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Top Ten Piano Quartets

The traditional piano quartet – with violin, viola and cello joining the piano – is a select genre. But it is also one that boasts some glorious music. Mozart, who composed the first works in the genre to still retain a place in the repertoire, set the blueprint. Brahms composed three masterpieces for the combination. Fauré composed two, as did Dvořák – with his compatriots Joseph Suk (who also became Dvořák's son-in-law) and Bohuslav Martinů also composing piano quartets. All those composers are represented in this list, as are British composer Frank Bridge, Mahler (his single movement for piano quartet dating from his student days), and Mendelssohn, who composed his First Piano Quartet aged just 13.

  • Mahler
    •
    Piano Quartet in A minor
     •
    I. Nicht zu schnell
  • Mendelssohn Bartholdy
    •
    Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor op. 1 MWV Q 11
     •
    I. Allegro vivace
  • Mendelssohn Bartholdy
    •
    Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor op. 1 MWV Q 11
     •
    II. Adagio
  • Mendelssohn Bartholdy
    •
    Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor op. 1 MWV Q 11
     •
    III. Scherzo. Presto
  • Mendelssohn Bartholdy
    •
    Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor op. 1 MWV Q 11
     •
    IV. Allegro moderato
  • Martinů
    •
    Piano Quartet No. 1 H 287 (1942)
     •
    I. Poco allegro
  • Martinů
    •
    Piano Quartet No. 1 H 287 (1942)
     •
    II. Adagio
  • Martinů
    •
    Piano Quartet No. 1 H 287 (1942)
     •
    III. Allegretto poco moderato
  • Suk
    •
    Piano Quartet in A minor op. 1
     •
    I. Allegro appassionato
  • Suk
    •
    Piano Quartet in A minor op. 1
     •
    II. Adagio
  • Suk
    •
    Piano Quartet in A minor op. 1
     •
    III. Allegro con fuoco
  • Bridge
    •
    Phantasy for Piano Quartet in F sharp minor H. 94
     •
    Andante con moto - Poco tranquillo - Allegro vivace
  • Fauré
    •
    Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor op. 15
     •
    I. Allegro molto moderato
  • Fauré
    •
    Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor op. 15
     •
    II. Scherzo. Allegro vivo
  • Fauré
    •
    Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor op. 15
     •
    III. Adagio
  • Fauré
    •
    Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor op. 15
     •
    IV. Finale. Allegro molto
  • Dvořák
    •
    Piano Quartet No. 2 in E flat major op. 87 B 162
     •
    I. Allegro con fuoco
  • Dvořák
    •
    Piano Quartet No. 2 in E flat major op. 87 B 162
     •
    II. Lento
  • Dvořák
    •
    Piano Quartet No. 2 in E flat major op. 87 B 162
     •
    III. Allegro moderato, grazioso
  • Dvořák
    •
    Piano Quartet No. 2 in E flat major op. 87 B 162
     •
    IV. Finale. Allegro ma non troppo
  • Mozart
    •
    Piano Quartet in G minor KV 478
     •
    I. Allegro
  • Mozart
    •
    Piano Quartet in G minor KV 478
     •
    II. Andante
  • Mozart
    •
    Piano Quartet in G minor KV 478
     •
    III. Rondo
  • Schumann
    •
    Piano Quartet in E flat major op. 47
     •
    I. Sostenuto assai ‒ Allegro ma non troppo
  • Schumann
    •
    Piano Quartet in E flat major op. 47
     •
    II. Scherzo. Molto vivace
  • Schumann
    •
    Piano Quartet in E flat major op. 47
     •
    III. Andante cantabile
  • Schumann
    •
    Piano Quartet in E flat major op. 47
     •
    IV. Finale. Vivace
  • Brahms
    •
    Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor op. 25
     •
    I. Allegro
  • Brahms
    •
    Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor op. 25
     •
    II. Intermezzo. Allegro ma non troppo
  • Brahms
    •
    Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor op. 25
     •
    III. Andante con moto
  • Brahms
    •
    Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor op. 25
     •
    IV. Rondo alla zingarese. Presto