This collection of essays explores the poetics and historical significance of string quartets in the first half of the 20th century. Ludwig Finscher examines the duality of monumentality and miniaturism in the genre, while Wolfgang Rathert situates Béla Bartók's quartets within the broader context of 20th-century music. Christian Martin Schmidt analyzes Arnold Schönberg's quartets as reflections of his compositional evolution. Thomas Seedorf discusses Benjamin Britten's contributions to the English string quartet tradition. Felix Meyer investigates string quartets associated with American ultra-modernism. Antonio Baldassarre addresses the genre's history through Jean Sibelius's "Voces intimae." Georges Starobinski focuses on Othmar Schoeck's Notturno, emphasizing the interplay between string quartets and vocal music. Other contributors explore topics such as English song cycles, the innovation of the 1920s, and Zoltán Kodály's first quartet. The collection also delves into atonality, thematic transformation, and the stylistic fusions present in works by composers like Anton Webern, Darius Milhaud, and Giacinto Scelsi. Each essay provides a unique perspective on the evolution and significance of the string quartet during this transformative period in music history.
