Top Ten String Pieces

[hal 9000]

Okay, I was stalling to try and build a list, but alas my knowledge of String pieces (quartets, trios, and the like) is too limited. I barely no any enough to participate. So educate me folks!

Please take some time to think of your favorite Top Ten String Pieces ( topic courtesy of Shapley).

List them in order of preference: this is all important to obtain meaningful results.

Submit that list to me via PM no later than Monday, March 12th, 2007 @ 6:00PM EST. I will compile the lists and release the results later that same evening.

What qualifies as a String Piece, you may ask? For the purposes of this thread lets define them with these criteria:

1. Works are for string instruments only. (since I am unfamiliar with many of these works, I will use the honor system for this guideline).
2. Chamber music only: solos, duets, trios, quartets, quintets, septets, octets...
3. No concerto's or symphonies, as these usually require more instruments than string instruments alone.

That's it... oh yeah, and Catmando, thank you for your pre-emptive list. Feel free to send revisions if necessary, but otherwise you are the first one in!

List count: 1

Keep 'em coming!®

[navneeth]

How about stuff from string orchestra?

[hal 9000]

How about stuff from string orchestra?

Sure, but only if you can't come up with 10 works within the criteria listed above.

[navneeth]

The criterion, the second one, doesn't seem to have an upper limit.

Chamber Music = n-tet, n <= ?

One particluar Mozart serenade was written for a chamber ensemble

Oh, btw, violins rule!!!

[Trumpetmaster]

Guess who voted for Trumpet!

[Shapley]

How about stuff from string orchestra?

Mendelssohn wrote 12 symphonies for string orchestra. Also some quartets, etc. have 'expanded versions' for full string orchestra. I believe Barbers' Adagio for Strings is one of them. Those should certainly qualify.

V/R
Shapley

[Trumpetmaster]

Does Harp qualify as a "String" Instrument
OR
part of the Piano family....???

[Catmando]

Does Harp qualify as a "String" Instrument
OR
part of the Piano family....???

I would consider the harp a stringed instrument. It certainly is listed as such in the Encyclopedia of Music that I have at home.

[Catmando]

That's it... oh yeah, and Catmando, thank you for your pre-emptive list. Feel free to send revisions if necessary, but otherwise you are the first one in!

I may send a slight revision on this one. Thanks Hal !

Oh yeah........Cellos rule!!

[navneeth]

I almost have a complete list! That's surprising.

[hal 9000]

Thank you for your list TrumpetMaster, and your revised list Catmando!

As for the exceptions to criteria mentioned above, please keep one thing in mind. The given criteria is considerably vast as it is, giving us the potential of many entries. Thus it makes deriving a clear cut top 10 list much more difficult due to the increased number of unique entries this poll will most likely receive. If we start adding these exceptions to the criteria, that only broadens the field and potentially adds to the problem. Long story short: stay within the criteria. If you absolutely cannot name 10 works within that criteria, name as many as you can and then fill the rest with works that are outside of the criteria but fit the topic nicely as this is better than a ***no vote***.

List count: 2

Keep 'em coming!®

[Catmando]

No votes yet in the poll for Double Bass.........

C'mon Nicole, come put your vote!!!

[jamiebk]

I'll have to sit this one out. My knowledge of strings is extremely limited...mostly 'cause I hate the sound. I put the sounds of a solo violin right up there with scraping my fingernails across a blackboard. They sound pretty good in large groups when blended with other instruments

[navneeth]

Looks like there is one vote for viola.

Does anybody know why the viola is at the butt of musical jokes, not the Mozart-kind, but musicians' in-jokes. Here's one I came across recently...

What's the difference between a viola and trampoline?

You take off your shoes when jumping on a trampoline.

[Catmando]

Does anybody know why the viola is at the butt of musical jokes, not the Mozart-kind, but musicians' in-jokes. Here's one I came across recently...

I'm not sure why that is, or why there are so many fewer works for viola, then for violin. Those poor violists must feel violated by all those viola jokes.

[jamiebk]

Well...I was the poor slob who singularly voted for the viola. All I can say is that it is more mellow than the violin and my wife used to play one.

[navneeth]

I had a chance to listen to Vivaldi's concerto for viola d'amore. It sounded funny...I guess I have to get used to the sound.

[Selma in Sandy Eggo]

Guess who voted for Trumpet!

Aside from me, the Mother of Brass Players? Gee, I wonder.

[Trumpetmaster]

Guess who voted for Trumpet!

Aside from me, the Mother of Brass Players? Gee, I wonder.

Allright!!!!

I have support here....

Selma - If we create additional user IDs we can have Trumpet winning!!!

Hall9000 - you did not see this....

[hal 9000]

Thank you for your list, dai bread!

List count: 3

Keep 'em coming!®