String Quartets Essentials

About this playlist

The balanced, intimate sound of the string quartet makes it irresistible to composers, and it became one of the cornerstones of the classical era, with Joseph Haydn often hailed as the "father" of the form. The string quartets of Beethoven, Mozart, Shostakovich and Bartok are considered among their most important work.

Tracklist

Tracks with this symbol are accompanied by content from the Maestro Listening Guide.

Dvořák: String Quartet No.12 in F major, B179

I. Allegro, ma non troppo

Jerusalem Quartet

9:42

Haydn: String Quartet No.30 in Eb major, Hob. III/38

I. Allegro moderato cantabile

Cuarteto Casals

6:59

Beethoven: String Quartet No.15 in A minor, Op. 132

String Quartet No. 15 in A minor, Op. 132: V. Allegro appassionato - Presto

Cuarteto Casals

6:34

Turina: La oración del torero, Op. 34

The Bullfighter's Prayer, Op.34

Britten Quartet

8:50

Ravel: String Quartet in F major, M. 35

2. Assez vif. Très rythmé

Emerson String Quartet

5:54

Brahms: String Quartet No.3 in Bb major, Op. 67

II. Andante

Gringolts Quartet

7:00

Borodin: String Quartet No.2 in D major

III. Notturno

Talich Quartet

8:07

Smetana: String Quartet No.2 in D minor, T131

II. Allegro moderato

Talich Quartet

5:28

Mozart: String Quartet No.15 in D minor, K417b

1. Allegro moderato

Emerson String Quartet

7:50

Mendelssohn: String Quartet No.6 in F minor, Op. 80

String Quartet No. 6, Op. 80, MWV R 37: I. Allegro vivace assai

Calidore String Quartet

7:43

Schubert: String Quartet No.14 in D minor, D810

String Quartet No. 14 in D minor D.810, 'Death and the Maiden': I. Allegro

Alban Berg Quartett

11:31

Schubert: String Quartet No. 14 in D Minor, D. 810, "Death and the Maiden": II. Andante con moto

Alban Berg Quartett

14:25

Tchaikovsky: String Quartet No.1 in D major, Op. 11

1. Moderato e semplice

Orava Quartet

11:39

Shostakovich: String Quartet No.8 in C minor, Op. 110

String Quartet No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 110: II. Allegro molto

Carducci String Quartet

2:48

Britten: String Quartet No.2 in C major, Op. 36

String Quartet No. 2, Op. 36: I. Allegro calmo senza rigore

Doric String Quartet

8:17

Beethoven: String Quartet No.7 in F major, Op. 59/1

Beethoven: String Quartet No. 7 in F Major, Op. 59 No. 1, "Razumovsky": IV. Allegro (Russian Theme)

Quatuor Ébène

8:05

F. Price: Negro Folksongs in Counterpoint

No. 1, Calvary. Adagio vigoroso

Apollo Chamber Players

4:27

L. Janáček: String Quartet No.1, JW7/8

I. Adagio. Con moto

Jerusalem Quartet

2:42

Haydn: String Quartet No.61 in D minor, Hob. III/76

4. Finale (Vivace assai)

Takács Quartet

4:01

Wolf: Serenade in G major

Italian Serenade In G Major WW XV / 3

Emerson String Quartet

7:09

Mozart: String Quartet No.19 in C major, K465

I. Adagio - Allegro

Petersen Quartet

9:53

Smetana: String Quartet No.1 in E minor, T116

I. Allegro vivo appassionato

Tokyo String Quartet

7:08

Fauré: String Quartet in E minor, Op. 121

Fauré: String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 121: III. Allegro

Quatuor Ébène

7:46

F. C. Mendelssohn: String Quartet in Eb major, H. 277

III. Romanze

Erato Quartet

6:56

Beethoven: String Quartet No.14 in C# minor, Op. 131

Beethoven: String Quartet No. 14 in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 131: VII. Allegro

Endellion String Quartet

7:09

Puccini: Crisantemi, SC65

Andante mesto

Hagen Quartett

8:00

Brahms: String Quartet No.3 in Bb major, Op. 67

I. Vivace

Gringolts Quartet

9:40

Brahms: String Quartet No.1 in C minor, Op. 51/1

Brahms: String Quartet No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 51 No. 1: I. Allegro

Artemis Quartet

10:21

Elgar: String Quartet in E minor, Op. 83

String Quartet in E Minor, Op. 83: I. Allegro moderato

Brodsky Quartet

9:22

Mozart: String Quartet No.20 in D major, K499

Mozart: String Quartet No. 20 in D Major, K. 499 "Hoffmeister": I. Allegretto

Alban Berg Quartett

9:31

Haydn: String Quartet No.62 in C major, Hob. III/77

String Quartet No. 62 in C Major, Op. 76 No. 3, Hob. III:77 "Emperor": II. Poco adagio, cantabile

Kodály Quarte

7:42

Bartók: String Quartet No.4, Sz. 91

5. Allegro molto

Emerson String Quartet

5:05

L. Janáček: String Quartet No.2, JW7/13

String Quartet No. 2 "Intimate Letters": I. Andante

Quatuor Zaïde

6:20

S. Barber: String Quartet No.1, Op. 11

2. Molto adagio

Emerson String Quartet

Maestro small icon

6:53

Glass: String Quartet No. 5

String Quartet No. 5: III.

Kronos Quartet

5:28

Nyman: String Quartet No. 3

fig. D

Balanescu Quartet

5:44

C. Franck: String Quartet in D major, FWV9

I. Poco lento - Allegro

Fine Arts Quartet

13:46

Beethoven: String Quartet No.7 in F major, Op. 59/1

1. Allegro

Emerson String Quartet

10:16

Boccherini: String Quartet No. 5 in G minor, G205

I. Allegro comodo

Cuarteto Casals

5:59

Debussy: String Quartet in G minor, L85

1. Animé et très décidé

Melos Quartet

6:23

Smyth: String Quartet in E Minor

II. Allegro molto leggiero

Mannheimer Streichquartett

5:50

Saint-Saëns: String Quartet No.1 in E minor, Op. 112

III. Molto adagio

Fine Arts Quartet

8:44

R. Schumann: String Quartet No.3 in A major, Op. 41/3

String Quartet No. 3 in A Major, Op. 41 No. 3: I. Andante espressivo – Allegro molto moderato

Elias Quartet

7:59

Sibelius: String Quartet in D minor, Op. 56

IV. Allegro ma pesante

Tetzlaff Quartett, Hanna Weinmeister, Elisabeth Kufferath, Tanja Tetzlaff and Christian Tetzlaff

5:29

Mendelssohn: String Quartet No.2 in A minor, Op. 13

Mendelssohn: String Quartet No. 2 in A Minor, Op. 13: I. Adagio - Allegro vivace

Artemis Quartet

8:12

Haydn: String Quartet No.63 in Bb major, Hob. III/78

String Quartet in B flat major Op. 76 No. 4 "Sunrise": I. Allegro con spiritu

Alban Berg Quartett

8:33

Beethoven: Grosse Fuge in Bb major, Op. 133

The Great Fugue in B-Flat Major, Op. 133

Armida Quartett

14:31

Total playing time

6:08:06

Curated by

Natalia Fernández Muela

Primephonic Catalog Specialist

About this playlist

The balanced, intimate sound of the string quartet makes it irresistible to composers, and it became one of the cornerstones of the classical era, with Joseph Haydn often hailed as the "father" of the form. The string quartets of Beethoven, Mozart, Shostakovich and Bartok are considered among their most important work.

Curated by

Natalia Fernández Muela

Primephonic Catalog Specialist

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