Top 10 Favorite Quintets

[SymphonicAddict]

Lately I have enjoyed many chamber works by several composers, among them piano and string quintets.

Not having listened to some important examples yet (but they are awaiting) [Taneyev (3), Bloch (2), Zarebski, Schmitt, Koechlin, Piston, Enescu, etc.], I'd say these ones:

Schubert: String quintet, D. 956 (mandatory)
Brahms: Piano quintet (mandatory)
Brahms: Clarinet quintet (mandatory)
Dvorák: Piano quintet, op. 81 (mandatory)
Novák: Piano quintet
Vierne: Piano quintet (sad, tragic, masterful)
Medtner: Piano quintet (gorgeous discovery!!)
Schnittke: Piano quintet
Vaughan Williams: Phantasy Quintet
Cras: Piano quintet (another recent discovery, stunning!!)

Other honorable/fantastic mentions:

Shostakovich: Piano quintet
Dvorák: Both string quintets opp. 77 and 97
Schmidt: Piano quintet (for left hand)
Atterberg: Piano quintet (arrangement of the 6th Symphony)
Elgar: Piano quintet
Gouvy: String quintet in G major
Suk: Piano quintet (magnific 2nd movement)

[bwv 1080]

Gesualdo - Moro Lasso
Mozart - Clarinet Quintet
Mozart - String Quintet K 515
Schumann - Piano Quintet
Brahms - Piano Quintet
Reger - Clarinet Quintet
Carter - Clarinet Quintet
Fox - Clarinet Quintet
Feldman - Clarinet and String Quartet
Schnittke - Piano Quintet

[Madiel]

Since this topic last came up I've bought at least the Schubert and Mozart string quintets, plus I think more Dvorak than I previously had (though not absolutely certain on date of purchase there).

A quintet festival may be in order.

[Karl Henning]

Well, it appears that I have not played yet.

Setting our dancing friend    momentarily aside:

Elgar, pf Quintet, Op.84
Hindemith, Kleine Kammermusik, Op.24 № 2
Mozart, Quintet for pf & winds, K.452
Nielsen, Wind Quintet, Op.43
Prokofiev, Quintet Op.39
Schnittke, pf Quintet
Schoenberg, Wind Quintet, Op.26
Schumann, pf Quintet, Op.44
Shostakovich, pf Quintet, Op.57
Weinberg, pf Quintet, Op.18

[Florestan]

Boccherini - String Quintet op. 30 No. 6 (G. 324) "Musica notturna delle strade di Madrid" (Night Music of the Streets of Madrid)

Mozart - String Quintets KV 515, 516, 593, 614

Mozart - Clarinet Quintet in A major KV 581

Schubert - Piano Quintet in A major D. 667 "Trout"

Schubert - String Quintet in C major D. 956, Op. posth. 163

Herzogenberg - Quintet for Piano and Winds in E-flat major op. 43

Vierne - Piano Quintet in C minor op. 42

[vandermolen]

Shostakovich: Piano Quintet
Bloch (both piano quintets)
Vaughan Williams: Phantasy Quintet
Weinberg: Piano Quintet
Schnittke: Piano Quintet
Novak: Piano Quintet

[some guy]

Someone should mention Mladi, quick.

Oh, there. I just did.

Good.

I'd mention Relais and Fourth Millenium, too if I thought it would do any good.

How to improve the world (you will only make matters worse).

Words as true today as when they were written.

[North Star]

Josquin: Miserere mei, Deus
Mozart: String Quintet in g minor, K. 516
Schubert: String Quintet
Schumann: Piano Quintet
Brahms: Clarinet Quintet
Dvorak: Piano Quintet no. 2
Fauré: Piano Quintet no. 2
Nielsen: Wind Quintet
Shostakovich: Piano Quintet
Piazzolla: Concierto para Quinteto

[Karl Henning]

Someone should mention Mladi, quick.

Oh, there. I just did.

Good.

I am glad.

[vandermolen]

Lately I have enjoyed many chamber works by several composers, among them piano and string quintets.

Not having listened to some important examples yet (but they are awaiting) [Taneyev (3), Bloch (2), Zarebski, Schmitt, Koechlin, Piston, Enescu, etc.], I'd say these ones:

Schubert: String quintet, D. 956 (mandatory)
Brahms: Piano quintet (mandatory)
Brahms: Clarinet quintet (mandatory)
Dvorák: Piano quintet, op. 81 (mandatory)
Novák: Piano quintet
Vierne: Piano quintet (sad, tragic, masterful)
Medtner: Piano quintet (gorgeous discovery!!)
Schnittke: Piano quintet
Vaughan Williams: Phantasy Quintet
Cras: Piano quintet (another recent discovery, stunning!!)

Other honorable/fantastic mentions:

Shostakovich: Piano quintet
Dvorák: Both string quintets opp. 77 and 97
Schmidt: Piano quintet (for left hand)
Atterberg: Piano quintet (arrangement of the 6th Symphony)
Elgar: Piano quintet
Gouvy: String quintet in G major
Suk: Piano quintet (magnific 2nd movement)

The Atterberg sounds very interesting. I'm sure that I have the Suk one - I greatly admire his music.

[SymphonicAddict]

The Atterberg sounds very interesting. I'm sure that I have the Suk one - I greatly admire his music.

I'm almost sure you'll enjoy the Atterberg's. The Suk's is an early work, I found it so nice. In fact, Suk was very talented from his beginnings.

Well, it appears that I have not played yet.

Setting our dancing friend    momentarily aside:

Weinberg, pf Quintet, Op.18

Weinberg: Piano Quintet

The Weinberg's is another I must play

[Cato]

For your consideration:


Alexander Tcherepnin's Piano Quintet:

https://www.youtube.com/v/8UkqhEQo0Ng

Only the first movement is available on YouTube.

[André]

I'm waiting to get acquainted with Weinberg's piano quintet (the disc is on its way). Meanwhile, here are some of my favourites, in no particular order:

For piano and strings:

- Shostakovich
- Vierne
- Koechlin
- Bloch no 1
- Schumann op. 44
- Brahms op. 34


I think these are worth anyone's time and money. True cornerstones of the genre. I need to re-listen to the Schmitt, Gouvy and Fauré (2) works for piano and strings. And of course listen for the first time to many others, such as Franck, Dvorak...

For strings:

- Schubert
- Bruckner
- Boccherini: many of them. The string quintet genre is where his genius shone the most. I know roughly half of his output (14 discs, with a little duplication here and there).

For strings and another instrument:

- Boccherini (Ritirata di Madrid, with guitar)
- Eliasson (with harpsichord)
- Bax (with oboe)

For various instruments:

- Koechlin's delightful Quintet no 2 for flute, violin, viola, cello and harp.

[Ken B]

Well, it appears that I have not played yet.

Setting our dancing friend    momentarily aside:


Mozart, Quintet for pf & winds, K.452

That's my choice.

Spoiled for choice here. Mozart's quintets in general are all magnificent, his best chamber music.

Schubert, String Quintet
Dvorak Piano
Elgar piano (yes, that Elgar)
Brahms, both string quintets

Not at that exalted level but worthy of your consideration
Rota https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-LfEL6CyQzA

[Madiel]

Any love for Beach?

I've heard her piano quintet in concert once and enjoyed it. Getting a recording is on the to-do list.

[amw]

Mozart String Quintets 3, 4, 5 & 6 (K515, 516, 593, 614)
Mozart Clarinet Quintet (K581)
Mozart Piano Quintet (K452)
Beethoven String Quintet Op. 29 (no. 2)
Schubert String Quintet D. 956
Mendelssohn String Quintet Op. 18 (no. 1)
Schumann Piano Quintet Op. 44
Brahms Piano Quintet Op. 34 - III. Scherzo. Allegro
Brahms String Quintets Op. 88 & 111
Brahms Clarinet Quintet Op. 115
Dvořák Piano Quintet Op. 81 (no. 2)
Bruckner String Quintet
Fauré Piano Quintets Op. 89 & 115
Arensky Piano Quintet Op. 51
Nielsen Wind Quintet
Taneyev Piano Quintet Op. 30
Medtner Piano Quintet
Enescu Piano Quintet
Schoenberg String Quartet No. 2 (with soprano)
Weinberg Piano Quintet Op. 18
Ligeti 10 Pieces for Wind Quintet
Schnittke Piano Quintet
Xenakis Akea
Feldman Clarinet & String Quartet
Sciarrino Lo spazio inverso
Ferneyhough Etudes Transcendentales

I think that's 10. More or less.

[Madiel]

I think that's 10. More or less.

Allowing for annual inflation.

[Jo498]

It's closer to 10 than to 100 so close enough in powers of 10. But Brahms' piano quintet is missing from amw's list.

[amw]

That's true, the one movement of Brahms's piano quintet that I enjoy is indeed missing. Will fix immediately.

I have never gotten on with the piece as a whole for whatever reason. The first movement has its moments but is somehow... over-composed and overwrought in the way Brahms's critics claim all his music is (it isn't). The second movement also somehow never manages to get off the ground for me. I like the finale, but think it...... probably could benefit from being a fair bit shorter. Definitely one of the most magnificent scherzos in the scherzo repertoire, though.

(The only Brahms scherzo I find comparable in quality—unpopular opinion alert—is the third movement, Allegro vivace, of the Symphony No. 4. Technically a sonata form, but "scherzo" is more of a mood than a formal descriptor in Brahms's time.)

[Karl Henning]

Any love for Beach?

I've heard her piano quintet in concert once and enjoyed it. Getting a recording is on the to-do list.

The quintet (like so much of her work) I do not know;  judging by the Beach selections in a recent recital I heard (this is her sesquicentenary) I should investigate the quintet.