The Evolution of the String Quartet (Part Three)

Continuing a series on the evolution of the string quartet, I give you 4 performances:

A Sample of a Mozart (1756-1791) quartet:

String Quartet No. 14 in G minor, K 387 "Spring" - I: Allegro vivace assai - Composed in 1782


String Quartet No. 14 in G minor, K 387 "Spring" - II: Menuetto


String Quartet No. 14 in G minor, K 387 "Spring" - III: Adagio


String Quartet No. 14 in G minor, K 387 "Spring" - IV: Allegro assai


A Sample of a string quintet by Luigi Boccherini (1743-1805):

Minuet from String Quintet in E major, Opus 11, No. 5 Composed in 1771

Here's The Same Minuet played by full orchestra.

A Sample of string quartets by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827):

String Quartet No. 1 in F major, Opus 18, No. 1 - I: Allegro con brio - Composed in 1799

String Quartet No. 1 in F major, Opus 18, No. 1 - II: Adagio affetuoso ed appassionata

String Quartet No. 1 in F major, Opus 18, No. 1 - III: Scherzo: Allegro molto - Trio

String Quartet No. 1 in f major, Opus 18, No. 1 - IV: Allegretto


The Beethoven quartet is played live in Vienna by the Alban Berg Quartet - it's an excellent performance.

Their album featuring the complete Beethoven quartets can be found here.