12 great string quartets????

[Fëanor]

I love chamber music and the string quartet is my single favorite form.  But despite 35 year, on and off, of classical listening, I have a lot to learn.

Anyway, here is my contribution of favorite quartes, (listed in chronological order).  I think you'll agree that most of my choices are quite conventional apart, maybe from the Carter and Alwyn ...

• Mozart: No.19, K.465 "Dissonance" (1785)
• Haydn: No.62, Op.76/3 "Emperor" (1796)
• Beethoven: No.7, Op.59/1 "Rasumovsky" (1806)
• Schubert: No.14, D.810 "Death and the Maiden" (1824)
• Beethoven: No.14, Op.131 (1826)
• Borodin: No.2 (1881)
• Dvorak: No.6, Op.12 "American" (1893)
• Janácek: No.1 "Kruetzer Sonata" (1923)
• Bartók: No.4 (1928)
• Carter: No.2 (1959)
• Shostakovich: No.8, Op.110 (1960)
• Alwyn: No.2 "Spring Waters" (1975)

[Peregrine]

The string quartet is my single favorite form to which I've devoted the greatest attention.

Mine too...

Yet I suspect there is a lot more great stuff lurking out there that you folks know about but I don't yet.

Same here, good thread and shall look forward to trying out some recs.

• Mozart: No.19, K.465 "Dissonance" (1785)
• Haydn: No.62, Op.76/3 "Emperor" (1796)
• Beethoven: No.7, Op.59/1 "Rasumovsky" (1806)
• Schubert: No.14, D.810 "Death and the Maiden" (1824)
• Beethoven: No.14, Op.131 (1826)
• Borodin: No.2 (1881)
• Dvorak: No.6, Op.12 "American" (1893)
• Janácek: No.1 "Kruetzer Sonata" (1923)
• Bartók: No.4 (1928)
• Carter: No.2 (1959)
• Shostakovich: No.8, Op.110 (1960)
• Alwyn: No.2 "Spring Waters" (1975)

Nice list  Don't know the Carter or Alwyn, shall have a look around. Cheers.

[Lethevich]

If I may, I'll make my list of deliberately not the most famous ones. I like all the big names that I've heard, but so does everyone else already...

Britten #3 (Britten's more downbeat style works well here, doesn't sound like his playful early works)
Schnittke #2 (more coherent than some of his work)
Simpson #9 (really ambitious)
Hartmann #2
Chausson, Op.35
Dvořák #7 (in the standard numbering system, I believe the American one is #12...)
Vasks #4 (slightly manic alternation between fast and calm, a little like Kancheli's symphonies)
Szymanowski #2 (both of Szymanowski's are late romantic gems)
Holmboe #18 (hard to pick one, there are a bewildering amount)
Rihm #3 (kind of thorny - the only piece by him that grabbed me until Edward advised me on his work - I'm doing more investigation atm)
Vaughan Williams #2 (his usual "folksy" style, but it's good music)
Cherubini #6 (a major cycle of that period IMO, good to look into if you like Beethoven, Mozart and Haydn)

Edit: Added some descriptions - I forgot that just a list of names may not be helpful

[Peregrine]

If I may, I'll make my list of deliberately not the most famous ones. I like all the big names that I've heard, but so does everyone else already...

Britten #3 (Britten's more downbeat style works well here, doesn't sound like his playful early works)
Schnittke #2 (more coherent than some of his work)
Simpson #9 (really ambitious)
Hartmann #2
Chausson, Op.35
Dvo?ák #7 (in the standard numbering system, I believe the American one is #12...)
Vasks #4 (slightly manic alternation between fast and calm, a little like Kancheli's symphonies)
Szymanowski #2 (both of Szymanowski's are late romantic gems)
Holmboe #18 (hard to pick one, there are a bewildering amount)
Rihm #3 (kind of thorny - the only piece by him that grabbed me until Edward advised me on his work - I'm doing more investigation atm)
Vaughan Williams #2 (his usual "folksy" style, but it's good music)
Cherubini #6 (a major cycle of that period IMO, good to look into if you like Beethoven, Mozart and Haydn)

Edit: Added some descriptions - I forgot that just a list of names may not be helpful

I recognise barely any of those!

These 'lists' can be quite thought provoking...shall now spend the evening 'researching' online!

merci beaucoup

[hornteacher]

My Absolute three favorite String Quartets are:

Dvorak #12 - American (already mentioned)
Shostakovich #8 - written after his visit to war ravaged Dresden
Beethoven #4 - a fantastic early period minor key gem

[Kullervo]

Beethoven #4 - a fantastic early period minor key gem

Is this from the Op. 18 quartets? I get confused when people refer to the SQ number instead of the opus number.

[Kullervo]

Chausson, Op.35

I thought I was the only person that thought so highly of this quartet. Chausson seems to be generally overlooked.

[Lethevich]

I thought I was the only person that thought so highly of this quartet. Chausson seems to be generally overlooked.

To be honest, I think I bought my disc with that on for a piece by Franck - the Chausson was a nice surprise, though.

[hornteacher]

Is this from the Op. 18 quartets? I get confused when people refer to the SQ number instead of the opus number.

Sorry, yes its #4 in the Op 18 set.

[Fëanor]

If I may, I'll make my list of deliberately not the most famous ones. I like all the big names that I've heard, but so does everyone else already...

Britten #3 (Britten's more downbeat style works well here, doesn't sound like his playful early works)
Schnittke #2 (more coherent than some of his work)
Simpson #9 (really ambitious)
Hartmann #2
Chausson, Op.35
Dvořák #7 (in the standard numbering system, I believe the American one is #12...)
Vasks #4 (slightly manic alternation between fast and calm, a little like Kancheli's symphonies)
Szymanowski #2 (both of Szymanowski's are late romantic gems)
Holmboe #18 (hard to pick one, there are a bewildering amount)
Rihm #3 (kind of thorny - the only piece by him that grabbed me until Edward advised me on his work - I'm doing more investigation atm)
Vaughan Williams #2 (his usual "folksy" style, but it's good music)
Cherubini #6 (a major cycle of that period IMO, good to look into if you like Beethoven, Mozart and Haydn)

Edit: Added some descriptions - I forgot that just a list of names may not be helpful

Extremely interesting list and I'll check these out at the earliest opportunity.  For the most part I haven't heard them.

[Lethevich]

He didn't [...] go down the opera cop out route.

?

[Fëanor]

...
Anyway, here is my contribution of favorite quartes, (listed in chronological order).  I think you'll agree that most of my choices are quite conventional apart, maybe from the Carter and Alwyn ...

• Mozart: No.19, K.465 "Dissonance" (1785)
• Haydn: No.62, Op.76/3 "Emperor" (1796)
• Beethoven: No.7, Op.59/1 "Rasumovsky" (1806)
• Schubert: No.14, D.810 "Death and the Maiden" (1824)
• Beethoven: No.14, Op.131 (1826)
• Borodin: No.2 (1881)
• Dvorak: No.6, Op.12 "American" (1893)
• Janácek: No.1 "Kruetzer Sonata" (1923)
• Bartók: No.4 (1928)
• Carter: No.2 (1959)
• Shostakovich: No.8, Op.110 (1960)
• Alwyn: No.2 "Spring Waters" (1975)

By the way the late Beethoven quartets where a real challenge for me, and only their very high reputation caused me to perserver.  But it was worth it in the end.

I wonder how many other quartets are out there that fit the difficult but ultimately rewarding description.  I dare say there are a few in the contemporary category that do, e.g. in my opinion, the Carter quartets.

[Fëanor]

The Bartok 6 are the prime contenders for the most important set since Beethoven, and it's generally thought they are the greatest of the 20th century. They are quite amazing ...

His younger compatriot Gyorgy Ligeti's are also wonderful, though different.
...

I think Pierre Boulez thinks the form dead.... Brian Ferneyhough .. an astonishing composer of the 'complex' school would disagree I'm sure ... check out Brian Ferneyhough and James Dillon.

Until recently I generally preferred Shostakovich's quartets, but am coming around to the recognizing Bartok's as the more interesting.

I have Ligeti's Nos. 1 & 2 quartets and I know they deserve more of my attention.

Thanks for the tips re. Ferneyhough and Dillon.

[Mark]

Can't do this. Haven't experienced enough to make a definite list of six, let alone 12.

[Kullervo]

?

Don't bother. 

[carlos]

Can't answer this. Have about 300 string quartets recorded,and I love all of them. If I select some, the others would be offended

[The new erato]

Bloch nr 1 and Hindemith 4 & 5 should be mentioned. As well as Enescus 2.

[Valentino]

Many good mentioned here, but

Mozart K. 421 is king!

I shall not mention twelve, but eight, so I add:

Haydn's op. 20 set, and

Dutilleux' "Ansi de la nuit".

That's 8.

[Renfield]

I. Listen. To. Beethoven, Shostakovich, and one Schubert. String Quartet.

Hence, I'll stay silent here for now, and go play [with] my symphonies.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

He didn't compromise in composition or go down the opera cop out route.

Opera is a 'cop out'?

I suppose then I shouldn't mention that Bartok himself wrote an opera: Bluebeard's Castle.

Mighty fine work of art.