# Composing for a String Quartet



## Nils Neumann (Sep 11, 2017)

Hey VI-C,
with my new toy CSSS I'm finally able to compose for String Quartets and I want to dive a little bit deeper into this style. I never did something like this before and my knowledge about romantic Quartets is very limited.

Can you recommend me some must hear pieces? In general I prefer the Romantic period, but I'm open to new ideas.

Do you have any techniques, resources for me, or tipps in general? Right now I'm searching for all the skills I need to write a passable String Quartet (yes I'm already transcribing^^).

Thank you all in advance!
Nils


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## Penthagram (Sep 11, 2017)

I think the original was written for string orchestra but i really like this one :



And then along the music history well known composers write really incredible pieces for string quartet. From Beethoven to Debussy or Elgar... Then is down to which style resonate more with you. But this Adagio from Barber played by a string quartet is delicious!


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## muk (Sep 11, 2017)

Historically the string quartet is the pinnacle of chamber music. It is to chamber music what the symphony is for orchestral music. The composers used it to show all their invention, wit, and skillful partwriting. Just a melody over chordal accompaniment will never do for string quartet. Each instrument must participate in the unfolding of the musical Gehalt. If you want to write in a classical or romantic idiom you have set yourself quite a task indeed. You need absolute command of partwriting, harmony, counterpoint, and the sonata form. The part writing of string quartets used to be of utmost intricacy. So a good idea could be to start with string trios, which are historically less laden with ambition and the part writing is easier to handle with three voices.

If you want to study romantic string quartet writing there is no way around studying some classical ones first. At least Haydn op. 33, Mozart's six 'Haydn quartets', and Beethoven (opp. 18, 59, and his last quartets). For romantic string quartets Schubert is an absolute must (for example the last three quartets: 'Rosamunde quartet', 'Death and the Maiden', string quartet D887). Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms all wrote important contributions to the genre. There's Verdi, Elgar, Debussy, Janacek, Max Bruch...

But if you are not absolutely firm in music theory, maybe forget about the classical and romantic idiom for now until you are. You could look to minimal composers, for example, for inspiration what is possible without the historical freight of intricate partwriting. Max Richter comes to mind.


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## Paul T McGraw (Sep 11, 2017)

Dvorak (one of the most prolific and versatile of the romantic era greats) wrote 14 string quartets. My favorite quartet of all time is his #12, the "American". To me it is the pinnacle of quartet writing. All four movements are perfect examples of the classical aesthetic (form, motivic development) presented in a romantic harmonic context. His last two quartets are also wonderful, but far more intellectually complex and depart from a strict adherence to classical form, and thus at least somewhat opaque for study and for listening. Here is the 12th.


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## Paul T McGraw (Sep 11, 2017)

Borodin (member of the "Russian Five" romantic era) wrote 2 quartets, I recommend both, but the nocturne of the 2nd is achingly beautiful and a very popular quartet with audiences.


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## Paul T McGraw (Sep 11, 2017)

Ravel wrote his quartet in F at age 28 in 1903. The quartet is mostly in classical form, for example the first movement is in classical sonata form, but like Dvorak he used his own harmonic language. For Ravel and Debussy that harmonic language is usually referred to as "impressionism" but most who love the late romantic era can also appreciate impressionism.


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## cadenzajon (Sep 11, 2017)

String quartets are also some of the most nuanced performances you are likely to find, and creating a believable mockup in that musical genre is a very daunting task. You'll be pushing up against the boundaries of the already-legendary CSSS pretty quickly, and I remain quite curious how it holds up for this kind of work compared to Sacconi Strings. (If anyone has both and would like to do a side-by-side comparison, that would be quite awesome.)


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## MA-Simon (Sep 11, 2017)

The Videri String Quartet is always awesome:


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## Saxer (Sep 11, 2017)

It's good to know about all the classical masterworks. But I think it's good not to fail in your own ambition.
I'd recommend writing quartet arrangements of existing material like pop or jazz tunes. Beatles songs are a good playground: not boring, well known and with lots of side themes and little phrases around the vocal lines. Same for Abba songs. And standard jazz tunes (like the American Songbook recordings of Rod Steward) offer a great palette of possibilities for reharmonisation and style-hopping.


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## Kent (Sep 11, 2017)

Penthagram said:


> I think the original was written for string orchestra but i really like this one :
> 
> 
> 
> And then along the music history well known composers write really incredible pieces for string quartet. From Beethoven to Debussy or Elgar... Then is down to which style resonate more with you. But this Adagio from Barber played by a string quartet is delicious!



The original is actually the string quartet, which is the sweet middle movement in an otherwise rhythmic and jarring work!


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## holing (Sep 11, 2017)




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## synergy543 (Sep 11, 2017)




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## Nils Neumann (Sep 11, 2017)

Thank you so much for your answers! You all are very generous with your time.
It seems to be challenging task, but I will make it into a challenge. Transcribing 1 passage of a piece + 30min of theory studying every day, for 1 month. Hopefully I can show you some results!


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## Dave Connor (Sep 11, 2017)

Beethoven's String Quartet No. 1 is great for study in that he handles the instruments so well alone and as a whole. The textures very easy to see and hear which may not be the case with a later Romantic work. (All those later composers studied Beethoven's quartet's a ton.)


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## Iskra (Sep 11, 2017)

Nils Neumann said:


> Can you recommend me some must hear pieces?


Lots of great suggestions already, I love chamber music, so for anyone that haven't listened much to string quartets, besides the great quartets by Beethoven, Debussy's G minor quartet (a very unknown masterpiece), Ravel quartet in F, 2nd Quartet from Janacek ("intimate letters"), and all chamber music from Brahms and Faure will get you in the right direction. 
Britten and Bartok string quartets for something more edgy


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## goodgrief! (Sep 11, 2017)

I highly recommend the string quartets by Nielsen. I know he's known for his symphonies, but in my opinion his quartet writing is outstanding.


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## mikeh-375 (Sep 12, 2017)

All great suggestions Nils and we could all keep adding. There is more to it than listening and aping. Whatever you write, make sure it is as idiomatic for the instrument as you can make it. Do not just listen as it will not do much for your ability. Study the instruments technique - master that and you will take a lot of the doubt out of what you write.
I see you are a guitar player, well you might not know this, but you already have an advantage there. I used to play jazz guitar in my very early years and when I turned pro as a composer writing for live players, it dawned on me that I could easily figure out multiple stops on the strings. So I got hold of a very cheap vln, vla and cello (I think all 3 cost about £200), tuned them up and using my ears, could easily figure out if a stop was playable. These days, I don't even have to test any stops, I just know.
4tet writing is a very hard thing to do well so I'd recommend you use any assets you have in reaching that goal.
Good luck.


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