All site ▾
All site▾
Free sheet music
Sheet music books
Digital sheet music
Musical equipment
My account
(log-in)
€
€
EUR €
USD $
GBP £
CAD $
CNY ¥
Français
Free Sheet Music ▾
▽ INSTRUMENTS
ACCORDION
BALALAIKA
BANJO
BASS
BASSOON
BLANK SHEET M…
BOOKS
BOUZOUKI
CELLO - VIOLO…
CHARANGO
CHOIR - VOCAL
CLARINET
CORNET
DOBRO - GUIT.…
DOUBLE BASS
DRUM
DULCIMER
ENGLISH HORN
EUPHONIUM
FLUGELHORN
FLUTE
GUITAR
HANDBELLS
HARMONICA
HARP
HARPSICHORD
HORN
LUTE, THEORB
MANDOLIN
MARCHING BAND
MARIMBA
OBOE
ORCHESTRA - B…
ORGAN - ORGAO
OTHER INSTRUM…
PANPIPES
PERCUSSION
PIANO
RECORDER
SAXOPHONE
TROMBONE
TRUMPET
TUBA
UKULELE
VIBRAPHONE
VIOLA
VIOLA DA GAMB…
VIOLIN - FIDD…
XYLOPHONE
ZITHER
NEW ADDITIONS
|
GENRES
|
20th century
Afro-americans
Ballad
Baroque
Bluegrass
Blues
Brazilian/Choro
Celtic
Celebrations
Classical
Classical modern
Contemporary
National Anthems
Jazz
New age
Opera
Ragtime
Renaissance
Romantic
Sonata
Tango
Traditional
Waltz
Occitan song
Song
Chinese traditional
Ethnic
Klezmer
Flamenco
Folk
Japanese traditional
March
Medieval
Musette
Orientale
Pasodoble
French popular
Popular Dance
Reggae
Swing
Latin/World
INSTRUCTIONAL
:
Blank sheet music
Children
Dictionaries
Instructional methods
Music theory
Musicology
Rhythmic Solfege
Solfeges
Studies
SACRED
:
African Hymns
Chassidic
Christian
Christmas
Gospel
Gregorian
Israeli
Sacred Hymns
Wedding
DIFFICULTY
|
Beginner
Easy
Intermediate
Intermediate/advanced
Advanced
TOP DOWNLOADS
|
TOP DOWNLOADS
TOP 100 SOCIAL RANKING
COMPOSERS
|
Member composers
Historical composers
All composers
INSTRUMENTATIONS
|
SOLO
DUET
TRIO
QUARTET
QUINTET
ENSEMBLE
ALL
ADVANCED SEARCH
|
Digital Sheet Music
HOME
|
NEW ADDITIONS
|
PIANO
|
Piano sheet music
Piano solo
Piano, Voice, Guitar
Piano duet
Easy Piano
Piano Method
Methods
Studies
Organ sheet music
Organ solo
Organ duet
INSTRUMENTAL
|
Strings
Violin
Viola
Cello
Doublebass
Harp
Woodwinds
Flute
Clarinet
Oboe
Saxophone
Bassoon
Brass
Trumpet
Horn
Trombone
Tuba
Guitar
Guitar Tabs
Piano, Voice, Guitar
Bass
Folk
Accordion
Banjo
Dulcimer
Ukulele
Mandolin
Chamber music
String quartet
Wind quintet
Brass quintet
Handbells
ORCHESTRA
|
Concert Band
Jazz Ensemble
Jazz combo
Brass band
Marching band
Methods
Orchestra
String orchestra
CHOIR / VOICE
|
Choir
SATB
TTBB
SSAA
3-parts
2-parts
Voice
Piano, Voice, Guitar
Piano, Voice
Voice solo
Voice duet
GENRES
|
20th century
Asian
Bluegrass
Blues
Broadway / Musicals
Celtic
Christmas
Classical
Children
Country
Fingerpicking
Flamenco
Folk Rock
French songs
Funk
Gospel
Halloween
Instructional
Instructional - Studies
Jazz
Klezmer
Latin / World
Latin Pop
Medieval / Renaissance
Metal / Hard
Movie / TV
Movie Walt Disney
New Age
Patriotic
Pop
Reggae
Rock
Rock Alt.
Sacred / Church
Soul / Rap
Tango
Traditional
Video Game
Wedding / Love
CHRISTMAS
|
All Christmas
Christmas Piano
Christmas Guitar
Christmas Voice/Choir
Halloween
DIFFICULTY
|
Beginner
Easy
Intermediate
Intermediate/advanced
Advanced
Music Sheet Library ▾
HOME
|
NEW ADDITIONS
|
PIANO
|
Piano (all)
Beginner Piano
Easy Piano
Piano Solo
PVG
Best Sellers
New additions
GUITAR
|
Guitar (all)
Beginner Guitar
Easy Guitar
Guitar TAB
Guitar (without TAB)
Best Sellers
New additions
VOICE/CHORAL
|
Choral & Voice (all)
Solo voice
Choral 2-Part
Choral 3-Part
Choral SATB
Choral TTBB
Choral SSAA
Choral UNISON
Best Sellers
New additions
INSTRUMENTATIONS
|
BEST SELLERS
|
CHRISTMAS
|
GENRES
|
20th century
African
Asian
Bluegrass
Blues
Broadway / Musical
Celtic
Christmas
Classical
Country
Children
Eastern Europe
Exams
Fingerpicking
Flamenco
Folk Rock
French songs
Funk
Gypsy jazz
Gospel
Halloween
Instructional
Instructional - Studies
Instructional - Chords/Scales
Jazz
Klezmer
Latin / World
Latin Pop
Medieval / Renaissance
Metal
Movie / TV
Movie Walt Disney
New Age
Patriotic
Pop
Reggae
Rock
Rock Alternative
Sacred / Church
Soul / Rap
Tango
Traditional
Video Games
Wedding / Love
SECTIONS
|
ARTISTS
PUBLISHERS
CLASSROOM
GIFT IDEAS
BOOKS ABOUT MUSIC
PLAY-ALONG
ADV.SEARCH
Musical Equipment ▾
GUITAR
|
KEYBOARD
|
PERCU.
|
STUDIO
|
SOFT
|
PA
|
LIGHT
|
DJ
|
MIC
|
EFFECTS
|
WINDS
|
TRAD.
|
FLIGHT
|
CABLES
|
ACC.
|
GIFT
|
BRANDS
--INSTRUMENTS--
ACCORDION
AUTOHARP
BAGPIPE
BANJO
BASS
BASSOON
BOOKS
BOUZOUKI
BUGLE
CHORAL - VOCAL…
CLARINET
CORNET
DIDGERIDOO
DJ GEAR
DRUM
DULCIMER
EUPHONIUM
FLUTE
FRENCH HORN
GUITAR
HANDBELLS
HARMONICA
HARP
HARPSICHORD
LAP STEEL GUIT…
LUTE
MANDOLIN
MARCHING BAND
MARIMBA
MUSIC COURSE
OBOE
OCARINA
ORCHESTRA - BA…
ORGAN
PANPIPES
PERCUSSION
PIANO
RECORDER
SAXOPHONE
SYNTHESIZER K…
TROMBONE
TRUMPET
TUBA
UKULELE
VIBRAPHONE
VIOLA
VIOLIN - FIDDL…
VIOLONCELLO - …
XYLOPHONE
ZITHER
Gustav Mahler
Not classified
60
Piano & keyboards
Piano, Voice
407
Piano solo
44
1 Piano, 4 hands
12
Easy Piano
6
2 Pianos, 4 hands
6
Piano Accompaniment
5
Piano Quartet: piano, violin, viola, cello
2
Organ
2
Piano, Vocal and Guitar
2
C Instruments
1
Organ, Trumpet (duet)
1
+ 6 instrumentations
-
Retract
Guitars
Melody line, (Lyrics) and Chords
2
Guitar
1
Voice
High voice
15
Medium voice, Piano
5
Choral SATB
5
Low voice, Piano
3
Voice solo
2
Choral Unison
1
Choral SSAA
1
Choral SSATB
1
Soli, Mixted choir and accompaniment
1
+ 4 instrumentations
-
Retract
Woodwind
Flute and Piano
16
Clarinet (band part)
6
Clarinet Quartet: 4 clarinets
6
Woodwind Quintet: flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, horn
6
Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon
5
Flute (band part)
3
Flute
2
Oboe (band part)
2
Clarinet Ensemble
2
Saxophone Quartet: 4 saxophones
2
Saxophone ensemble
1
Clarinet Quintet: 5 clarinets
1
Flute Quartet: 4 flutes
1
Saxophone (band part)
1
Eb Instruments
1
Tenor Saxophone and Piano
1
Clarinet
1
Clarinet and Piano
1
+ 13 instrumentations
-
Retract
Woodbrass
Brass Quintet: 2 trumpets, horn, trombone, tuba
16
Trombone (band part)
6
Brass quartet : 2 trumpets, trombone, tuba
6
Trombone and Piano
6
French horn (band part)
4
Trumpet (band part)
3
Trombone ensemble
3
Euphonium, Piano (duet)
3
French horn
2
French Horn and Piano
2
Tuba and Piano
2
Tuba (band part)
2
Trumpet
1
Trumpet, Piano
1
Bass Clef Instruments
1
Bb Instruments
1
F Instruments
1
Horn Ensemble
1
Brass Quartet: 2 trumpets, horn, trombone
1
+ 14 instrumentations
-
Retract
Strings
Violin and Piano
17
Cello, Piano
16
Violin (band part)
14
String Quartet: 2 violins, viola, cello
9
Doublebass (band part)
6
Viola
5
Cello (band part)
5
Cello
4
Cello Ensemble
2
String Trio: violin, viola, cello
2
Harp, Orchestra
1
Viola (band part)
1
Viola, Piano
1
Harp
1
+ 9 instrumentations
-
Retract
Percussion & orchestra
Orchestra
24
String Orchestra
18
Brass ensemble
11
Chamber Orchestra
8
Concert band
5
Timpani (band part)
3
Woodwind Quintet
2
Percussion (band part)
2
Woodwind Quartet: any 4 woodwinds
1
Handbells
1
Voice and Orchestra
1
Percussion
1
+ 7 instrumentations
-
Retract
Others
Home
Best Sellers
New releases
Methods
Studies
Sellers
Sellers
Americans
At Musicnotes
At Sheetmusicplus
At Virtualsheetmusic
Europeans
At Tomplay
At Prof-Editions
At Note4piano
At Noviscore
At Quickpartitions
International artists list
French artists list
Top artists
Top artists
POP
Adele
Daft Punk
Avicii
Pharrel Williams
Bruno Mars
Lily Allen
Birdy
John Legend
Passenger
Emeli Sand�
Beatles
NEW AGE / CLASSICAL
Yiruma
Ludovico Einaudi
John Williams
Piazzolla
John Rutter
Dmitri Shostakovich
Benjamin Britten
Ennio Morricone
Paul Mealor
John Rutter
Eric Whitacre
John Tavener
Christmas
Halloween
Easter
Wedding
Sacred
International Artists :
• Holst, Gustav
FREE SHEET MUSIC
183,000+ free sheet music
SHEET MUSIC LIBRARY
1,500,000+ buy and delivery
DIGITAL SHEET MUSIC
2,000,000+ buy and print
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
200,000+ buy and delivery
Sheet Music Membership ($37.75/year)
Digital sheet music, access after purchasing
Post mailing
Digital sheet music
Sorting and filtering :
--INSTRUMENTS--
ACCORDION
AUTOHARP
BAGPIPE
BANJO
BASS
BASSOON
BOOKS
BOUZOUKI
BUGLE
CHORAL - VOCAL…
CLARINET
CORNET
DIDGERIDOO
DJ GEAR
DRUM
DULCIMER
EUPHONIUM
FLUTE
FRENCH HORN
GUITAR
HANDBELLS
HARMONICA
HARP
HARPSICHORD
LAP STEEL GUIT…
LUTE
MANDOLIN
MARCHING BAND
MARIMBA
MUSIC COURSE
OBOE
OCARINA
ORCHESTRA - BA…
ORGAN
PANPIPES
PERCUSSION
PIANO
RECORDER
SAXOPHONE
SYNTHESIZER K…
TROMBONE
TRUMPET
TUBA
UKULELE
VIBRAPHONE
VIOLA
VIOLIN - FIDDL…
VIOLONCELLO - …
XYLOPHONE
ZITHER
style (all)
AFRICAN
AMERICANA
ASIAN
BLUEGRASS
BLUES
CELTIC - IRISH - SCO…
CHILDREN - KIDS : MU…
CHRISTIAN (contempor…
CHRISTMAS - CAROLS -…
CLASSICAL - BAROQUE …
CONTEMPORARY - 20-21…
CONTEMPORARY - NEW A…
COUNTRY
FINGERSTYLE - FINGER…
FLAMENCO
FOLK ROCK
FOLK SONGS - TRADITI…
FRENCH SONGS
FUNK
GOSPEL - SPIRITUAL -…
HALLOWEEN
INSTRUCTIONAL : CHOR…
INSTRUCTIONAL : METH…
INSTRUCTIONAL : STUD…
JAZZ
JAZZ GYPSY - SWING
JEWISH - KLEZMER
LATIN - BOSSA - WORL…
LATIN POP ROCK
MEDIEVAL - RENAISSAN…
METAL - HARD
MOVIE (WALT DISNEY)
MOVIE - TV
MUSICALS - BROADWAYS…
OLD TIME - EARLY ROC…
OPERA
PATRIOTIC MUSIC
POLKA
POP ROCK - CLASSIC R…
POP ROCK - MODERN - …
POP ROCK - POP MUSIC
PUNK
RAGTIME
REGGAE
SOUL - R&B - HIP HOP…
TANGO
THANKSGIVING
VIDEO GAMES
WEDDING - LOVE - BAL…
WORSHIP - PRAISE
Relevance
Best sellers
Prices - to +
Prices + to -
New releases
A-Z
skill (all)
beginner
easy
intermediate
avanced
expert
Sellers (all)
Musicnotes
Note4Piano
Noviscore
Profs-edition
Quickpartitions
SheetMusicPlus
Tomplay
Virtualsheetmusic
with audio
with video
with play-along
You've selected:
Gustav Mahler
String Quartet: 2 violins, viola, cello
Sheetmusic to print
9 sheet music found
<
1
Mahler Symphony No. 4 - Fourth Movement
Mahler Symphony No. 4 - Fourth Movement
#
String Quartet: 2 violins, viola, cello
#
INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED
#
Classical
#
Gustav Mahler
#
Brian Hardy, Bacchus Quartet
#
Mahler Symphony No. 4 - Fourth
#
Brian Hardy
#
SheetMusicPlus
String Quartet String Quartet - Level 4 - SKU: A0.793598 Composed by Gustav Mahler. Arranged by Brian Hardy, Bacchus Quartet. Graduation,Instructional,R...
(+)
String Quartet String Quartet - Level 4 - SKU: A0.793598 Composed by Gustav Mahler. Arranged by Brian Hardy, Bacchus Quartet. Graduation,Instructional,Romantic Period. Score and parts. 19 pages. Brian Hardy #6609083. Published by Brian Hardy (A0.793598). The 4th Symphony is quite lightly scored (for Mahler) so I arranged the 3rd and 4th movements for our quartet just for fun.They may be useful for a student quartet for study purposes as we don't get to play the full work very often.For more Bacchus Quartet arrangements visit - sheetmusicplus.com/publishers/bacchusquartet/5331.
$5.99 ≈
5.59€
Adagietto from Symphony No. 5
Adagietto from Symphony No. 5
#
String Quartet: 2 violins, viola, cello
#
INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED
#
Gustav Mahler
#
James Widden
#
Adagietto from Symphony No. 5
#
James Widden
#
SheetMusicPlus
String Quartet Cello,String Quartet,Viola,Violin - Level 4 - SKU: A0.1240751 By Gustav Mahler. By Gustav Mahler. Arranged by James Widden. 19th Century,...
(+)
String Quartet Cello,String Quartet,Viola,Violin - Level 4 - SKU: A0.1240751 By Gustav Mahler. By Gustav Mahler. Arranged by James Widden. 19th Century,Film/TV,Romantic Period. 14 pages. James Widden #836140. Published by James Widden (A0.1240751). The achingly beautiful and moving slow movement from Mahler's Symphony No. 5 - famously used in the Visconti film Death in Venice and probably the best-known single movement from this most romantic of composers. Originally for string orchestra and harp, James Widden's arrangement for string quartet is beautifully made and carefully edited so that players and listeners alike will get maximum pleasure from the performance.
$12.99 ≈
12.12€
Chorale from Symphony No. 3 for String Quartet
Chorale from Symphony No. 3 for String Quartet
#
String Quartet: 2 violins, viola, cello
#
INTERMEDIATE
#
Classical
#
Gustav Mahler
#
Diego Marani
#
Chorale from Symphony No. 3 fo
#
Diego Marani
#
SheetMusicPlus
String Quartet Cello,String Quartet,Viola,Violin - Level 3 - SKU: A0.529608 Composed by Gustav Mahler. Arranged by Diego Marani. Instructional,Romantic ...
(+)
String Quartet Cello,String Quartet,Viola,Violin - Level 3 - SKU: A0.529608 Composed by Gustav Mahler. Arranged by Diego Marani. Instructional,Romantic Period,Standards. Score and parts. 8 pages. Diego Marani #139906. Published by Diego Marani (A0.529608). The Symphony No. 3 in D minor by Gustav Mahler was written in 1896, or maybe only completed in that year, but composed between 1893 and 1896. It is choral, his longest piece and is the longest symphony in the standard repertoire. It was voted one of the ten greatest symphonies of all time in a survey of conductors carried out by the BBC Music Magazine. The last movement (Chorale) in particular had a triumphant critical success. The Swiss critic William Ritter, in his review of the premiere given in 1902, said of the last movement: Perhaps the greatest Adagio written since Beethoven. This arrangement for string quartet includes the following parts: Violin I, Violin II, Viola, Cello. It is suitable for classroom, repertoire and recital.
$8.99 ≈
8.39€
Mahler Symphony No. 4 - Third Movement, Adagio
Mahler Symphony No. 4 - Third Movement, Adagio
#
String Quartet: 2 violins, viola, cello
#
INTERMEDIATE/ADVANCED
#
Gustav
#
Brian Hardy, Bacchus Quartet
#
Mahler Symphony No. 4 - Third
#
Brian Hardy
#
SheetMusicPlus
String Quartet String Quartet - Level 4 - SKU: A0.793596 Composed by Gustav. Arranged by Brian Hardy, Bacchus Quartet. Graduation,Instructional,Romantic...
(+)
String Quartet String Quartet - Level 4 - SKU: A0.793596 Composed by Gustav. Arranged by Brian Hardy, Bacchus Quartet. Graduation,Instructional,Romantic Period,Standards. Score and parts. 16 pages. Brian Hardy #6609079. Published by Brian Hardy (A0.793596). The scoring of Symphony No.4 is quite light (for Mahler), especially the 3rd and 4th movements so I arranged them for our string quartet just for fun.It also presents an opportunity for a student quartet to play a piece which they may not come across very often.For more Bacchus Quartet arrangements visit - sheetmusicplus.com/publishers/bacchusquartet/5331.
$5.99 ≈
5.59€
Five Lieder from 1901
Five Lieder from 1901
#
String Quartet: 2 violins, viola, cello
#
ADVANCED
#
Classical
#
Gustav Mahler
#
Stefan Heucke
#
Five Lieder from 1901
#
Schott Music - Digital
#
SheetMusicPlus
Medium voice and string quartet - advanced to difficult - SKU: S9.Q575200 Based on texts by Friedrich Rückert and from “Des Knaben Wunderhorn“
(+)
Medium voice and string quartet - advanced to difficult - SKU: S9.Q575200 Based on texts by Friedrich Rückert and from “Des Knaben Wunderhorn“. Composed by Gustav Mahler. Arranged by Stefan Heucke. Die Ausgabe umfasst Mahler-Lieder, die jeweils 1901 komponiert und von Stefan Heucke neu instrumentiert wurden. Die sonst in verschiedenen Zyklen zusammengefassten Lieder erklingen im sowohl klanglich als auch dramaturgisch neuen, reizvollen Kontext. Downloadable, Score and parts. Duration 21'. Schott Music - Digital #Q575200. Published by Schott Music - Digital (S9.Q575200).
$25.99 ≈
24.26€
Five Lieder from 1901
Five Lieder from 1901
#
String Quartet: 2 violins, viola, cello
#
Classical
#
Gustav Mahler
#
Stefan Heucke
#
Five Lieder from 1901
#
Schott Music - Digital
#
SheetMusicPlus
Low voice and string quartet - advanced to difficult - SKU: S9.Q577322 Based on texts by Friedrich Rückert and from “Des Knaben Wunderhorn“....
(+)
Low voice and string quartet - advanced to difficult - SKU: S9.Q577322 Based on texts by Friedrich Rückert and from “Des Knaben Wunderhorn“. Composed by Gustav Mahler. Arranged by Stefan Heucke. Die Ausgabe umfasst Mahler-Lieder, die jeweils 1901 komponiert und von Stefan Heucke neu instrumentiert wurden. Die sonst in verschiedenen Zyklen zusammengefassten Lieder erklingen im sowohl klanglich als auch dramaturgisch neuen, reizvollen Kontext. Downloadable, Score and parts. Duration 21'. Schott Music - Digital #Q577322. Published by Schott Music - Digital (S9.Q577322).
$25.99 ≈
24.26€
Adagietto
Adagietto
#
String Quartet: 2 violins, viola, cello
#
#
Gustav Mahler
#
Josef STASTNY
#
Adagietto
#
Josef STASTNY
#
SheetMusicPlus
Composed by Gustav Mahler (1860-1911). Arranged by Josef STASTNY. 20th Century, Repertoire, World, Funeral. Score, Set of Parts. 5 pages. Published by Josef ST...
(+)
Composed by Gustav Mahler (1860-1911). Arranged by Josef STASTNY. 20th Century, Repertoire, World, Funeral. Score, Set of Parts. 5 pages. Published by Josef STASTNY (S0.244279). - Score,Set of Parts - 20th Century,Repertoire,World,Funeral - Josef STASTNY
$9.99 ≈
9.32€
Fauré's Pavane - String Quartet
Fauré's Pavane - String Quartet
#
String Quartet: 2 violins, viola, cello
#
INTERMEDIATE
#
Classical
#
Gabriel Faure
#
Richard E Brown
#
Fauré's Pavane - String Qua
#
Dacker Music
#
SheetMusicPlus
String Quartet Cello,String Quartet,Viola,Violin - Level 3 - SKU: A0.1391827 Composed by Gabriel Faure. Arranged by Richard E Brown. Classical. 24 pages...
(+)
String Quartet Cello,String Quartet,Viola,Violin - Level 3 - SKU: A0.1391827 Composed by Gabriel Faure. Arranged by Richard E Brown. Classical. 24 pages. Dacker Music #975308. Published by Dacker Music (A0.1391827). Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) was a French composer, organist, and pianist who, along with his contemporaries Claude Debussy and Gustav Mahler, is often considered a transition figure from the Romantic into the 20th Century periods of music history. Fauré's Pavane, Op. 50 of 1886 is one of his best-known compositions. It was, like some of Debussy's music, originally composed for piano but later orchestrated by the composer, and today it is usually heard in that version.In this arrangement for string quartet, an alternate 3rd violin part is included to substitute for viola if that instrument is not available.Level M – Duration 3:25.
$6.50 ≈
6.07€
String Quartet No. 3: Among Friends
String Quartet No. 3: Among Friends
#
String Quartet: 2 violins, viola, cello
#
ADVANCED
#
Contemporary
#
Robert M
#
String Quartet No. 3: Among Fr
#
Robert M. Greenberg
#
SheetMusicPlus
String Quartet String Quartet - Level 5 - SKU: A0.987847 Composed by Robert M. Greenberg. 20th Century. Score and parts. 178 pages. Robert M. Greenberg ...
(+)
String Quartet String Quartet - Level 5 - SKU: A0.987847 Composed by Robert M. Greenberg. 20th Century. Score and parts. 178 pages. Robert M. Greenberg #90283. Published by Robert M. Greenberg (A0.987847). Preferred Contact Information: RMonteverdi@comcast.net Performing Rights Organization: BMI Website: robertgreenbergmusic.com Facebook Band Page: facebook.com/RobertGreenbergMusic Duration: ca. 33 minutes Year of composition: 1995 Program Note: I. With Friends Like These II. Inner Voices III. Little Hands and Little Feet IV. Freund Barry V. Friendly Persuasion VI. All For One and One For All I've known the Alexander String Quartet since 1987. More than just colleagues, they have become my friends: I've traveled with them, performed with them, watched them rehearse, dined with them in their homes and they in mine; I know their children and they know my children. Throughout the time I've known the members of the quartet I have observed the relationship between them, that special bond shared by the members of any touring band, described by one pundit as being like a bad marriage with no sex. Such issues notwithstanding, this particular marriage works. A string quartet represents, perhaps, the ultimate musical compromise between individual incentive and the common good. In a string quartet, by definition, four distinct instrumental voices and four different instrumental roles unite to create a whole greater than its parts. And, lest we forget, behind each instrument is a person, with his own particular attitudes, feelings, needs, and, yes, issues, all of which must be tempered and blended for the common good of a good performance. Among Friends is, its liberties aside, about the four people behind the instruments of the Alexander String Quartet and their relationships with one another; the way they play, rehearse, get along and, on occasion, not get along. The first movement, With Friends Like These is gritty and contentious in tone. The players argue, debate, annoy, tease, irk, cajole, abuse, harass, form brief alliances, heap merde upon, gang up on, and otherwise find endless ways to irritate each other. It is in this movement that the individual characters of the four instrumental parts stand in highest relief: the first violin as coloratura prima donna, forever attempting to soar above it all; the second violin as the voice in the wilderness, the viola as the voice of reason and the 'cello as mover and shaker. The opening of the movement is marked argument in progress; with greatest intensity. The second, third and fourth movements are a series of portraits, played without a break. In movement two, Inner Voices, the second violin and viola are featured in a collegial and decidedly non-contentious dialogue. Movement three, Little Hands and Little Feet, is the quiet center of the quartet. It is here that the first violin finally attains the lyric heights vainly sought in the first movement. The fourth movement is a vigorous dance entitled Freund Barry. This movement honors three great friends: Dr. Barry Gardiner, whose friendship and support made the writing of this quartet possible; Gustav Mahler, whose Symphony No. 4, second movement (Freund Heine) inspired this one; and Sandy Wilson, who first encouraged me to compose my second string quartet (Child's Play) for the Alexander in 1987 and whose boisterous 'cello is Freund Barry's alter-ego. The fifth movement is entitled Friendly Persuasion. Rapid fire repeated notes, accompanimental figures and melodic lines are shuttled about from voice to voice, each time elaborated or altered in some way. In this way the music slowly metamorphoses, ultimately arriving at a version of the argumentative music that concluded the first movement. Movement six, All For One and One For All is a fast, brief coda/finale, during which the quartet plays primarily in unison, the musical antithesis of the contentious argument that began the quartet. Among Friends was commissioned by the Koussevitzky Foundation in the Library of Congress and the Alexander String Quartet. Among Friends i.
$36.00 ≈
33.60€
<
1
