This is a curated list of the best most beautiful, emotional, pulling at your heart sounding string quartets ever composed. Most of these I heard for the first time as a child and no other music has ever topped them.
This is hands down the most beautiful emotional second movement ever written
Dvořák: String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, Op. 96, B. 179 "American": II. Lento
No list is complete without Brahms. This quartet is a favorite.
Brahms - string quartet no. 1 in c minor
Ok not a quartet, a piano quintet. But must be included. I first heard this when I was 12 but didn’t know the name of it and would always replay it in my head. Years later I came across it again.
Dvorák: Piano Quintet No. 2 Op. 81 | ...
Everything Mendelssohn is basically a violin concerto with accompaniment. Still amazing.
Mendelssohn - String Quartet No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 44, No. 3
One of the best opening melodies of a quartet
Borodin String Quartet No.2 Esmé Quartet
The second best second movement of all time
Schubert | String quartet no. 14 in d-minor 2nd mvt
One of the most intense 4th movements also beautiful
SCHUBERT Quartet No. 14, "Death and the Maiden" in D minor mvt 4
No list is complete without Beethoven. I love this one. An earlier quartet of his, amazing.
String Quartet No. 4 in C Minor, Op. 18 No. 4: I. Allegro ma non tanto
If you are a fan of Debussy you will be obsessed with this quartet like I am.
Debussy Quartet in G minor, Op. 10
This quartet takes you on a while ride, with a slow and ominous opening to an insane 2nd and 3rd movement.
Shostakovich: Quartet No. 8, Op. 110
Ok not a string quartet, but this piano trio is so intensely beautiful I couldn’t leave it off of my list
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky - Piano Trio in A minor - "The Brodsky Trio ...
Since an octet is basically two string quartets, I thought this would count. Another Mendelssohn masterpiece.
Mendelssohn Octet
The best 3rd movement I’ve ever heard. Still my favorite to this day.
Dvořák: 3rd movement String Quartet #12, "American".
I can’t leave Ravel off of this list, a beautiful quartet
Maurice Ravel - String Quartet in F
Ok another trio not a quartet, but this melody is so beautiful and airy and intense, I had to list it.
Ravel Piano Trio (Rubinstein, Heifetz, Piatigorsky 1950)
