartet No. 5
Kurtág - Six Moments Musicaux for String Quartet
Lachenmann - Gran Torso
Lachenmann - Reigen seliger Geister (Round Dance of the Blessed Spirits)
Langgaard - String Quartet No. 4
Larcher - Ixxu
Lavista - String Quartet No. 4 "Sinfonías"
Ligeti - String Quartet No. 1 “Métamorphoses nocturnes”
Ligeti - String Quartet No. 2
Lutosławski - String Quartet
Magnard - String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 16
Malipiero - String Quartet No. 1 "Rispetti e strambotti"
Martinů - String Quartet No. 5
Martinů - String Quartet No. 7 "Concerto da camera"
Mathias - String Quartet No. 1
Fanny Mendelssohn - String Quartet in E Flat Major
Felix Mendelssohn - String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 13
Felix Mendelssohn - String Quartet No. 3 in D major, op. 44-1
Felix Mendelssohn - String Quartet No. 4 in E minor, Op. 44-2
Felix Mendelssohn - String Quartet No. 6 in F minor, Op. 80
Milhaud - String Quartet No. 1
Moeran - String Quartet No. 1
Mosolov - String Quartet No. 1
Mozart - String Quartet No. 14 "Spring"
Mozart - String Quartet No. 19 "Dissonance"
Mozart - String Quartet No. 20 in D major K. 499 "Hoffmeister"
Mozart - String Quartet No. 22 in Bb K. 589
Myaskovsky - String Quartet No. 13 in A minor, Op. 86
Nielsen - String Quartet No. 3
Nielsen - String Quartet No. 4
Nono - Fragmente-Stille, an Diotima (1979-80)
Nordgren, Pehr Henrik - String Quartet No. 10
Nordheim - String Quartet (1956)
Penderecki - String Quartet No. 3 "Leaves of an Unwritten Diary"
Pfitzner - String Quartet No. 2 in C sharp minor , Op. 36
Pleyel - String Quartet in G Major, B. 332
Popov - Quartet-Symphony
Prokofiev - String Quartet No. 1
Prokofiev - String Quartet No. 2 "Kabardinian"
Ran - String Quartet No. 3 "Glitter, Doom, Shards, Memory"
Ravel - String Quartet in F Major
Reger - String Quartet No. 1
Reger - String Quartet No. 4
Revueltas - String Quartet No. 3
Rihm - String Quartet No. 3 „Im Innersten“
Rihm - Et Lux for String Quartet and Vocals
Rubbra - String Quartet No. 3
Saariaho - Nymphéa (Jardin Secret III) for String Quartet and Live Electronics
Saygun - String Quartet No. 1, op. 27
Schnittke - String Quartet No. 2
Schnittke - String Quartet No. 3
Schönberg - String Quartet No. 2 in F-sharp minor, Op. 10
Schoenberg - String Quartet No. 4
Schubert - String Quartet No 4 D46
Schubert - String Quartet No. 13 "Rosamunde"
Schubert - String Quartet No. 14 in D Minor "Death and the Maiden"
Schubert - String Quartet No. 15
Schulhoff - String Quartet No. 1
Schuman - String Quartet No. 5
Schumann - String Quartet No. 1
Schumann - String Quartet No. 3 in A Major, Op. 41/3
Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 2
Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 3
Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 4
Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 5
Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 8
Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 10
Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 12
Sibelius - String Quartet in D Minor "Voces Intimae"
Silvestrov - String Quartet No. 1
Simpson - String Quartet No. 1
Smetana - String Quartet No. 1 "From My Life"
Spohr - String Quartet No. 7 n E-Flat major, Op. 29.1
Szymanowski - String Quartet No. 1
Takemitsu - A Way A Lone
Taneyev - String Quartet No. 2 in C major, Op. 5
Tchaikovsky - String Quartet No. 1
Tchaikovsky - String Quartet No. 3
Thoresen - Aion
Thorvaldsdottir - Enigma
Tippett - String Quartet No. 2
Toch -String Quartet No. 10, Op. 28
Tower - In Memory
Valen - String Quartet No. 2
Vasks - String Quartet No. 4
Vaughan Williams - String Quartet No. 2 in A minor
Verdi - String Quartet in E Minor
Villa-Lobos - String Quartet No. 1
Villa Lobos - String Quartet No. 14
Volkmann - String Quartet No. 5
Walton - String Quartet No.2 in A-minor
Webern - Fünf Sätze für Streichquartett, Op. 5 ("Five Movements")
Webern - Six Bagatelles for String Quartet
Weinberg - String Quartet No. 6
Wolf - String Quartet in D minor
Wollschleger - String Quartet #2 "White Wall"
Wolpe - String Quartet
Xenakis - Tetras
Zemlinsky - String Quartet No. 2
Zemlinsky - String Quartet No. 4
Zorn - Cat O’ Nine Tails


The schedule for this round (those who had their turn in italics), choices are typically made on Sunday:

The list for this round:
Mandryka
Josquin13
sbmonty
Merl
Knorf
Malx

(SearsPoncho)

Carmina Banana
StevehamNY
Kjetil Heggelund
Kreisler jr

(allaroundmusicenthusiast)
HerbertNorman
Philidor

maestro267
(Pianomaniac)
Art Rock
Joek Baron
Xenophiliu
Shoskofiev
SanAntone
AndresVel
Mister Meow
Neo Romanza

Also of interest:

Merl's Blogged String Quartet reviews
 
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#7,265 · (Edited)
Mozart, a composer I have always respected as being able to produce pieces of high quality in every genre he worked in. But also a composer that rarely gave me that wow factor. Were most of his compositions clever yet somehow mechanical?
Well I am happy to say that I now believe that belief is wrong. When I listen intently to his works, for the purposes of this thread his string quartets, the more I am recognising how much skill, as I perceive it, and variety he packs into the pieces. Plus if things seem simple it's because there is a master at work that makes them seem so.

I have taken the time to listen to the Alban Berg recording which is my preferred Mozart Quartet disc set from my shelves plus streamed the van Kuijk and Engegard quartets. All three made the work sound great with the newer sound of the two I streamed adding a little something extra.
 
#7,269 · (Edited)
Theme (G major) - 1st fugato subject

Theme (D major) - 2nd fugato subject

Theme (D major)

3rd fugato subject - exposition, development and coda

Notice that the (final) fugato movement is in sonata form. It's also interesting that, in 1781, he copied out the fugato sonata form movement from Haydn MH287, which similarly uses a 4-note theme. (The copy was mistakenly entered into his catalogue of works as K.291).
 
#7,274 ·
For this week's choice I wanted to pick a composer who had not featured yet (that was easy), but with a work that has been recorded a number of times (that was a lot harder). I did manage to find one by one of my favourite composers:

Ernest John Moeran - String Quartet No. 1 in A minor

Ernest John Moeran (1894 - 1950) was an English composer of part-Irish extraction, whose output includes orchestral pieces, concertos, chamber and keyboard works, and a number of choral and song cycles as well as individual songs (summarized from Wiki). He studied with Ireland and Stanford, interrupted by the war, in which he received a severe head injury, which affected the rest of his life.

The first string quartet from 1921 is in three movements (I. Allegro. Lento. Tempo primo, II. Andante con moto, III. Rondo: Allegro vivace). I hope you will enjoy it.

I found four versions on YouTube, kicking off for those who prefer a live version with a performance from 2015 by (I assume) members of the United States Marine Band.



Movement 1
Movement 2
Movement 3

Then we have three commercial recordings, all available on YouTube:




Maggini Quartet on Naxos

Movement 1
Movement 2
Movement 3



Vanbrugh Quartet on ASV

Movement 1
Movement 2
Movement 3



Melbourne String Quartet on Chandos

Movement 1
Movement 2
Movement 3

For a bit more information on this quartet, see here:

 
#7,279 ·
Ernest John Moeran - String Quartet No. 1 in A minor
Great minds think alike, this was a top my list for when my spin comes around.

I prefer SQ1 over his second quartet. If I remember, the first fits in after his service of duty, but before he lodged with Peter Warlock and fought with heavy bouts of drinking (I assume to deal with PTSD as well as Warlock's lifestyle).

The VanBrugh Quartet is my go-to in this music. Wonderful pick!
 
#7,277 ·
Firstly thank you, Art Rock, for bringing this fine quartet to the thread. I really can't believe I've not blogged both of Moeran's quartets as I own, and enjoy, all 3 recordings (2 on cd and one on the HD). Its a work I know well and I suspect many will thoroughly enjoy it and if you like this one you should check out John Ireland's quartets (Moeran studied under him at the RCM and was heavily influenced by his music - I've blogged all Ireland's quartets in one blog post, btw). Anyway, I hope everyone enjoys this one.
 

Attachments

#7,285 ·
Moeran's mood in SQ1 reminds me of a stiff, cold wind across a partly-cloudy landscape. Exceedingly beautiful, but Salt-of-the-Earth and hard working at the same time.

The opening rising cello melody gave me strong reminiscences from the opening of VW's Fantasia on Christmas Carols. I went to look at it, and they both begin with a rising motif (in the same mode?) that plops itself up on an f#. I am sure the similarities end there, but it is an effective soundworld for me as I enjoy both works very much.

Vanbrugh Quartet
 
#7,286 ·
I have the Naxos CD of the Maggini Quartet, and they are usually first choice for me in the British repertoire. I was curious to hear the Vanbrugh Quartet version, and I must say, they are at least as good. Like the Maggini, they include the second quartet as well. The other couplings are very attractive, especially the Fantasy Quartet for Oboe and Strings, my favourite Moeran chamber music piece. Played this from Youtube.
 
#7,287 ·
I have the Naxos CD of the Maggini Quartet, and they are usually first choice for me in the British repertoire.
I have the Maggini recordings too but they are only sometimes a first choice for me. I tend to find that if there are more than 4 or 5 other recordings they are rarely my first choice. This isn't because I don't rate them (they're a solid guide to many of the British quartets) but in more widely available repertoire there always seems to be at least one 'speciality" recording from another ensemble that slaps me in the face (eg Elgar, Walton, etc).
 
#7,288 ·
Moeran's first quartet is another of those British quartets that are pretty good but don't necessarily have anything new or ground breaking to add to the genre.
I spent most of the week playing the Melbourne Quartet's recording I have on the shelf but finally today I streamed the Vanbrugh Quartet recording on ASV.
Good as the Chandos disc is the Vanbrughs did make the whole thing click for me, they managed to keep the momentum flowing throughout and their faster tempos worked far better for me.
Not the most memorable piece but one that an alternative recording certainly made a big difference for this listener - meh became nice.
 
#7,289 ·
I loved hearing this piece. This music along with some Vaughan Williams makes me nostalgic for a life that I never led: searching the heath for my stray sheep while my wife churns butter for our scones.

I like that there are no apologies here. This is a giant rustic folk tune that just happens to take the form of a string quartet. There is an occasional pluck or two that could have been borrowed from early Debussy, but otherwise seems to be a musical version of the English and/or Irish countryside.

Dipping into some other works by Moeran yields very similar results. Are there other styles that emerged during his career?
 
#7,290 ·
This music along with some Vaughan Williams makes me nostalgic for a life that I never led: searching the heath for my stray sheep while my wife churns butter for our scones.
Thank you so much for sharing your thought! I find so much truth in it. (Whatever truth might be ... I am speaking about the kind of truth that makes "click" in your brain and you know that it is true.)

Thanks to Art Rock for picking this quartet! It is not only for the nice quartet, it is also for the impulse to look for further music by Moeran. In particular I appreciate his first symphony and I don't want to miss it.
 
#7,295 ·
Wasn't thinking so much while listening and wasn't bored. I've mostly listened to Haydn today (and Queen and Metallica).
Great combination!
Who am I to criticize a man who has devoted his life to composing music?
In fact, we all do ... if a wine that I bought had some obvious shortcomings, I would criticize that, even if the producer has devoted his life to produce wine ... but I see your point and appreciate it. Sometimes it takes its time to get into the world of some composition, and our first impression hinders ourselves from an enriching listening experience.
 
#7,296 · (Edited)
Hi all , I've been moving house the last few weeks so I haven't had the time to listen to a lot of music lately. Yet I was able to enjoy the lovely Mozart KV 387 and I listened to a recording or two I have of the EJ Moeran Quartet. I must say that was a great breather between cleaning out cupboards and unpacking!
I had to unload my CD collection too and that is a mammoth task which still isn't finished... During the unpacking of the boxes with CD's I came across this set:


I noticed that one of those on the recording that I value , has not been discussed in the thread yet. I am talking about the 4th String Quartet in F Major that Carl Nielsen wrote in 1906 (revised in 1919). It was first composed as a quartet "Piacevolezza"
His Third String Quartet remains my favourite , but his last one genuinely appeals to me. The wide range of emotional content in the piece is impressive .

Would be interesting to read the feelings about the work from you guys on here. There are quite a few recordings to be found out there. Enjoy the listen! Herbert
 
#7,300 · (Edited)
Nielsen's SQs are seriously neglected.
That's just true.

However, I find op. 44 not so easily accessible, in particular the first two movements. What is going on under the handsome surface? I have no idea how to grasp it. There are some strange changes of the local tonality, yes, but somehow it sounds like a relative to Prokofiev's Symphonie classique.

The third and the fourth movement display much more intrinsic complexity imho. These two movements are trustworthy from my perspective. But I don't trust the first two movements an inch so far ...
 
#7,301 · (Edited)
That adagio is lovely and symphonic in nature, Philidor. Give it a few goes. The allegretto 3rd is my favourite movement though. I absolutely love it. The 4th Quartet, as a whole, is very different from his other quartets in its harmonic language. There's a lot of contrapuntal writing and some little fugato sections going on across the quartet. Although it's not my favourite of his quartets it's a clever piece that rewards multiple listens.
 
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