20th century string quartet cycles

[EigenUser]

Schoenberg usually falls victim to atonal crap syndrome.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Cool, DD. I think I already own quite a few performances of the Lyric Suite, but I'll check that one out.

The Arditti's rock on all cylinders, here. Although sadly this recording (whether on the original Montaigne label or the reissue on Naïve) is stuck in OOP limbo. I also have the LaSalle version but it's a distant second choice.

BTW, what do you think of the arrangement Berg made for string orchestra?

I have Abbado's version with the Vienna PO. No doubt he makes as good a case as can be for the orchestral suite but I think the quicksilver nature of the work comes across better in the original string quartet setting. But as an alternative it's a solid listen.

[North Star]

What about Webern? Opp. 5, 9 & 28, and works without opus numbers, e.g. Langsamer Satz, make up for a total of more than four works for string quartet.

[North Star]

The Arditti's rock on all cylinders, here. Although sadly this recording (whether on the original Montaigne label or the reissue on Naïve) is stuck in OOP limbo. I also have the LaSalle version but it's a distant second choice.

I have Abbado's version with the Vienna PO. No doubt he makes as good a case as can be for the orchestral suite but I think the quicksilver nature of the work comes across better in the original string quartet setting. But as an alternative it's a solid listen.

What is wrong with naïve?? They could have so easily included it here: 

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[Dancing Divertimentian]

What is wrong with naïve?? They could have so easily included it here: 

[asin]B00CMSP1IY[/asin]

Oh, brother. A disc with 28 minutes of music on it. I feel so wowed. Yeah, to think what could've been included.

Budget price or not that's just a farce.

[springrite]

It is nice to see "other" getting a few votes. I think Toch (among others) wrote quartets that deserves to be heard more.

[North Star]

Oh, brother. A disc with 28 minutes of music on it. I feel so wowed. Yeah, to think what could've been included.

Budget price or not that's just a farce.

Indeed - they could have included more on a disc when Schönberg was alive, for crying out loud!

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Indeed - they could have included more on a disc when Schönberg was alive, for crying out loud!

[Karl Henning]

It is nice to see "other" getting a few votes. I think Toch (among others) wrote quartets that deserves to be heard more.

Thanks for the reminder!

[vandermolen]

Bloch, Miaskovsky and Rubbra get my vote.

[San Antone]

Benjamin Lees (1924-2010) wrote six.  Here's No. 6 (2005)

https://www.youtube.com/v/hPy694OMCEM

[The new erato]

Oh, brother. A disc with 28 minutes of music on it. I feel so wowed. Yeah, to think what could've been included.

Budget price or not that's just a farce.

What do you expect when the label is naive?

[EigenUser]

Benjamin Lees (1924-2010) wrote six.  Here's No. 6 (2005)

https://www.youtube.com/v/hPy694OMCEM

This was quite good. Thanks!

[Gurn Blanston]

Since all my favorite cycles were recorded in the 20th century, I went with the Mosaiques Mozart set. 

[North Star]

Since all my favorite cycles were recorded in the 20th century, I went with the Mosaiques Mozart set. 

* Clicks "Report to moderator" * 

[mn dave]

This is mainly a list of stuff I haven't heard...yet. 

[André]

I voted Bartok because it's the first cycle I learned decades ago. But I never listen to them any more. Then Shostakovich, Milhaud, Villa-Lobos and other. The latter would have to be either Daniel Jones or R. Murray Schafer.

I have just purchased 3 discs of Hilding's Rosenberg quartets. I know only of his unnumbered 1942 quartet, a gem if you ask me. Then there are the Vainbergs (Weinberg), a composer I love through his symphonies and concertos.

I also like very much the quartets of Tippett, Britten, Carter...

Among those I don't know and would like to: Schoenberg, Bloch and Diamond

[bwv 1080]

Bartok, Carter, Ferneyhough, Schnittke, Shostakovich

[ritter]

Bartók, Carter, Krenek, Milhaud (a recent discovery for me) and Schoenberg...

[San Antone]

Bartók, Carter, Krenek, Milhaud (a recent discovery for me) and Schoenberg...

Agree on all of these.  Yes, on Milhaud.  I think the quartets contain his best written music.  Krenek, a fantastic composer - and these works are some of my favorites.  I wish Schoenberg had written more. 

Wolfgang Rihm's quartets are worth hearing.  A lot of variety there.  Lachenmann, too.  There is a fairly recent complete set of his quartets.