Earle Brown: String Quartet

Here's a Deutsche Grammophon LP from the 70s, featuring three great string quartets played by the legendary Lasalle-Quartett:

György Ligeti: II. Streichquartett (1967/68)
1 - I: Allegro nervoso
2 - II: Sostenuto, molto calmo
3 - III: Come une meccanismo di precisione
4 - IV: Presto furioso, brutale, tumultoso
5 - V: Allegro con delicatezza, stets sehr mild

6 Earle Brown: String Quartet (1965)

7 Wolf Rosenberg: III. Streichquartett (1960/61)

The radical and wild, if not "Sturm und Drang", open form quartet by Earle Brown may attract the most attention here. After all, this is its only released recording, and the brilliant musicianship of the Lasalle members makes it an exciting, thrilling listen.

But the other two pieces should not be neglected: I don't know any other works from Wolf Rosenberg, but his 3rd string quartet leaves a strong impression and must be heard several times before it can be fully appreciated.

As for Ligeti's 2nd string quartet, I can sum it up nicely with just a few words: it's a Monster, and it rocks!

Liner notes in English are included as JPG files.

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