The No. 13 String Quartet in A Minor by Franz Schubert (1797-1828) from 1824 is very appealing to me. I have listened to this composition many times and with great pleasure. I have been listening to the Guarneri String Quartet version recorded in 2009. Schubert's No. 14 String Quartet, Death and the Maiden, and No. 15 in G Major, along with No. 13, all premiered around 1825, and have been recorded by many fine string quartets and are a concert favorite.
Another favorite of mine are the three string quartets by Johannes Brahms (1833-1897): Opus 51, No. 1 and No. 2, and Opus 67. These three quartets were composed around 1873. I am listening to the Emerson String Quartet recording from 2007. A real bargain in MP3 format for $15.00 ... something to enjoy for years to come.
One fascinating book I read this week, borrowed from our local public library, was "The Larousse Encyclopedia of Music." It was edited by Geoffrey Hindley. Crescent Books, 1990, 576 pages, with extensive black and white illustrations. This books focuses on regional traditional music and "classical" music. Modern popular music (e.g., the rock music quartet) is not discussed. This book is valuable to those interested in the history of ideas.
I do also listen to 20th century string quartet compositions; however, the Classical and Romantic compositions from Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, and Brahms are essential listening in this genre.
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