Choosing 11 of the world\u2019s best string quartets is no easy task \u2013 particularly when considering groups past and present. A definitive list could easily encompass tens if not hundreds of first-rate quartets active today, let alone the leading ensembles from previous generations.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Still, we\u2019ve valiantly taken on the challenge of naming ten string quartet<\/a><\/strong>s from the last 100 years that any self-respecting chamber music fan should know \u2013 groups revered for their sense of ensemble, nuance of interpretation and sound character. If you\u2019re looking for a place to begin your exploration of the wonderful world of string quartets, the following ten groups are a great place to start \u2013 listed below in historical order.<\/p>\n
The best string quartet groups ever<\/h2>\n
Busch Quartet (1912-51)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\u00a0<\/p>\nFounded in 1912 as the Wiener Konzertvereins-Quartett before being rebranded as the Busch Quartet in 1919, this ensemble, perhaps more than any other in our list, was influenced by the distinctive sound of its leader, the German violinist Adolf Busch. Despite moving from the very leader-dominated sound of earlier ensembles headed by Joachim and Ysa\u00ffe towards a more egalitarian style of playing, Busch\u2019s intensity of tone and vibrato was an ever-present characteristic, as were his extremes of tempo in the group\u2019s revered recordings of the late <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/ludwig-van-beethoven\/"\">Beethoven<\/a> quartets. The ensemble went through several changes of personnel during its many years of performing and was known particularly for its interpretations of Classical and Romantic repertoire.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nRecommended Recording<\/strong><\/p>\nBeethoven: Late String Quartets<\/p>\nBusch Quartet<\/p>\nEMI 509 6552<\/p>\n<ul><li><a href=\"\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Beethoven-String-Quartets-Busch-Quartet\/dp\/B00IAY2WBI\/ref=sr_1_7?tag=classicalm05c-21&ascsubtag=classicalmusic-0"\" target=\""_blank"\" rel=\""sponsored" noopener noreferrer\">Buy from Amazon\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/recordings\/beethoven-late-string-quartets\/"\">Read our full review\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>Borodin Quartet (1945-present)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<iframe title=\""Borodin\" quartet=\"\" play=\"\" shostakovich=\"\" string=\"\" no.=\"\" video=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""150"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9YrqZxkUjFw?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nFormed in 1945 by four Moscow Conservatory students (including cellist <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/recordings\/mstislav-rostropovich-essential-recordings\/"\">Mstislav Rostropovich<\/a><\/strong>, who remained for only a brief spell), the Borodin Quartet continues performing to this day \u2013 though the players have changed several times throughout the years. The group is particularly associated with the music of <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/dmitri-shostakovich\/"\">Shostakovich<\/a><\/strong>, with whom it maintained a close relationship during the composer\u2019s life.<\/p>\nShostakovich personally supervised its study of each of his quartets and the ensemble subsequently toured complete cycles of his works the world over. However, the quartet has also produced superb and in many ways definitive interpretations of the works by such other Russian composers as <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/alexander-borodin\/"\">Borodin<\/a><\/strong>, <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/pyotr-ilyich-tchaikovsky\/"\">Tchaikovsky<\/a><\/strong>,<a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/glinka-life-brief\/"\"> Glinka<\/a><\/strong>, <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/igor-stravinsky\/"\">Stravinsky<\/a><\/strong>, <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/sergey-prokofiev\/"\">Prokofiev<\/a><\/strong> and Schnittke. The players have recorded all the Beethoven and Shostakovich string quartets and are known for their richly blended tone and synchrony of phrasing.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nRecommended Recording<\/strong><\/p>\nShostakovich: String Quartets 1-13<\/p>\nBorodin Quartet<\/p>\nChandos Historical CHAN10064H<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul><li><a href=\"\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Shostakovich-String-Quartets-1-13-D\/dp\/B00008WQB4\/ref=sr_1_2?tag=classicalm05c-21&ascsubtag=classicalmusic-0"\" target=\""_blank"\" rel=\""sponsored" noopener noreferrer\">Buy from Amazon<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>Quartetto Italiano (1945-80)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<iframe title=\""Schubert\" the=\"\" death=\"\" and=\"\" maiden=\"\" quartetto=\"\" italiano=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""150"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Gq6iS7sGVz0?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n1945 was a good year for string quartets, as it was also the year in which Quartetto Italiano was formed by a group of young players including first violinist Paolo Borciani and cellist Franco Rossi. Known particularly for its interpretations of Italian and French music, and for its complete recorded cycle of Beethoven\u2019s string quartets (1967-75), the group also recorded the complete works of<a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/mozart\/"\"> Mozart<\/strong><\/a>, <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/robert-schumann\/"\">Schumann<\/a><\/strong>, <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/johannes-brahms\/"\">Brahms<\/a><\/strong> and <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/anton-von-webern\/"\">Webern<\/a><\/strong> before disbanding in 1980. Its complete recordings for Decca, Philips and Deutsche Grammophon were released in a 37-disc set by Decca in 2015 featuring masterfully flexible, tonally beautiful and musically perceptive playing.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nRecommended Recording<\/strong><\/p>\nBeethoven: Complete String Quartets<\/p>\nQuartetto Italiano<\/p>\nPhilips 454 062-2 ADD<\/p>\n<ul><li><a href=\"\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Beethoven-Complete-Quartets-Ludwig-van\/dp\/B0000041LL\/ref=sr_1_3?tag=classicalm05c-21&ascsubtag=classicalmusic-0"\" target=\""_blank"\" rel=\""sponsored" noopener noreferrer\">Buy from Amazon<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/reviews\/special-edition\/beethoven-107\/"\">Read our full review\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>Amadeus Quartet (1947-87)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<iframe title=\""Schubert:\" d703=\"\" amadeus=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""150"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/l06wDJIjQ2M?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nOne of the few quartets in this list to have retained all four members throughout the entire life of the ensemble, the Amadeus performed for 40 years from 1947-87. Three of the four members were Jewish refugees to the UK following Hitler\u2019s Anschluss of 1938 and all met through the violin teacher Max Rostal. Noted for their polished sophistication, warmth of tone and unified sense of ensemble, the players made around 200 recordings, including the complete quartets of Beethoven, Brahms and Mozart. Often performing with violist Cecil Aronowitz and cellist William Pleeth in string quintets and sextets, the group concentrated on Classical and Romantic repertoire, but also performed works by 20th-century composers, including <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/benjamin-britten\/"\">Benjamin Britten<\/a><\/strong>, who dedicated his third quartet to the ensemble.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nRecommended Recording<\/strong><\/p>\nMozart: The String Quartets<\/p>\nAmadeus Quartet<\/p>\nDG 4778680<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul><li><a href=\"\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Mozart-W-String-Quartets-Collectors\/dp\/B0033QEQGW\/ref=sr_1_2?tag=classicalm05c-21&ascsubtag=classicalmusic-0"\" target=\""_blank"\" rel=\""sponsored" noopener noreferrer\">Buy from Amazon<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>Alban Berg Quartet (1970-2008)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<iframe title=\""Beethoven\" gro=\"\" fuge=\"\" b=\"\" dur=\"\" op=\"\" alban=\"\" berg=\"\" quartett=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""150"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/13ygvpIg-S0?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nThe Alban Berg Quartet gave its first performance in Vienna in 1971, formed by four young professors of the Vienna Academy of Music. Characterised by unified phrasing and a flawless technique, the group lent its burnished Viennese string sound not only to the expected Classical and Romantic works, but also to 20th-century repertoire by <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/alban-berg\/"\">Berg<\/a><\/strong>, <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/arnold-schoenberg\/"\">Schoenberg<\/a><\/strong>, Webern, <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/bela-bartok\/"\">Bart\u00f3k<\/a><\/strong>, <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/witold-lutoslawski\/"\">Lutoslawski<\/a><\/strong> and Berio.<\/p>\nThe players gave annual concert cycles in Vienna, London, Frankfurt, Paris, Cologne and Zurich and during a near 40-year career recorded complete string quartet cycles by Brahms, Berg and Beethoven (the latter of which has sold more than a million copies). The ensemble also trained a new generation of string quartets, including the Amaryllis, Artemis, Belcea and Schumann ensembles.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nRecommended Recording<\/strong><\/p>\nBerg: Lyric Suite, String Quartet<\/p>\nAlban Berg Quartet<\/p>\nWarner Classics 9029592807<\/p>\n<ul><li><a href=\""\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Berg-String-Quartet-Original-Jackets\/dp\/B01IFRTU5U\/ref=sr_1_6"\" target=\""_blank"\" rel=\""noopener" noopener noreferrer\">Buy from Amazon<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>Kronos Quartet (1973-present)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<iframe title=\""Requiem\" for=\"\" a=\"\" dream=\"\" movie=\"\" score=\"\" aeterna=\"\" kronos=\"\" quartet=\"\" social=\"\" distance=\"\" performance=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""113"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/4I-GGTCV0K0?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nChampion of contemporary and multi-genre repertoire, the Kronos Quartet has been breaking barriers for almost 50 years since its formation in 1973 by violinist David Harrington \u2013 who remains in post today. The ensemble has recorded over 40 albums and has premiered more than 900 works, created especially for the group. Composers who have collaborated with the ensemble include <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/john-adams\/"\">John Adams<\/a><\/strong>, <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/arvo-part\/"\">Arvo P\u00e4rt<\/a><\/strong>, Henryk G\u00f3recki, <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/steve-reich-s-best-works-percussion\/"\">Steve Reich<\/a><\/strong>, <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/philip-glass\/"\">Philip Glass<\/a><\/strong> and <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/kaija-saariaho-best-works\/"\">Kaija Saariaho<\/a><\/strong>, while the members have experimented with multiple genres, including pop, folk, <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/jazz-music-what-it-is-and-how-it-evolved\/"\">jazz<\/a><\/strong> and tango.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nRecommended Recording<\/strong><\/p>\nGlass: String Quartets 2,3,4,5<\/p>\nKronos Quartet<\/p>\nNonesuch 7559793562<\/p>\n<ul><li><a href=\"\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Glass-String-Quartets-Philip\/dp\/B000005J35\/ref=sr_1_4?tag=classicalm05c-21&ascsubtag=classicalmusic-0"\" target=\""_blank"\" rel=\""sponsored" noopener noreferrer\">Buy from Amazon<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>Tak\u00e1cs Quartet (1975-present)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<iframe title=\""Tak\u00e1cs\" quartet=\"\" bartok=\"\" string=\"\" no.=\"\" in=\"\" a=\"\" minor=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""113"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/EFD88DMz-40?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\nFormed by four students at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Budapest, this multi-award-winning ensemble moved to the US in 1983 and following several personnel changes made successful recordings of the complete Bart\u00f3k, Beethoven, Smetana and Borodin quartets. Among its former members are violinist G\u00e1bor Tak\u00e1cs-Nagy and violist Roger Tapping, while cellist Andr\u00e1s Fej\u00e9r is the group\u2019s sole original member. The group is renowned for impeccable ensemble playing, attention to detail and imaginative interpretations, and maintains an active touring and performing schedule. Following a long association with Decca, it has recorded several albums more recently for the Hyperion label, and has been resident at the University of Colorado at Boulder since 1983.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nRecommended Recording<\/strong><\/p>\nMendelssohn: String Quartets<\/p>\nTakacs Quartet<\/p>\nHyperion 41663936<\/p>\n<ul><li><a href=\"\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Mendelssohn-Quartets-Quartet-Hyperion-CDA68330\/dp\/B09D8RP64N\/ref=sr_1_1?tag=classicalm05c-21&ascsubtag=classicalmusic-0"\" target=\""_blank"\" rel=\""sponsored" noopener noreferrer\">Buy from Amazon<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/reviews\/chamber\/fanny-mendelssohn-felix-mendelssohn-string-quartets\/"\">Read our full review\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>Emerson Quartet (1976-2023)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<iframe title=\""Emerson\" quartet=\"\" cellist=\"\" david=\"\" finckel:=\"\" schubert=\"\" string=\"\" quintet=\"\" in=\"\" c=\"\" d.=\"\" op.posth=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""113"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/T0GOv95iDf0?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nWith over 30 albums and nine Grammy Awards to its name, this American ensemble was formed by four students at the <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/features\/articles\/the-juilliard-school-history-and-famous-alumni\/"\">Juilliard School<\/a> <\/strong>before undertaking its first professional tour in 1976. At the time the group was unusual as one of the first ensembles to have its violinists alternate between the first and second chairs. Those violinists \u2013 Eugene Drucker and Philip Setzer \u2013 have remained in post throughout the quartet\u2019s lifespan, while there have been changes to the viola and cello players, the most recent being cellist Paul Watkins replacing long-term member David Finckel in 2013.<\/p>\nAmong the group\u2019s recordings are the complete string quartets of Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Bart\u00f3k, Webern and Shostakovich, as well as multi-CD sets of the major works of <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/joseph-haydn-2\/"\">Haydn<\/a><\/strong>, Mozart, Schubert and <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/antonin-dvorak\/"\">Dvo\u0159\u00e1k<\/a> <\/strong>for DG. A very consistent ensemble, the quartet is known for its effective balance of four individual temperaments, collective virtuosity and insightful interpretations. The group has announced that the 2022-23 season will be its last.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nRecommended Recording<\/strong><\/p>\nSchumann: String Quartets Nos. 1-3<\/p>\nEmerson String Quartet<\/p>\nPentatone PTC 5186 869<\/p>\n<ul><li><a href=\"\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Schumann-String-Quartets-Emerson-Quartet\/dp\/B08GRSL332?tag=classicalm05c-21&ascsubtag=classicalmusic-0"\" target=\""_blank"\" rel=\""sponsored" noopener noreferrer\">Buy from Amazon<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/reviews\/chamber\/r-schumann-string-quartets-nos-1-3-2\/"\">Read our full review<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>\u00c9b\u00e8ne Quartet (1999-present)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<iframe title=\""Ebene\" quartet=\"\" eb=\"\" plays=\"\" pulp=\"\" fiction=\"\" misirlou=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""113"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SApSILYF9Mo?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\nThis French foursome was founded in 1999 at the Boulogne-Billancourt Conservatory in France and came to worldwide attention upon winning the 2004 ARD International Competition. Its recording of Ravel, Faur\u00e9 and Debussy won multiple accolades, including BBC Music Magazine<\/em>\u2019s \u2018Newcomer of the Year\u2019 prize in 2009, and with the release of Fiction<\/em> in 2010, a jazz-infused album of its own pop and soundtrack arrangements, the group\u2019s place in the chamber ensemble pantheon was assured. Three of the original members remain \u2013 violinists Pierre Colombet and Gabriel Le Magadure (who like the Emerson violinists switch between the first and second chairs) and cellist Rapha\u00ebl Merlin \u2013 while original violist Mathieu Herzog left in 2015 to be replaced first by Adrien Boisseau and currently by Marie Chilemme. The group has a particularly refined and elegant style which it has applied very successfully to multiple genres, from core classical to crossover.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nRecommended Recording<\/strong><\/p>\nRound Midnight<\/p>\nDutilleux: String Quartet \u2018Ainsi la nuit\u2019; R Merlin: Night Bridge; Schoenberg: Verkl\u00e4rte Nacht<\/p>\n\u00c9b\u00e8ne Quartet<\/p>\nErato 9029664190<\/p>\n<ul><li><a href=\"\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Round-Midnight-Quatuor-%C3%89bene\/dp\/B098S426X8\/ref=sr_1_1?tag=classicalm05c-21&ascsubtag=classicalmusic-0"\" target=\""_blank"\" rel=\""sponsored" noopener noreferrer\">Buy from Amazon<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul><a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/reviews\/chamber\/round-midnight\/"\">Read our full review here<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>Pavel Haas Quartet (2002-present)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<iframe title=\""Anton\u00edn\" dvo=\"\" string=\"\" quartet=\"\" in=\"\" f=\"\" major=\"\" op=\"\" pavel=\"\" haas=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""113"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/cb3jPORwL74?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nIn 2002 Czech violinist Veronika Jar\u016f\u0161kov\u00e1 put together a quartet of young players from Prague, shortly thereafter recruiting her husband Peter Jar\u016f\u0161ek as the ensemble\u2019s cellist. Though Jar\u016f\u0161kov\u00e1 and Jar\u016f\u0161ek remain, the group\u2019s second violin and viola posts have been held by several different players during the last 20 years. Following victories at the Prague Spring Festival Competition and Premio Paolo Borciani in Reggio Emilia \u2013 plus studies with members of several of the ensembles featured in our list, including Quartetto Italiano, the Borodin Quartet and the Amadeus Quartet \u2013 the quartet established itself with award-winning recordings of <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/leos-janacek\/"\">Jan\u00e1\u010dek<\/a><\/strong> and its namesake Haas (who lost his life in Auschwitz during the Holocaust), Beethoven, Haydn, Dvo\u0159\u00e1k, Prokofiev, Schubert and Smetana. Stylistically powerful and richly sonorous, the group is known for its passionate and fearless performances.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nRecommended Recording<\/strong><\/p>\nJan\u00e1cek: String Quartet No. 1 (Kreutzer Sonata); Haas: String Quartets Nos 1 & 3<\/p>\nPavel Haas Quartet<\/p>\nSupraphon SU 3922-2<\/p>\n<ul><li><a href=\"\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/gp\/product\/B07FW3CL2B\/ref=dm_ws_sp_ps_dp?tag=classicalm05c-21&ascsubtag=classicalmusic-0"\" target=\""_blank"\" rel=\""sponsored" noopener noreferrer\">Buy from Amazon<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\u00a0<\/p>\n<a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/reviews\/chamber\/pavel-haas-quartet\/"\">Read our full review\u00a0<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>Dover Quartet (2008-present)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<iframe title=\""Barber\" adagio=\"\" for=\"\" strings=\"\" quartet=\"\" width=\""200"\" height=\""113"\" src=\""https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/XmnstnZnSDw?feature=oembed"\" frameborder=\""0"\" allow=\""accelerometer;\" autoplay=\"\" clipboard-write=\"\" encrypted-media=\"\" gyroscope=\"\" picture-in-picture=\"\" allowfullscreen=\"\"\/>\nAlthough there are any number of truly wonderful younger quartets performing today, we thought we\u2019d highlight one of the best. The Dover Quartet came to worldwide attention after winning the Banff International String Quartet Competition in 2013. Formed at the Curtis Institute in 2008 they were mentored by Shmuel Ashkenasi of the Vermeer Quartet, and Arnold Steinhardt and Michael Tree of the Guarneri Quartet. Having collaborated with players including Emanuel Ax, Ray Chen, Edgar Meyer, Anthony McGill and Peter Serkin, the players were recently appointed to the Curtis faculty as ensemble-in-residence. Among their recordings are the complete quartets of Schumann and Beethoven. Along with incredibly tight ensemble playing the group plays with a full and glowing sound, as can be heard in the above clip of <a href=\""https:\/\/www.classical-music.com\/composers\/samuel-barber\/"\">Barber<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s Adagio for Strings<\/em>.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\nRecommended Recording<\/strong><\/p>\nVoices of Defiance: Ulman, Shostakovich, Laks<\/p>\nDover Quartet<\/p>\nCedille Records CDR90000173<\/p>\n<ul><li><a href=\"\/\/www.amazon.co.uk\/Voices-Defiance-Quartet-Cedille-Records\/dp\/B07574QX4Z\/ref=sr_1_3?tag=classicalm05c-21&ascsubtag=classicalmusic-0"\" target=\""_blank"\" rel=\""sponsored" noopener noreferrer\">Buy from Amazon<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\u00a0<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p><\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Charlotte Smith Published: Monday, 17 January 2022 at 12:00 am Choosing 11 of the world\u2019s best string quartets is no easy task \u2013 particularly when considering groups past and present. A definitive list could easily encompass tens if not hundreds of first-rate quartets active today, let alone the leading ensembles from previous generations. What […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":10129,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"9"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/01\/11-greatest-string-quartet-ensembles-of-all-time-scaled.jpg",2560,1707,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/01\/11-greatest-string-quartet-ensembles-of-all-time-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/01\/11-greatest-string-quartet-ensembles-of-all-time-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/01\/11-greatest-string-quartet-ensembles-of-all-time-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/01\/11-greatest-string-quartet-ensembles-of-all-time-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/01\/11-greatest-string-quartet-ensembles-of-all-time-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/37\/2022\/01\/11-greatest-string-quartet-ensembles-of-all-time-2048x1365.jpg",2048,1365,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Charlotte Smith Published: Monday, 17 January 2022 at 12:00 am Choosing 11 of the world\u2019s best string quartets is no easy task \u2013 particularly when considering groups past and present. A definitive list could easily encompass tens if not hundreds of first-rate quartets active today, let alone the leading ensembles from previous generations. What…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/10128"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10129"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10128"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcmusicmagazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10128"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}