Got favorite STRING QUARTETS ? ?

[Feanor]

Last night I listened to three quartets I hadn't heard before by Lennox Berkeley and his son, Michael Berkeley.

All three this "premier recording" played by Chilingirian Quartet that apparently commission the most recent work (2001) by Michael, Abstract Mirror.

The String Quartet No. 2 by Lennox struck me as a workman-like, modern, tonal quartet. Michael's works were more interesting.

 

[astrotoy]

Last night I listened to three quartets I hadn't heard before by Lennox Berkeley and his son, Michael Berkeley.

All three this "premier recording" played by Chilingirian Quartet that apparently commission the most recent work (2001) by Michael, Abstract Mirror.

The String Quartet No. 2 by Lennox struck me as a workman-like, modern, tonal quartet. Michael's works were more interesting.

That sounds great. Coincidentally, we were at a concert with Angela Hewitt this past Sunday at Wigmore Hall. Part of the concert was a set of 3 Caberet Songs by Michael Berkeley, sung by Canadian baritone Gerald Finley accompanied by Hewitt (who incldentally used a iPad to read the music). They were very witty and fun. The last one was entitled "Wigmore Hall." At the end, Michael Berkeley came up from the audience to receive the applause of the attendees! The program doesn't mention that Michael is Lennox's son. It does say he was born in 1948, making him almost as old as I am.

Larry

PS. My collection includes the 100 Lyrita stereo Records, including several orchestral works by Lennox Berkeley, a Serenade and Divertimento and Symphonies 1 and 2. They were recorded in the mid '70's by Decca, with my friend John Dunkerley doing the engineering with the great "Wilkie".

 

[A.S.]

And this one I always return to;
Haydn.

 

[Al M.]

By the way, any thoughts on the SQs by Ferneyhough, Ligeti, Lutoslawski, Maxwell Davies, Rihm, and/or Schnittke?

Great thread, Feanor. Love the Ferneyhough quartets -- I have the recent complete set with the Arditti quartet. Schnittke is great! Maxwell Davies has been a special interest of mine, I have written Amazon reviews:

Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Maxwell Davies: Naxos Quartets Nos. 3 & 4

http://www.amazon.com/Peter-Maxwell...B000NOIWQC/ref=cm_cr-mr-title#customerReviews

I also have an article on Rihm's No 3:

Rihm String Quartet No. 3

 

[microstrip]

Just found this very interesting thread when the Gyorgy Ligeti String Quartets played by the Arditti are still resting close to my system - great music.

I will add my preference concerning an already referenced masterwork - for the Shostakovitch's the Borodin String Quartet are fabulous.

 

[A.S.]

Just found this very interesting thread when the Gyorgy Ligeti String Quartets played by the Arditti are still resting close to my system - great music.

I will add my preference concerning an already referenced masterwork - for the Shostakovitch's the Borodin String Quartet are fabulous.

Captivating! Thanks.

 

[LL21]

I have nearly all of Haydn's, Bach's and closing in on Vivaldi. Getting more on Beethoven. Two Quartets that stand out for me:

 

[astrotoy]

I have nearly all of Haydn's, Bach's and closing in on Vivaldi. Getting more on Beethoven.

I always thought the Haydn was the father of the string quartet. I have lots of Bach and Vivaldi, but no string quartets from either one. I'm curious to know what SQ's do you have from Bach or Vivaldi?

Thanks, Larry

 

[LL21]

I always thought the Haydn was the father of the string quartet. I have lots of Bach and Vivaldi, but no string quartets from either one. I'm curious to know what SQ's do you have from Bach or Vivaldi?

Thanks, Larry

Sorry - when i wrote i have nearly of Haydn's, Bach's etc...i should have said "works"...i have nearly all of their works...and of all their various works i have found particularly great enjoyment listening to these 2 particular string quartet albums of Haydn and Beethoven...even in comparison to other [non-string quartet] works by them...that's what i meant to say.

 

[astrotoy]

I understand, thanks.

Almost 50 years ago (in 1966-7) I took a semester course in college in my senior year entitled Haydn and Mozart String Quartets (followed the next semester with Beethoven Chamber music). Both were for non music majors. It was my first real introduction to the string quartet. I particularly remember the Haydn Op20 and Op33 quartets, the latter, IIRC, which were the inspiration for Mozart's great 'Haydn' quartets, #14-19 which he dedicated to Haydn. At that time, there were few recordings or live performances of Haydn quartets other than the great Op76 quartets. I have two complete sets of the Haydn quartets, the first is the Aeolian Quartet which I believe was the first complete set ever recorded - by Decca in their mammoth HAYDN series (which also includes Antal Dorati conducting the complete symphonies and John McCabe playing the Piano Sonatas.) I believe Decca eventually released the set on CD's, although mine is all vinyl. The second is the very fine and inexpensive Kodaly Quartet set on Naxos on CD. There may be other complete sets, but I don't have them.

In college, I was fortunate to hear both the Budapest SQ and the Julliard SQ in concert.

Larry

 

[LL21]

Great stuff...hearing those quartets live must have been fun. We've heard Endellion last year, and it was a lot of fun to be so close (5th row). i also have kodaly Haydn String Quartets box...great music. I always have a toss up between Bach, Handel and Haydn as my favorite to listen to in classical.

 

[Feanor]

...

I would suggest expanding the list to include string quartets +1, like the divine Mozart Clarinet Quintet (which we heard last Thursday played by our local Farallon Quintet which specializes in clarinet quintets!). We heard the Takacs Quartet with pianist Marc Andre Hamelin, playing the Franck Piano Quintet, and another group playing the Dvorak American Quintet (Op97 - right after his wonderful American Quartet) with double bass. Maybe my favorite is the Schubert Quintet with a second cello. The Schubert Trout doesn't qualify since it only has one violin, with piano and double bass making the other instruments. Lastly are the two great Brahms quintets - the piano quintet and the clarinet quintet. I was fortunate to hear the Budapest String Quartet play the Brahms Piano Quintet in Boston with 16 year old Peter Serkin in the mid '60's. The Budapest members were all of Medicare age, before there was Medicare.

Finally, if you interested in the 15 Shostakovich String Quartets (I have the Fitzwilliam and Borodin Q versions) there is the great Beethoven Quartet, a Russian group who premiered quartets 2 through 14 and to whom many of the quartets were dedicated. Unfortunately, I don't have any of their recordings, but I think they are available.

Larry

Thanks for your Quintet suggestions. I know the suggestions you make come from an impeccable advisor.

Shostakovich's quartets are probably my favorite of the genre, (with all due reverence & respect to Beethoven). I have the Eder version on Naxos, in addition to the Borodin and Fitzwilliam. The last is my favorite though, given I'm not musically trained in any way, my choice is entirely subjective.

 

[astrotoy]

We just heard the Skampa Qt play the Dvorak String Qnt Op97 today at Wigmore Hall. I reread my earlier post about it. There is a mistake - the added instrument is a viola, similar to the String Quintets of Mozart (SQ + viola). We heard the Franck Piano Quintet 8 days ago, again at Wigmore, with the great Angela Hewitt playing a Fazioli piano with the Cremona SQ.

Larry

 

[Feanor]

Yesterday I listened to ...

Henri Dutilleux (1916-2013): String Quartet "Ainsi la nuit"

... played by the Belcea Quartet, published in 2001 on EMI Classics. A very enjoyable modern string quartet well played and recorded.

The Ravel and Dubussy quartets on the same disc is also a fine performances, IMO.

 

[Feanor]

This evening some quartets a bit off the beaten track ...

= Elliott Carter: String Quartet No. 3

= John Cage: String Quartet in Four Parts

= Gavin Bryers: String Quartet No. 2

= Gloria Coates: String Quartet No. 2

= Georges Delerue: String Quartet No. 2

= Wolfgang Rihm: String Quartet No. 1, Op. 2

 

[BlueFox]

Thanks. I will order these. I have some Carter and Coates, and love both.

 

[Feanor]

Thanks. I will order these. I have some Carter and Coates, and live both.

Well I do strongly recommend a set of the Elliott Carter quartets. The only complete set I have all five is from the Pacifica Quartets which I like, though I'm not a musically trained person. The Juilliard String Quartet has since published a complete set. The Arditti version includes only the first four quartets since the 5th was composed after their publication.

In my not-highly-informed opinion, Carter is a great composer, perhaps the greatest American composer of all, though no doubt he will always be under appreciated.

Personally, though I have that recording of a few of Gloria Coates' quartets, I'm in no rush to get any more.

 

[Feanor]

Last night's listening, a couple of minimalist dirges; I slightly prefer the Glass, (anyway it's shorter) ...

= Philip Glass: String Quartet No. 3, "Mishima" ~ Kronos Quartet

= Henryk Górecki: String Quartet No. 3, "... songs are sung" ~ Kronos Quartet

 

[Feanor]

Last night, one of the great quartets of the repertoire; also one of the great 'contemporary' classical works ...

Elliott Carter: String Quartet No. 1 (1950-51) ~ The Composers Quartet, on Nonesuch, 1992

 

[Feanor]

Last night I enjoyed listening to these Classical-era quartets. Rigel's Opus 10 is comprised of six miniature quartets and I can recommend it as well as this particular recording that has good performance and sound.

Henri-Joseph Rigel: Quartet Dialogues, Opus 10 ~ Quatuor Franz-Joseph, on ATMA Classique