Inermediate-level baroque/classical quartet music

October 16, 2010 at 08:30 PM ·

Elise -  I'd love to learn of some intermediate quartet pieces as well! Looking forward to others' recommendations.

If it helps, here is a list of what my adult mostly re-beginner ensemble has played so far (going on year 2). Maybe this list will give you other ideas? (Sorry I'm not sure of proper form in listing pieces - a lot of these are adapted/arranged)

Vivaldi, Four Seasons - Spring & Autumn

Handel, Bourree from The Water Music

Handel, La Rejouissance 

Bach, Gavotte in D Major

Haydn, Minuet from the Quartet in D minor

Schumann, Dreaming from "Scenes from Childhood"

Pachelbel, Canon

Bach, Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 (1st movement)

Mozart, Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (Allegro)

Eleanor Rigby (Beatles)

Edelweiss

October 17, 2010 at 01:08 AM ·

Hi Ophelia - thanks for the list.  These guys are quite serious I think so I'm going to go for the more formal baroque - definitely should check out the Brandenburgs.

Anyone know which is the easiest/most fun to play all movements?

October 17, 2010 at 06:57 AM ·

Its been interesting looking through the web for help.  This site has a nice list of pieces but does not characterize them by difficulty:

http://library.thinkquest.org/27110/repertoire/repertoirehome.html

There are also music clips (though I can't seem to get them to work).

Shar music is very useful.  I like their difficulty characterization scheme for the solo violin (its more thorough than any other I've seen, with a scale of A1 to A6) though the chamber music is more simply divided into basic, intermediate and advanced.  A search for 'strings chamber':

 http://www.sharmusic.com/shop.axd/Search?keywords=chamber+string

resulted in a very broad selection that you can then zero in on with a range of options including instrumentation, composer and difficulty - and of course you end up with the music itself, much of which has a preview page. This seems the best site I've found yet.

October 17, 2010 at 09:27 AM ·

Elise

I seem to remember playing through a quartet by Bocherini (or if it wasn't it must have been some contemporary of Mozart) and the first violin part was quite sightreadable. It was also fun to play, and not bad music at all.

I'm sure there are some other quartets from this and earler periods that are relatively quite easy, why don'y you have a look on

http://imslp.org/wiki/Main_Page

which is the IMSLP/Petrucci music site where you can download such things.

October 17, 2010 at 09:56 AM ·

Another strong vote for looking out some Boccherini quartets.  Plenty to browse among here:  http://imslp.org/wiki/Category:Boccherini,_Luigi

Maybe also try looking at Vanhal, no harm in reading through some of the early Mozarts and Haydn 4ets.  

October 17, 2010 at 11:18 AM ·

Rosalind:  Do you have any particular favorites in these? 

October 17, 2010 at 01:08 PM ·

Elise - Also check out these unusual classical quartets (1770-1840) available for free pdf download from the Duke University Library: http://library.duke.edu/digitalcollections/quartets/explore/

Many are intermediate level; the 2nd violin parts are typically quite accessible. Note that period editions such as these include the four separate performance parts but not 4-part study scores. 

October 17, 2010 at 03:17 PM ·

Albrechtsberger wrote some nice string music. I am familiar with his duos, not his quartets but should be good

http://imslp.info/files/imglnks/usimg/4/44/IMSLP49198-PMLP103743-Albrechtsberger_QuartettoIII.pdf

Early Haydn quartets might be ok for you

http://imslp.org/index.php?title=Category:Haydn%2C+Joseph&from=Q

October 17, 2010 at 06:01 PM ·

These are great suggestion - but faced with 20 hayden or Mozart quartets are there any that I should look at first?  Its just a bit intimidating! 

November 30, 2010 at 08:37 PM ·

An update:

So we played Mozart 157 (1st violin) and Haydn 33 (2nd), both of which were prepared.  We then sight-read two more early Mozarts - wow, what a head-rush that was playing 1st in one - and also Elgar Chasson de matin (love that one).

I've been asked to come up with some suggestions for next time.  It would be fun to do another 'great' - perhaps Beethoven - anyone have a favorite of his quartets?  I'd like a bit more of a challenge than the 157 with a more position work.... but perhaps with a gorgeous slow movement...

November 30, 2010 at 08:53 PM ·

Op. 59 No. 1 is a wonderful Beethoven quartet.  Always my favorite.

November 30, 2010 at 09:23 PM ·

I'd say middle Beethoven would be a bit of a stretch.

I would've suggested early Haydn & Mozart, which is exactly what you ended up doing, but keep at it... there's plenty of material right there. Don't forget that an opus of Haydn is usually made up of several 4tets- like Opus 33 has 6.... which did you do? Also, the first violin part of a lot of the Haydn quartets present more of a challenge than Mozart  k.157.

Welcome to the madness!

November 30, 2010 at 09:37 PM ·

Beethoven op. 18 no. 1 in F isn't as difficult as middle-period Beethoven and has a gorgeous, operatic slow movement.   Just don't take the last movement too fast.

Haydn op. 20 no. 4 in D major is a neglected masterpiece (like most Haydn quartets outside of op.76) that is probably not too far beyond your reach.

You might also try the Haydn "Lark" quartet, which is op. 64, no. 5.

The Schubert quartet in A minor known as the "Rosamunde" Quartet might also be worth trying. 

These are not works of extraordinary difficulty but they're not easy steps for little feet, either.  You may not be able to perform all of these quartets up to speed, but they should be challenging and very satisfying.  Even if you play them less than absolutely perfectly, you'll have an opportunity to engage with real quartets and great music.  And if they are a bit beyond your current reach, they will give you a sense of the direction to work towards as a violinist.

November 30, 2010 at 10:01 PM ·

Greetings,

I second Haydn opus 20 no4.  A real gem.   Also consider `The Emperor Quartet` opus 76 no  (i forget).  You might just wnat to od the slow movement. Its a gorgeous set of variations.

Cheers,

Buri

November 30, 2010 at 11:02 PM ·

Wonderful suggestions - will listen to them all tonight....

thanks... ee

November 30, 2010 at 11:09 PM ·

Thye baroque titles you've mentioned- Brandenburgs, water music, royal fireworks, etc., are all transcriptions, as none of these pieces were originally scored for quartet.  I've read through some transcriptions that were OK, some pretty awful. 

You can't lose with Haydn.  Just buy a collection and read through them.  The Opus 76 are particularly nice.  Mozart's Haydn Quartets, #14 - 19, are all terrific.  Not simple, but not too difficult either.  Beethoven opus 18, all 6 are worth a read, and all in more of a classical than romantic vein.  Arriaga (the "Spanish Mozart") wrote 3 quartets before kicking off at 19 or whatever.  The first is especially nice.  The Schubert "Rosamunde" might be good to try, too.

The quartet literature is incredibly deep.  If you decide to move beyond baroque or classical, there's Mendelssohn, Grieg, later Beethoven, Brahms, Vaughn Williams, Verdi, Ravel, Dvorak . . .