[Quartet] Masterpieces and Popular Pieces for String Quartet
The string quartet drew attention not only from classical music fans but also from a wider audience after being featured in the 2017 TV drama “Quartet.”
Perhaps some of you were captivated by its charm through the show.
A string quartet is a form of chamber ensemble consisting of two violins, a viola, and a cello.
Since being established in the late 18th century by Franz Joseph Haydn, it has been cherished as the most refined form of chamber music.
In this article, we introduce masterpieces brimming with the allure of the string quartet.
Please enjoy the elegant and refined resonance of string instruments.
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[Quartet] Masterpieces and Popular Pieces for String Quartet (21–30)
String Quartet in G minor, Op. 10Claude Debussy
The first movement of the String Quartet begins with a powerful melody in the same rhythm shared by all four players.
It features innovative harmonies unlike anything written before, distinctive rhythmic combinations, and no fixed assignment of who carries the melody or the accompaniment: each instrument accompanies at times and, at others, spins out the principal melody.
These roles are passed around with remarkable rapidity—a technique that became a hallmark of Debussy’s later works.
It’s a piece marked by pervasive tension and a uniquely striking sonority.
Adagio for String QuartetAnton Webern
Alongside Schoenberg and Berg, Anton Webern was a core member of the Second Viennese School, and he developed one of the most avant-garde styles among early 20th-century composers.
He wrote abstract, arguably enigmatic music using the compositional method known as twelve-tone technique.
This piece was written when Webern was about 22 years old and was conceived as an independent work, but it carries a strange history: it was not performed until 17 years after his untimely death shortly after World War II.
The work seems to convey the unstable fluctuations of the human mind—harboring hope and longing for an unknown world, while a constant undertone of anxiety and fear can always be heard somewhere.
String Quartet No. 2, Movement 1Alexander Borodin
Known as a masterpiece brimming with lyrical beauty, this string quartet captivates with its sweet, lovestruck melodies and delicate fragility.
Highlights include the theme that begins in the cello and passes to the first violin, as well as the lively interplay among the instruments.
It is also a highly rewarding piece for performers.
Begun in July 1881 and completed by September—a remarkably swift pace—the work overflows with a warm resonance filled with love.
It is an ideal choice for those who wish to savor beautiful melodies and rich expressiveness.
String Quartet No. 3 “MISHIMA,” VI. MovementPhilip Glass
Philip Glass is one of the leading composers of minimal music, a style that minimizes movement in pitch and repeats patterned motifs.
This piece was originally written for the film “Mishima” and later arranged as a string quartet.
The film portrays the actions of Yukio Mishima on the day of his death, interwoven with scenes from three of his novels: The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, Kyoko’s House, and Runaway Horses.
As the final movement of the six-part String Quartet No.
3, its momentary changes within a repeatedly stated theme express the fluctuations of human emotion and the sublime nature of literature.
String Quartet No. 13, Op. 29, D. 804 “Rosamunde” – Movement IFranz Schubert
A beautiful chamber work composed in 1824.
Its graceful, lyrical flow of sound invites the listener into a dreamlike world.
In the first movement, a melancholic melody unfolds quietly, suffused with an introspective atmosphere, until a hopeful second theme eventually appears.
At its premiere by the Schuppanzigh String Quartet, the third movement won such ardent support from the audience that it was encored.
The worldview woven by its rich harmonic progressions and transparent sonorities penetrates deep into the heart.
A gem I highly recommend to those who appreciate literary scene-painting and are drawn to delicate emotional expression.
String Quartet No. 13, Op. 29, D. 804 “Rosamunde,” Movement IVFranz Schubert
A moving masterpiece of chamber music, woven from the sonorous elegance of strings and a melody tinged with melancholy.
Consisting of four movements, the work premiered in Vienna in March 1824, captivating audiences with its emotionally rich melodies and profound expressiveness.
While grounded in A minor, it offers compelling variety: a serene second movement in C major, a graceful minuet in the third, and a bright, resplendent finale.
The world shaped by delicate emotional nuance and lush harmonies makes it ideal not only for chamber music enthusiasts but for anyone seeking beautiful music that resonates with the heart.
Recommended for those who wish to relax and immerse themselves in music in a calm, unhurried atmosphere.
Sonata No. 4 for Quartet, Movement IAlessandro Scarlatti
Alessandro Scarlatti was an Italian composer of the Baroque era, renowned especially for his operas and cantatas.
He is known as the founder of the Neapolitan school of opera and as a composer who influenced later operatic practice.
It is said that during his lifetime he left a great number of works, including operas, oratorios, and chamber cantatas, and even today previously unknown pieces are occasionally discovered.
Composed in a characteristically strict Baroque style, this piece combines splendor with solemnity.
It’s a work that truly makes you feel as if you were in a European church.
Sepia FragmentsDerek Charke
A work by Canadian composer and flutist Derek Charke, who won the 2012 Juno Classical Composition of the Year award.
This piece is characterized by a beautifully accessible melody and an accompaniment that evokes a mysterious atmosphere.
The title means “Fragments of Sepia,” and you can sense a nostalgic, sepia-toned mood and a wistfulness bathed in the glow of sunset throughout.
The piece packs both gentle, acoustically flavored timbres typical of string instruments and intense, electronic-like sonorities into a single track, offering a wide palette of string colors to enjoy.
String Quartet No. 13, Op. 29, D 804 “Rosamunde,” Movement IIFranz Schubert
This jewel of chamber music, with its gentle melody in C major, brings profound calm to the listener’s heart.
Composed between February and March of 1824, the work seamlessly unites flowing, beautiful melodies with masterful construction.
Its gently rocking, cradle-like rhythmic repetitions and the rich harmonies woven by each part resonate with the pleasantness of birdsong heralding the arrival of spring.
A masterpiece in which the formal beauty of Classicism and the lyricism of Romanticism are superbly fused, it distills the very essence of Franz Schubert’s musical voice.
It is a piece I highly recommend to anyone wishing to experience the beauty and deep emotion that classical music can offer.
String Quartet No. 1, Second Movement: Andante cantabilePyotr Tchaikovsky
This is a gem of a masterpiece inspired by a Ukrainian folk song.
The serene melody born from the harmony of the strings evokes deep emotion in the listener.
Its beautiful tune, which gently enfolds the feelings of a young person in love, delicately portrays the subtleties of human emotion.
There is an anecdote that even Russia’s great literary giant Tolstoy was moved to tears by this work.
masterfully expressing both the anxieties and hopes of love, it is a piece that offers solace to those troubled by romance.
The moving performance at a special concert in December 1876 was recorded by the composer in his diary as a lifelong source of pride.