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9

String Quartet No. 4

Elliott Carter · 1908–2012 · American
For 2 violins, viola, cello
Level 9 · Virtuoso — about FRSM / FTCL, with the parts evenly matched
DramaticLesser-known

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Ensemble
String quartet
Hardest part
Balanced
Form
Full work
Length
About 29 min
Composed
1986
Era
20th century

Notes

Dense polyrhythms between the four parts; ensemble coordination is the main challenge

A step before · level 8

String Quartet No. 1, Op. 7, Sz. 40
Béla Bartók
2 violins, viola, cello
String quartet2 violins, viola, cello
29 min
SlowDarkWell-known
8balanced
String Quartet No. 2, Op. 17, Sz. 67
Béla Bartók
2 violins, viola, cello
String quartet2 violins, viola, cello
27 min
LivelyVirtuosicWell-known
8balanced
String Quartet No. 6, Sz. 114
Béla Bartók
2 violins, viola, cello
String quartet2 violins, viola, cello
28 min
DarkDramaticWell-known
8balanced
String Quartet No. 2 in C major, Op. 36
Benjamin Britten
2 violins, viola, cello
String quartet2 violins, viola, cello
29 min
MajorDramaticWell-known
8balanced

A step after · level 10

Livre pour quatuor
Pierre Boulez
2 violins, viola, cello
String quartet2 violins, viola, cello
55 min
DramaticDarkLesser-known
10balanced
String Quartet No. 1
Elliott Carter
2 violins, viola, cello
String quartet2 violins, viola, cello
40 min
DramaticVirtuosicLesser-known
10balanced
String Quartet No. 2
Elliott Carter
2 violins, viola, cello
String quartet2 violins, viola, cello
23 min
DramaticVirtuosicLesser-known
10balanced
String Quartet No. 3
Elliott Carter
2 violins, viola, cello
String quartet2 violins, viola, cello
21 min
LivelyVirtuosicLesser-known
10balanced