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Fugue for Thought

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Category: SQS

A series made up primarily of the string quartet repertoire, with other string and/or chamber works included here and there. There’s so much of this stuff that’s so worthy of attention, and it would take too long to get through in the main mid-week series, so here we are.

Editor's Choice, Music, SQS1 Comment

Schnittke String Quartet no. 1

October 14, 2018October 13, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by the Kronos Quartet, or below by the Quatuor Molinari The treatment of the instruments and the formal process aim for the impression of a quasi-improvisation in which the “uncertainty” is continually increasing. In the second movement it explodes … Continue reading Schnittke String Quartet no. 1

Editor's Choice, Music, SQS1 Comment

Sallinen String Quartet no. 1, op. 14

October 6, 2018October 5, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by the Jean Sibelius Quartet, available on Spotify (cover image by Martin Adams) We now welcome Aulis Sallinen to the Editor’s Choice series. He’s the only living member of the roster that I’m aware of. We first saw him in the … Continue reading Sallinen String Quartet no. 1, op. 14

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Henze String Quartet no. 2

September 29, 2018September 28, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by the Arditti Quartet, a recording that’s almost completely unavailable now (cover image by Martino Pietropoli) Henze’s second string quartet was written in 1952, when the composer was around 26 years old. It was a commission from the Südwestfunk … Continue reading Henze String Quartet no. 2

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Holmboe String Quartet no. 4, op. 63

September 23, 2018September 23, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by the Kontra Quartet, available on Spotify (cover image by Arash Asghari) Vagn Holmboe’s fourth quartet dates from 1954, about four years after the previous quartet. This was already after his eighth symphony, and he would go back and revise this … Continue reading Holmboe String Quartet no. 4, op. 63

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Weinberg String Quartet no. 2, op. 3

September 16, 2018September 15, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by the Quatuor Danel, available on Spotify (cover image by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen) The second string quartet of Mieczysław Weinberg was written in 1940. There is unfortunately not really a lot online about this piece, so this introductory bit will … Continue reading Weinberg String Quartet no. 2, op. 3

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Martinů String Quartet no. 2, H. 150

September 8, 2018September 9, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by the Martinů Quartet, available from Spotify on this album (cover image by Chris Barbalis) Martinů’s brilliantly engaging second quartet was written in 1925, and published in 1927. Depending on the source, it was written either “in Paris” (says Keith Anderson … Continue reading Martinů String Quartet no. 2, H. 150

Editor's Choice, Music, SQS3 Comments

Rosenberg String Quartet no. 2, op. 21

September 2, 2018September 2, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by the Lysell String Quartet, available on Spotify (cover image by Delyn Stirewalt) And here we are with more of the Editor’s Choice series. For a refresher, this series features 20th century composers who gave us a whole cycle … Continue reading Rosenberg String Quartet no. 2, op. 21

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Beethoven Piano Trio in E flat, op. 70 no. 2

September 1, 2018August 31, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by Trio Wanderer, or below by the Beaux Arts Trio (cover image by Aaron Burden) The second piece of Beethoven’s op. 70 piano trios is in E flat, and carries no nickname or subtitle or anything. The work, like … Continue reading Beethoven Piano Trio in E flat, op. 70 no. 2

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Beethoven Piano Trio in D, op. 70 no. 1, ‘Ghost’

August 26, 2018August 25, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by Trio Wanderer, or below by Barenboim, Du Pre and Zukerman (cover image by Norbert Levajsics) Moving right along in Beethoven’s catalogue, we come to the op. 70 piano trios, of which there are two. These works come just … Continue reading Beethoven Piano Trio in D, op. 70 no. 1, ‘Ghost’

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Beethoven String Quartet no. 9 in C, op. 59 no. 3

August 25, 2018August 25, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by the Artemis Quartet, or below by the Alban Berg Quartet Would it be going too far to suppose a connection between this extraordinary work and Beethoven’s advancing deafness? Could that painfully groping introduction seem like someone trying to … Continue reading Beethoven String Quartet no. 9 in C, op. 59 no. 3

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Beethoven String Quartet no. 8 in Em, op. 59 no. 2

August 19, 2018August 18, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by the Artemis Quartet, or below by the Alban Berg Quartet (cover image by Francisco De Legarreta C.) We find ourselves now at the second of Beethoven’s three Razumovsky quartets. The works were written in 1806 for the Russian … Continue reading Beethoven String Quartet no. 8 in Em, op. 59 no. 2

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Mozart String Quartet no. 10 in C, K. 170

August 12, 2018August 4, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by the Amadeus Quartet (cover image by Brooke Lark) So we, uh… jump back a few important years to the tenth quartet, written in 1773. The middle of this decade is clearly a time when the composer advances noticeably … Continue reading Mozart String Quartet no. 10 in C, K. 170

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Mozart String Quartet no. 9 in A, K. 169

August 4, 2018July 31, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by the Amadeus Quartet, or below by the Festetics Quartet (cover image by Irina Blok) Mozart’s ninth string quartet, the second of the set of six called the ‘Viennese quartets,’ was composed in (August of) 1773. (Apparently, according to … Continue reading Mozart String Quartet no. 9 in A, K. 169

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Webern String Quartet, op. 28

July 29, 2018July 28, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by the Quatuor Diotima, or below by the Lasalle Quartet (cover image by Dhruv Weaver) Webern’s string quartet, the only work to be so labeled by him (even though he composed other things for four strings), is also his … Continue reading Webern String Quartet, op. 28

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Roslavets String Quartet no. 1

July 22, 2018July 22, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by the Novosibirsk “Filarmonica” String Quartet (cover image by Zach Reiner) Roslavets again, this time in what I find to be a far more compelling piece. We discussed last week that Roslavets, as if nearly disappearing from the face of … Continue reading Roslavets String Quartet no. 1

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Ravel Piano Trio in Am, M. 67

July 15, 2018July 15, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by the Beaux Arts Trio, or below by the Joachim Trio (cover image by Aaron Burden) I’ve written my trio. Now all I need are the themes. Ravel, of his piano trio Ravel’s piano trio was written in 1914, … Continue reading Ravel Piano Trio in Am, M. 67

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Brahms Piano Quintet in Fm, op. 34

July 8, 2018July 6, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by the Quartetto Italiano and Maurizio Pollini, or below by the Amadeus Quartet with Christoph Eschenbach (cover image by Vidar Nordli Mathisen) Have you ever had that experience of meeting (well, more like being in the presence of) someone … Continue reading Brahms Piano Quintet in Fm, op. 34

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Mozart String Quartet no. 8 in F, K. 168

July 1, 2018July 1, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by the Amadeus Quartet, or below by the Festetics Quartet (cover image by Rachel Lynette French) Well, here we are again, continuing to slog away at Mozart’s enormous catalogue of works. Just kidding; it’s not a chore. It’s just … Continue reading Mozart String Quartet no. 8 in F, K. 168

French Symphony, Music, SQSLeave a comment

Gérard Grisey: Vortex Temporum

June 30, 2018June 23, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by the Ensemble Risognanze under Tito Ceccherini, or as below, with the Ensemble Recherche under Kwam Ryan We are musicians and our model is sound not literature, sound not mathematics, sound not theatre, visual arts, quantum physics, geology, astrology or acupuncture. … Continue reading Gérard Grisey: Vortex Temporum

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Jean Martinon: String Quartet no. 1, op. 43

June 24, 2018June 23, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by the Quatuor Ravel (cover image by Jose Tebar)   Jean Francique-Étienne Martinon was born on January 10, 1910 in Lyon. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire with Albert Roussel for composition, Charles Munch for conducting, and harmony under … Continue reading Jean Martinon: String Quartet no. 1, op. 43

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Charles Koechlin: String Quartet no. 2, op. 57

June 17, 2018June 16, 2018 Fugue for Thought

performed by the Ardeo Quartet (cover image by Daniil Kuzelev) Charles-Louis-Eugène Koechlin was born on November 27, 1867 in Paris, the youngest of a large family. His father died when he was 14. His family hoped he would be an … Continue reading Charles Koechlin: String Quartet no. 2, op. 57

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