Streichquartette I-IV
Schoenberg's four string quartets trace one of the most dramatic journeys in music history: from late Romantic lushness through atonality to twelve-tone serialism. The Arditti Quartet and soprano Dawn Upshaw deliver a compelling, uncompromising interpretation. The early Op. 7 quartet still breathes Brahmsian warmth; by the Second Quartet, Schoenberg abandons tonality entirely. The Third and Fourth Quartets are entirely twelve-tone, abstract, and rigorously structured. This isn't pretty background music—it demands active listening and rewards it with intellectual and emotional depth. The Arditti's hyper-precise technique is perfect for this repertoire, especially where clarity is everything. If you want to understand how modernism unfolded in real time, these quartets are the document.
Item Details+
| Genre | Classical |
| Style | Modern Twelve-tone |
| Notes | Mint (NM or M-) Mint (NM or M-) Booklet inside. |
| Media | Near Mint (NM or M-) |
| Sleeve | Near Mint (NM or M-) |
| Label | Montaigne |
| Year | 1994 |
| Country | France |
| Format | 2xCD |
Tracklist+
. Quatuor En Ré Mineur, Op. 7 Pour 2 Violins, Alto E Violoncelle (Été 1904 - 26.IX.1905) 46:03
1-1. I. Nicht Zu Rasch 13:18
1-2. II. Kräftig 13:12
1-3. III. Mässig 11:54
1-4. IV. Mässig 7:38
. Quatuor À Cordes II En Fa # Mineur, Op. 10 Avec Voix De Soprano (9.III.1907 - VIII.1908) 30:29
1-5. I. Mässig 6:29
1-6. II. Sehr Rasch 6:47
1-7. III. »Litanei« Langsam 5:53
1-8. IV. »Entrückung« Sehr Langsam 11:11
. Quatuor À Cordes III, Op. 30 (Janvier - 8.III.1927) 30:19
2-1. I. Moderato 8:34
2-2. II. Adagio 8:50
2-3. III. Intermezzo, Allegro Moderato 6:51
2-4. IV. Rondo, Molto Moderato 5:58
. Quatuor À Cordes IV, Op. 37 (27.IV.-26.VII 1936) 31:53
2-5. I. Allegro Molto, Energico 8:30
2-6. II. Scherzo (Comodo) 7:10
2-7. III. Largo 7:50
2-8. IV. Allegro 8:14
Data provided by Discogs.