← Chamber music
6

String Quintet No. 1 ("Les cieux inconnus")

Einojuhani Rautavaara · 1928–2016 · Finnish
For 2 violins, viola, 2 cellos
Also known as Unknown Heavens · The Unknown Heavens
Level 6 · Pre-diploma — about ARSM · RCM 10, with the parts evenly matched
SlowLyricalTenderLesser-known

Listen

Ensemble
String quintet
Hardest part
Balanced
Form
Full work
Length
About 26 min
Composed
1997
Era
20th century

Notes

Four movements for two violins, viola and two cellos; first commissioned as a quartet

A step before · level 5

Lyrical Interlude, GP 261
Arnold Bax
2 violins, 2 violas, cello
String quintet2 violins, 2 violas, cello
9 min
MajorSlowLesser-known
5balanced
Pavane couleur du temps
Frank Martin
2 violins, viola, 2 cellos
String quintet2 violins, viola, 2 cellos
7 min
SlowTenderLesser-known
5balanced
Nocturne and Scherzo
Ralph Vaughan Williams
2 violins, 2 violas, cello
String quintet2 violins, 2 violas, cello
10 min
LyricalFolkLesser-known
5balanced
String Quintet No. 3 in D major, Op. 21
Adolphe Blanc
2 violins, viola, cello, double bass (or cello)
String quintet2 violins, viola, cello, double bass (or cello)
18 min
MajorLyricalLesser-known
5violin 1

A step after · level 7

String Quintet in E minor
Paul Ben-Haim
2 violins, 2 violas, cello
String quintet2 violins, 2 violas, cello
33 min
MinorDramaticLesser-known
7balanced
String Quintet, H. 164
Bohuslav Martinů
2 violins, 2 violas, cello
String quintet2 violins, 2 violas, cello
19 min
LyricalDanceLesser-known
7violin 1
String Quintet No. 1 in F major, Op. 88
Johannes Brahms
2 violins, 2 violas, cello
String quintet2 violins, 2 violas, cello
28 min
MajorLyricalWell-known
7balanced
String Quintet No. 4 in G minor, K. 516
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
2 violins, 2 violas, cello
String quintet2 violins, 2 violas, cello
35 min
MinorDarkWell-known
7violin 1