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10

String Quartet No. 1

Elliott Carter · 1908–2012 · American

For 2 violins, viola, cello

Level 10 · Extreme virtuoso — about Beyond the exam systems, with the parts evenly matched

DramaticVirtuosicLesser-known

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Ensemble: String quartet
Hardest part: Balanced
Form: Full work
Length: About 40 min
Composed: 1950–51
Era: 20th century

Notes

Landmark of metric modulation; each player keeps an independent line throughout

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A step before · level 9

String Quartet No. 4, Sz. 91

Béla Bartók

2 violins, viola, cello

String quartet2 violins, viola, cello

23 min

LivelyDramaticWell-known

9balanced

String Quartet No. 3, Sz. 85

Béla Bartók

2 violins, viola, cello

String quartet2 violins, viola, cello

15 min

LivelyVirtuosicWell-known

9balanced

String Quartet No. 5, Sz. 102

Béla Bartók

2 violins, viola, cello

String quartet2 violins, viola, cello

31 min

LivelyVirtuosicWell-known

9balanced

String Quartet No. 1 ("Métamorphoses nocturnes")

György Ligeti

2 violins, viola, cello

String quartet2 violins, viola, cello

21 min

LivelyDramaticWell-known

9balanced

A step after · level 11

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