Our multiple-part series tracing the evolution of the string quartet continues with magnificent works from Antonin Dvořák, Peter Tchaikovsky, and Alexander Borodin. During the 1870s and 1880s, well into the Romantic period, string quartets were falling by the wayside for a lot of composers, but a few managed to slip through the fabric of time and tell stories just as wondrous as the great Romantic tone poems that were popular at the time. Many of these unique quartets have become calling cards for these three composers.
Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, and Borodin String Quartets
Playlist
Episode 1
Grieg, Edvard: String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 27, I & II (excerpt)
Guarneri Quartet
String Quartets – Streichquartette: ‘From My Life’ – “American”
Phi 420803
1:00
Smetana, Bedrich: String Quartet No. 1 in E Minor, “From My Life” I.II.
Guarneri Quartet
String Quartets – Streichquartette: ‘From My Life’ – “American”
Phi 420803
11:58
Smetana, Bedrich: String Quartet No. 1 in E Minor, “From My Life” (excerpt)
Guarneri Quartet
String Quartets – Streichquartette: ‘From My Life’ – “American”
Phi 420803
1:00
Smetana, Bedrich: String Quartet No. 1 in E Minor, “From My Life” III. IV.
Guarneri Quartet
String Quartets – Streichquartette: ‘From My Life’ – “American”
Phi 420803
13:52
Grieg, Edvard: String Quartet in G Minor, Op. 27, I. II.
Guarneri Quartet
String Quartets, Op. 56 “Voces Intimae”, Op. 27
Phi 426286
18:01
Dvorák, Antonín: Cypresses, B 152, II. III.
Emerson Quartet
Dvorak: String Quartet Op. 96 – America Smetana: String Quartet No. 1 – From My Life
DG B0014106
4:23
Dvorák, Antonín: Cypresses, B 152, I. (excerpt)
Emerson Quartet
Dvorak: String Quartet Op. 96 – America
Smetana: String Quartet No. 1 – From My Life
DG B0014106
1:46
Episode 2
Tchaikovsky, Peter: Quartet No. 1, D Major, Op. 11, I. II. III
St. Petersburg Quartet
Tchaikovsky: The String Quartets
Sony 57654
22:19
Tchaikovsky, Peter: Quartet No. 1, D Major, Op. 11, I. (excerpt)
St. Petersburg Quartet
Tchaikovsky: The String Quartets
Sony 57654
00:49
Dvorák, Antonín: String Quartet No. 9 in D minor, Op. 34, I. II. IV.
Melos Quartet
String Quartets
HM 901510
23:39
Dvorák, Antonín: Cypresses, B 152, VI & VII
Emerson Quartet
Dvorak: String Quartet Op. 96 – America
Smetana: String Quartet No. 1 – From My Life
DG B0014106
4:11
Dvorák, Antonín: String Quartet No. 9 in D minor, Op. 34, III. (excerpt)
Melos Quartet
String Quartets
HM 901510
2:00
Episode 3
Tchaikovsky, Peter: String Quartet No. 2, I.
St. Petersburg Quartet
Tchaikovsky: The String Quartets
Sony 57654
12:20
Dvorák, Antonín: String Quartet No.10 In E Flat, Op. 51 I.II.
Takács Quartet
Dvorak: Piano Quintet No 2, String Quartet No 10
Lon 466197
18:25
Dvorák, Antonín: String Quartet No. 10 In E Flat, Op. 51 IIi. IV
Takács Quartet
Dvorak: Piano Quintet No 2, String Quartet No 10
Lon 466197
13:36
Dvorák, Antonín: Cypresses, B 152, I. V.
Emerson Quartet
Dvorak: String Quartet Op. 96 – America / Smetana: String Quartet No. 1 – From My Life
DG B0014106
6:55
Dvorák, Antonín: String Quartet No.10 In E Flat, Op. 51 (excerpt)
Takács Quartet
Dvorak: Piano Quintet No 2, String Quartet No 10
Lon 466197
1:04
Episode 4
Dvorák, Antonín: String Quartet No. 12, American: I. (excerpt)
Guarneri Quartet
String Quartets – Streichquartette: “From My Life” “American”
Phi 420 803
00:37
Tchaikovsky, Pyotr: Quartet in B-flat major, op. post. I.
St. Petersburg Quartet
Tchaikovsky: The String Quartets
Sony 57654
3:56
Dvorák, Antonín: String Quartet No. 12, American: I. II.
Guarneri Quartet
String Quartets – Streichquartette: ‘From My Life’ -“American”
Phi 420 803
27:18
Borodin, Alexander: String Quartet No.1 in A I. III
Borodin Quartet
String Quartet No. 1 In A, String Quartet No. 2 in D
EMI 47795
19:46
Borodin, Alexander: String Quartet No.1 in A III. (excerpt)
Borodin Quartet
String Quartet No. 1 In A, String Quartet No. 2 in D
EMI 47795
00:22
Episode 5
Verdi, Giuseppe: String Quartet in E minor
Melos Quartet
String Quartets
HM 901671
21:42
Borodin, Alexander: Quartet No. 2 In D Major
Cleveland Quartet
Classics – Borodin, Smetana: String Quartets
Telarc 80178
28:32
Anonymous: “Baubles, Bangles & Beads” (excerpt)
Sarah Vaughan
On the Swingin’ Side of Sarah Vaughan
Roulette 2682 043
2:47
