... moving on to some key string quartets, two giants to begin with, Bartok and Shostakovich.
Bartoks quartets rank amongst the greatest ever written. They are initially difficult to approach, as they are spiky, dissonant and angular, but the more you listen, the more you hear the folk rhythms, the dance music, the wit and satire that underpins the music, and eventually you realise that this is supremely lyrical music. In the 6th quartet, Charlie Chaplin makes a cameo appearance, for example. There are many excellent sets available I have always liked the unfashionable
Lindsays.
Shostakovichs quartets are akin to a personal diary throughout his life, and contain all his inner anguish and despair, and his response to some of the cataclysmic events that occurred in Russia no. 8, for example, is a harrowing account of the terror of WW2. There are only two sets worth considering, either the Borodin Quartet, who worked over a long period with the composer, or the
Fitzwilliam Quartet's cycle, which can often be found at bargain price.
Elliott Carter used the string quartet to create his own unique musical language, and his cycle represents better than many the neuroses and frustrations of post WW2 America. This is undeniably difficult music dense, complex, thorny, but is probably some of the best and most original music to have come out of America. His recent
Piano Quintet is a very strong work - and if you are lucky, you may catch the Arditti Quartet playing this in concert.
For a complete contrast, try the string quartets of
Xenakis. On the surface, this is difficult, impossible music, but repeated listening reveals structure both mathematical and architectural (for example, representations of fractal forms), and a response to the ritual of Greek tragedy, which explains some of the raw, primal abrasiveness of the music. Xenakis instructions to performers of his music were to avoid playing beautifully at all costs.
This set is one of the landmark recordings of his music.
If you find you like that, then also consider trying
Guerreros Zayin which is altogether more abrasive and makes Xenakis look positively cuddly in comparison. I can guarantee clearing my listening room by playing this;
Ive mentioned
James Dillons piano cycle above, but his work for string quartet is also worth exploring. His
second string quartet has a willothe wisp character which is quite unique;
Brian Ferneyhough is often spoken about with some trepidation he is a formidable, implacable post-modernist who writes incredibly complex music that places enormous demands on the performers.
This set of the early quartets shows him at his best, and some of the works are reasonably accessible.
