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The Music Room => General Classical Music Discussion => The Polling Station => Topic started by: North Star on April 06, 2014, 12:13:08 PM

Title: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: North Star on April 06, 2014, 12:13:08 PM
So, which are your favourite 20th string quartets (works for that ensemble, preferably with no additional rotorcrafts 0:)) from composers who composed less than four of them?
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: EigenUser on April 06, 2014, 12:45:41 PM
Quote from: North Star on April 06, 2014, 12:13:08 PM
So, which are your favourite 20th string quartets (works for that ensemble, preferably with no additional rotorcrafts 0:)) from composers who composed less than four of them?
:laugh:

Ravel, Debussy, Ligeti (the 1st one I love, 2nd one not so much  :-\ ), and Ives.
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: North Star on April 06, 2014, 12:47:00 PM
Quote from: EigenUser on April 06, 2014, 12:45:41 PM
:laugh:

Ravel, Debussy, Ligeti (the 1st one I love, 2nd one not so much  :-\ ), and Ives.
Have you heard Janáček's two?
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: EigenUser on April 06, 2014, 12:50:24 PM
No, I haven't. Do you recommend them?
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: North Star on April 06, 2014, 12:53:33 PM
Quote from: EigenUser on April 06, 2014, 12:50:24 PM
No, I haven't. Do you recommend them?
Yes. Yes, I do.  8)

https://www.youtube.com/v/WsvIUAHFsF4  https://www.youtube.com/v/iUjrLtLXG60
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: EigenUser on April 06, 2014, 12:55:31 PM
Quote from: North Star on April 06, 2014, 12:53:33 PM
Yes. Yes, I do.  8)

https://www.youtube.com/v/WsvIUAHFsF4  https://www.youtube.com/v/iUjrLtLXG60
Thanks! Perfect -- with score! I'll hear these after I'm done Shostakovich's 1st Symphony.
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: Daverz on April 06, 2014, 01:36:11 PM
Rotorcrafts?

Not 20th Century, but close enough

[asin]B0048077ZE[/asin]

Very accessible music.

Benjamin Lees composed in both centuries:

[asin]B002AT46A4
[/asin]
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: EigenUser on April 06, 2014, 01:55:28 PM
Quote from: Daverz on April 06, 2014, 01:36:11 PM
Rotorcrafts?
Yup.
http://www.youtube.com/v/7ykQFrL0X74
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: Archaic Torso of Apollo on April 06, 2014, 02:08:58 PM
Janacek, Lutoslawski, Elgar, Berg, Sibelius
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: EigenUser on April 06, 2014, 02:12:24 PM
Quote from: North Star on April 06, 2014, 12:53:33 PM
Yes. Yes, I do.  8)

https://www.youtube.com/v/WsvIUAHFsF4  https://www.youtube.com/v/iUjrLtLXG60
On the 1st one now. I love the harmonies in it because they remind me of the Ravel quartet a lot. However, the piece seems to be very fragmented and I'm having trouble putting the whole thing together. He jumps around a lot.
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: Mirror Image on April 06, 2014, 02:37:29 PM
Quote from: EigenUser on April 06, 2014, 02:12:24 PMHowever, the piece seems to be very fragmented and I'm having trouble putting the whole thing together. He jumps around a lot.

Ah, one of the key characteristics of Janacek and one of the reasons why I love his music, although I have no trouble putting anything together.
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: DavidW on April 06, 2014, 02:43:50 PM
Debussy, Ravel, Prokofiev, Berg, Janacek, Webern.
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: amw on April 06, 2014, 03:29:16 PM
Janáček (1 > 2), Gerhard (2 > 1), Roslavets, Enescu, Ligeti, Holliger (I only know the 1st one, but it's a knockout). Lutosławski and Berg (Lyric Suite) were quite important to me as a young listener though I rarely spin them anymore.
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: petrarch on April 06, 2014, 04:17:17 PM
Nono, Ligeti, Webern, Lachenmann, Scelsi (oh wait, off by one), Rihm (darn! off by 8--and counting...).
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: PaulSC on April 07, 2014, 11:36:27 AM
Dutilleux!

Finnissy -- three titled string quartets and several other pieces for the same instrumentation, my top recommendation being #s 2 and 3 here:

[asin]B0071AJ9PO[/asin]
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: North Star on April 07, 2014, 12:29:32 PM
I must hear the Finnissy quartets soon.

Webern wrote three with opus numbers, and a few others, e.g. Langsamer Satz, so he should actually be in the other thread.

Quote from: EigenUser on April 06, 2014, 02:12:24 PM
On the 1st one now. I love the harmonies in it because they remind me of the Ravel quartet a lot. However, the piece seems to be very fragmented and I'm having trouble putting the whole thing together. He jumps around a lot.

Did you listen to No. 2 already?
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: EigenUser on April 07, 2014, 12:35:14 PM
Quote from: North Star on April 07, 2014, 12:29:32 PM
I must hear the Finnissy quartets soon.

Webern wrote three with opus numbers, and a few others, e.g. Langsamer Satz, so he should actually be in the other thread.

Did you listen to No. 2 already?
Yes :( .

I liked No. 1 better, but that doesn't say much. Not that I thought they were bad, but they weren't for me right now. And that doesn't say much (about me) because I usually like large ensemble/orchestral music. In fact, the quartets that I listed (along with Bartok No. 3) are pretty much the only ones that I listen to regularly. Quartets are great fun to play in, but I don't like listening to them so much.

What orchestral works of Janacek are your favorite? What should I hear next?
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: North Star on April 07, 2014, 12:48:35 PM
Quote from: EigenUser on April 07, 2014, 12:35:14 PM
Yes :( .

I liked No. 1 better, but that doesn't say much. Not that I thought they were bad, but they weren't for me right now. And that doesn't say much (about me) because I usually like large ensemble/orchestral music. In fact, the quartets that I listed (along with Bartok No. 3) are pretty much the only ones that I listen to regularly. Quartets are great fun to play in, but I don't like listening to them so much.

What orchestral works of Janacek are your favorite? What should I hear next?
Let's take this to the Janáček thread, aka Leoš' Lair (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,1515.260.html).
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: vandermolen on April 14, 2014, 03:03:39 AM
Both by Vaughan Williams, especially No. 2 with its links to his turbulent and enigmatic Sixth Symphony.
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: EigenUser on May 13, 2014, 04:44:08 AM
No one mentioned Kagel. The first two are, frankly, horrible. I understand that they are "performance art", but why bother recording them then? However, I enjoyed his third SQ. It isn't amazing, but the first thing I thought of when I heard it was "see what happens when you sit down and try to write a good piece of music, instead of just trying to be different?" The guy had talent and a clear (almost Debussian!) feeling for harmony. Unfortunately, it only seems to show up in two out of four SQs.

The one I liked the most was his short "Pan" for piccolo and string quartet (about 5 minutes). That piece is great. I'd recommend it to anyone who doesn't care much for modern classical music.

"Pan" starts at 10:45 for anyone interested. I actually wish it was a little bit longer!
http://www.youtube.com/v/N-DIal25XpM
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: San Antone on May 13, 2014, 04:51:13 AM
Quote from: EigenUser on May 13, 2014, 04:44:08 AM
No one mentioned Kagel. The first two are, frankly, horrible. I understand that they are "performance art", but why bother recording them then?

I love these works, especially the first two.
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: EigenUser on May 13, 2014, 04:57:30 AM
Quote from: sanantonio on May 13, 2014, 04:51:13 AM
I love these works, especially the first two.
Really? Why?

I'm not at all trying to be inflammatory, by the way. I am honestly curious. I can imagine wanting to going to see it performed (I would want to simply because it is interesting and probably amusing), but I found the first two to be un-listenable.
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: San Antone on May 13, 2014, 05:35:54 AM
Quote from: EigenUser on May 13, 2014, 04:57:30 AM
Really? Why?

I don't judge the sounds, I just listen to them. 
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on May 20, 2014, 07:01:27 AM
I want to include composers who composed more than four, you can ignore those composers if you please. Voces intimae by Sibelius, string quartet by Ravel, Faure's quartet, Shostakovich's no. 4 and 12, Schoenberg's string quartet no 1, Stravinsky's three pieces for string quartet and Saint-saëns string quartet no. 2 op. 153, I think.

Umm, isn't debussy's quartet that some of you mentioned from 1893? Or is it enough if the composer is 20th century composer even if the work in question is from 19th century? Or is it some work for string quartet I am not familiar with? I personally love op.10!

Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: North Star on May 20, 2014, 07:33:20 AM
Quote from: Alberich on May 20, 2014, 07:01:27 AM
I want to include composers who composed more than four, you can ignore those composers if you please. Voces intimae by Sibelius, string quartet by Ravel, Faure's quartet, Shostakovich's no. 4 and 12, Schoenberg's string quartet no 1, Stravinsky's three pieces for string quartet and Saint-saëns string quartet no. 2 op. 153, I think.

Umm, isn't debussy's quartet that some of you mentioned from 1893? Or is it enough if the composer is 20th century composer even if the work in question is from 19th century? Or is it some work for string quartet I am not familiar with? I personally love op.10!
Debussy is squarely a 19th C. work, yes.
There is the other 20th century string quartets thread for those who wrote several. :)
Title: Re: 20th century string quartets, pt. II
Post by: Jaakko Keskinen on May 20, 2014, 07:58:10 AM
Okay, my bad. Thanks!