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The Ten Most Famous String Quartets of all Time

What does "best known" actually mean in relation to works of classical music? A qualitative evaluation? Results of an elaborate empirical study? Not at all! Perceived reality played a major role in compiling of this list of (probably) the best-known ten string quartet work – it represents a mixture of what's well known, frequently played -– and thus simply most "present" in the cultural imagination.

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  • Debussy
    •
    String Quartet in G minor L 91 (85)
     •
    I. Animé et très décidé
  • Debussy
    •
    String Quartet in G minor L 91 (85)
     •
    II. Assez vif et bien rythmé
  • Debussy
    •
    String Quartet in G minor L 91 (85)
     •
    III. Andantino, doucement expressif
  • Debussy
    •
    String Quartet in G minor L 91 (85)
     •
    IV. Très modéré – Très mouvementé et avec passion
  • Berg
    •
    Lyric Suite
     •
    1. Allegretto gioviale
  • Berg
    •
    Lyric Suite
     •
    2. Andante amoroso
  • Berg
    •
    Lyric Suite
     •
    3. Allegro misterioso – Trio estatico
  • Berg
    •
    Lyric Suite
     •
    4. Adagio appassionato
  • Berg
    •
    Lyric Suite
     •
    5. Presto delirando – Tenebroso
  • Berg
    •
    Lyric Suite
     •
    6. Largo desolato
  • Shostakovich
    •
    String Quartet No. 8 in C minor op. 110 (1960)
     •
    I. Largo –
  • Shostakovich
    •
    String Quartet No. 8 in C minor op. 110 (1960)
     •
    II. Allegro molto –
  • Shostakovich
    •
    String Quartet No. 8 in C minor op. 110 (1960)
     •
    III. Allegretto –
  • Shostakovich
    •
    String Quartet No. 8 in C minor op. 110 (1960)
     •
    IV. Largo –
  • Shostakovich
    •
    String Quartet No. 8 in C minor op. 110 (1960)
     •
    V. Largo
  • Schubert
    •
    String Quartet No. 13 in A minor op. 29 D 804 “Rosamunde”
     •
    I. Allegro ma non troppo
  • Schubert
    •
    String Quartet No. 13 in A minor op. 29 D 804 “Rosamunde”
     •
    II. Andante
  • Schubert
    •
    String Quartet No. 13 in A minor op. 29 D 804 “Rosamunde”
     •
    III. Menuetto. Allegretto – Trio
  • Schubert
    •
    String Quartet No. 13 in A minor op. 29 D 804 “Rosamunde”
     •
    IV. Allegro moderato
  • Ravel
    •
    String Quartet in F major M 35 (1902-1903)
     •
    I. Allegro moderato, très doux
  • Ravel
    •
    String Quartet in F major M 35 (1902-1903)
     •
    II. Assez vif, très rythmé
  • Ravel
    •
    String Quartet in F major M 35 (1902-1903)
     •
    III. Très lent, modéré
  • Ravel
    •
    String Quartet in F major M 35 (1902-1903)
     •
    IV. Vif et agité
  • Mozart
    •
    String Quartet No. 19 in C major KV 465 “Dissonance”
     •
    I. Adagio – Allegro
  • Mozart
    •
    String Quartet No. 19 in C major KV 465 “Dissonance”
     •
    II. Andante cantabile
  • Mozart
    •
    String Quartet No. 19 in C major KV 465 “Dissonance”
     •
    III. Menuetto. Allegro
  • Mozart
    •
    String Quartet No. 19 in C major KV 465 “Dissonance”
     •
    IV. Allegro
  • Beethoven
    •
    String Quartet No. 7 in F major op. 59/1 “Rasumovsky I”
     •
    I. Allegro
  • Beethoven
    •
    String Quartet No. 7 in F major op. 59/1 “Rasumovsky I”
     •
    II. Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando
  • Beethoven
    •
    String Quartet No. 7 in F major op. 59/1 “Rasumovsky I”
     •
    III. Adagio molto e mesto
  • Beethoven
    •
    String Quartet No. 7 in F major op. 59/1 “Rasumovsky I”
     •
    IV. Allegro. Thème Russe
  • Haydn
    •
    String Quartet in C major op. 76/3 Hob. III:77 “Emperor”
     •
    I. Allegro
  • Haydn
    •
    String Quartet in C major op. 76/3 Hob. III:77 “Emperor”
     •
    II. Poco Adagio. Cantabile (Theme) – Var. I-IV
  • Haydn
    •
    String Quartet in C major op. 76/3 Hob. III:77 “Emperor”
     •
    III. Menuetto – Trio
  • Haydn
    •
    String Quartet in C major op. 76/3 Hob. III:77 “Emperor”
     •
    IV. Finale. Presto
  • Schubert
    •
    String Quartet No. 14 in D minor D 810 “Death and the Maiden”
     •
    I. Allegro
  • Schubert
    •
    String Quartet No. 14 in D minor D 810 “Death and the Maiden”
     •
    II. Andante con moto
  • Schubert
    •
    String Quartet No. 14 in D minor D 810 “Death and the Maiden”
     •
    III. Scherzo. Allegro molto
  • Schubert
    •
    String Quartet No. 14 in D minor D 810 “Death and the Maiden”
     •
    IV. Presto
  • Dvořák
    •
    String Quartet No. 12 in F major op. 96 B 179 “American”
     •
    I. Allegro ma non troppo
  • Dvořák
    •
    String Quartet No. 12 in F major op. 96 B 179 “American”
     •
    II. Lento
  • Dvořák
    •
    String Quartet No. 12 in F major op. 96 B 179 “American”
     •
    III. Molto vivace
  • Dvořák
    •
    String Quartet No. 12 in F major op. 96 B 179 “American”
     •
    IV. Finale. Vivace ma non troppo

There's no "Große Fuge", by Beethoven, for example. Though originally part of the Op. 130 quartet, it was cut to live on its own. It remains wonderfully shocking today and should certainly be known, but doesn't crop up as often as it might due to its sheer difficulty. But several works from the 20th century – no less challenging for listener or performer – have made it into the Top Ten. Chapeau!

The winner, controversially perhaps, is Antonín Dvořák with his "American" Quartet op. 96 from 1893, a piece that has proved almost as catchy as his Symphony No. 9 "From the New World", composed around the same time (and which came in at number 3 in our playlist of "The ten most famous symphonies of all time". But let's count down the rest in reverse order, starting with tenth position (Debussy's String Quartet in G minor), followed by the weaving polyphony of Berg's 'Lyric Suite' at number 9. Shostakovich's eighth comes in, well, eighth, Schubert's Rosamunde at No. 7, Ravel at No. 6 and Mozart's "Dissonance" Quartet at No. 5. Beethoven does feature finally in fourth position with his First "Razumovsky" Quartet, followed by Haydn's "Emperor" and Schubert's "Death and the Maiden".

[Due to geo-blocking restrictions, some tracks might be unavailable in certain territories.]