Suggestion for anyone who wants to try String Quartet Writing

This post will be my opinions and takes on the string quartet, that will apply to all genres of the string quartet. For anyone who is interested in writing string quartets, I shall try to give my best unorthodox pointers and tips on how to make a string quartet better, and utilise each instrument to the best of its ability.

Personally, I am an amateur string player since young who has both avidly listened to and played numerous string quartets and I tend to take inspiration from the quartets that I listen to while composing my own quartets. Now, let me discuss some of the pointers:

1. Make as much contrast as possible. Be it a major key, minor key, loud, soft, monophony or polyphony, I believe that contrast is the single most important essence to a good quartet. A good quartet needs a lot of contrast, to keep the quartet interesting to the ear and creates variety in sound. No one instrument should overpower the others in the melody and relegate the other instruments to a form of accompaniment for the entire piece. Playing some of the accompaniment parts personally before, it can be rather dull for them and it creates a dull effect where there's not much dialogue or antiphony between the instruments. One often overlooked way to create contrast is through the texture of the quartet. However, I disagree with the notion that counterpoint should be used at all times and to avoid parallel motion or chorale-like melodies at all costs. While counterpoint is very good at creating unique quartets and is key to a good quartet, when used correctly, parallel motion or monophonic themes across all instruments can elevate a quartet to another level (especially in a climax of a piece). It should be used sporadically at key moments during a piece, to highlight a certain motif or theme, or contrast an otherwise fully polyphonic section, one example of this brilliantly done is the opening of Beethoven's Grosse Fugue. There are many ways to create contrast, and after studying many quartets I realised that every composer has a unique way of creating that sense of contrast in their pieces. It's important to find one's preferred method to develop contrasts in their quartet.

2. Make more use of multiple stops. Double stops is a great way to add challenge and a unique texture to a quartet. However, it may be daunting for composers who have never dealt with strings. For this, I would advise that (90%) double stops with intervals 8ve or less in a chord are playable (the occasional 10th is possible but not for prolonged periods), and for triple/quadruple stops, try to stick to 5th or 6th intervals between individual notes to be safe. The exception to these rules is always the open string. As string players do not need to place their left hand fingers down when playing open strings, any interval that can use the open strings tend to be much easier for a string player to manage and allows for greater intervals between notes. 
 

3. (Good) transitioning is much harder than meets the eye. For myself, I started composing more than a year ago. Still, even with my prior experience with string instruments and repertoire, it took me >20 tries across 7-8 different pieces to get transitions to a decent state. (I was working on string orchestra pieces back then, similar to the quartet) Even now, I wouldn't call myself a good composer in transitions and I still frequently struggle with transitions. The main difficulty of transitioning especially in a string quartet is not so much like orchestral or solo pieces, where you can find a pivot chord and modulate quickly without a hitch. Rather, it is because of the string quartet's unique nature where frequent contrasts in the music are required and the counterpoint across different instruments that makes it hard. Trying to bridge a very loud, climatic section with a very soft, intimate section within the span of a few bars is very daunting in string quartet writing. If anyone is interested, I can make an entirely separate post just on transitioning and some methods I have picked up through prior work on string writing. 
 

4. Don't be afraid to cross registers. Some composers who are new to quartet writing often view the string quartet as SATB writing for strings. While this has some merit, this is not entirely true. String quartet writing is very fluid in the fact that there are many styles. In romantic and 20th century string quartets, it is very common for the registers of different instruments to continuously cross over one another to create variety and effect. Any instrument, even the cello at times, can take the highest register out of the 4 instruments at any given point of a quartet. (This is why many quartets let the cello play up to even D7 or two octaves above middle C frequently!) Don't hesitate to try crossing the registers of the different instruments over, and a good place to start would be with the viola and cello alternating registers. 
 

5. Practice makes perfect. This is especially apparent for string quartet. No matter how much analysis of famous quartets, the best way to compose a good quartet is through prior practice. It took me many tries to at least reach a decent level in string writing. Try practicing across a wide range of styles and genres of the string quartet

6. Lastly, string quartet is not a dead medium. This was actually a view held by many late Romantic/Impressionistic composers, who felt that String Quartet was a dead medium where not much new styles or forms can be pioneered and all possible iterations and styles have been exhausted. This is why many of such composers (Debussy or Ravel) composed only one quartet. However, this was clearly proven otherwise when 20th century composers turned the medium on its head and pioneered an entirely new way to compose the string quartet. Some composers now have the same view as the Late Romantic composers. However, string quartet is one of the most flexible and versatile mediums of classical music to date. It differs so greatly, from the classical quartets of Mozart and Haydn, to the Romantic Quartets of Mendelssohn and Dvorak, to the 20th Century Quartets of Shostakovich and Gliere. There is still so much more to discover for the string quartet and there are many examples where one-of-a-kind quartets have been produced. Let me just name an example: Grieg's String Quartet No. 1 in G Minor was very eye-opening for me. It is a very unique string quartet that focuses on the resonance of the open strings of string instruments and the virtuosity of its players. It is very intricate and heavily utilises double stops throughout its piece, to the point where even the original publisher rejected it for having too many double stops. However, it was indeed playable and it gave rise to a new form of string quartet, with its lyrical, fast-moving melodies and its sonorous sound, yet filled many sharp contrasts. I would suggest to anyone who is bored of string quartets to listen to this, and possibly gain inspiration. Such a unique thinking of the quartet has not been thoroughly explored yet and I urge others to explore the resonance of open strings in string quartet as sort of a challenge to anyone composing future string quartets haha this is the link to the quartet: 

This post will be my opinions and takes on the string quartet, that will apply to all genres of the string quartet. For anyone who is interested in writing string quartets, I shall try to give my best unorthodox pointers and tips on how to make a string quartet better, and utilise each instrument to the best of its ability.

Personally, I am an amateur string player since young who has both avidly listened to and played numerous string quartets and I tend to take inspiration from the quartets that I listen to while composing my own quartets. Now, let me discuss some of the pointers:

1. Make as much contrast as possible. Be it a major key, minor key, loud, soft, monophony or polyphony, I believe that contrast is the single most important essence to a good quartet. A good quartet needs a lot of contrast, to keep the quartet interesting to the ear and creates variety in sound. No one instrument should overpower the others in the melody and relegate the other instruments to a form of accompaniment for the entire piece. Playing some of the accompaniment parts personally before, it can be rather dull for them and it creates a dull effect where there's not much dialogue or antiphony between the instruments. One often overlooked way to create contrast is through the texture of the quartet. However, I disagree with the notion that counterpoint should be used at all times and to avoid parallel motion or chorale-like melodies at all costs. While counterpoint is very good at creating unique quartets and is key to a good quartet, when used correctly, parallel motion or monophonic themes across all instruments can elevate a quartet to another level (especially in a climax of a piece). It should be used sporadically at key moments during a piece, to highlight a certain motif or theme, or contrast an otherwise fully polyphonic section, one example of this brilliantly done is the opening of Beethoven's Grosse Fugue. There are many ways to create contrast, and after studying many quartets I realised that every composer has a unique way of creating that sense of contrast in their pieces. It's important to find one's preferred method to develop contrasts in their quartet.

2. Make more use of multiple stops. Double stops is a great way to add challenge and a unique texture to a quartet. However, it may be daunting for composers who have never dealt with strings. For this, I would advise that (90%) double stops with intervals 8ve or less in a chord are playable (the occasional 10th is possible but not for prolonged periods), and for triple/quadruple stops, try to stick to 5th or 6th intervals between individual notes to be safe. The exception to these rules is always the open string. As string players do not need to place their left hand fingers down when playing open strings, any interval that can use the open strings tend to be much easier for a string player to manage and allows for greater intervals between notes. 
 

3. (Good) transitioning is much harder than meets the eye. For myself, I started composing more than a year ago. Still, even with my prior experience with string instruments and repertoire, it took me >20 tries across 7-8 different pieces to get transitions to a decent state. (I was working on string orchestra pieces back then, similar to the quartet) Even now, I wouldn't call myself a good composer in transitions and I still frequently struggle with transitions. The main difficulty of transitioning especially in a string quartet is not so much like orchestral or solo pieces, where you can find a pivot chord and modulate quickly without a hitch. Rather, it is because of the string quartet's unique nature where frequent contrasts in the music are required and the counterpoint across different instruments that makes it hard. Trying to bridge a very loud, climatic section with a very soft, intimate section within the span of a few bars is very daunting in string quartet writing. If anyone is interested, I can make an entirely separate post just on transitioning and some methods I have picked up through prior work on string writing. 
 

4. Don't be afraid to cross registers. Some composers who are new to quartet writing often view the string quartet as SATB writing for strings. While this has some merit, this is not entirely true. String quartet writing is very fluid in the fact that there are many styles. In romantic and 20th century string quartets, it is very common for the registers of different instruments to continuously cross over one another to create variety and effect. Any instrument, even the cello at times, can take the highest register out of the 4 instruments at any given point of a quartet. (This is why many quartets let the cello play up to even D7 or two octaves above middle C frequently!) Don't hesitate to try crossing the registers of the different instruments over, and a good place to start would be with the viola and cello alternating registers. 
 

5. Practice makes perfect. This is especially apparent for string quartet. No matter how much analysis of famous quartets, the best way to compose a good quartet is through prior practice. It took me many tries to at least reach a decent level in string writing. Try practicing across a wide range of styles and genres of the string quartet

6. Lastly, string quartet is not a dead medium. This was actually a view held by many late Romantic/Impressionistic composers, who felt that String Quartet was a dead medium where not much new styles or forms can be pioneered and all possible iterations and styles have been exhausted. This is why many of such composers (Debussy or Ravel) composed only one quartet. However, this was clearly proven otherwise when 20th century composers turned the medium on its head and pioneered an entirely new way to compose the string quartet. Some composers now have the same view as the Late Romantic composers. However, string quartet is one of the most flexible and versatile mediums of classical music to date. It differs so greatly, from the classical quartets of Mozart and Haydn, to the Romantic Quartets of Mendelssohn and Dvorak, to the 20th Century Quartets of Shostakovich and Gliere. There is still so much more to discover for the string quartet and there are many examples where one-of-a-kind quartets have been produced. Let me just name an example: Grieg's String Quartet No. 1 in G Minor was very eye-opening for me. It is a very unique string quartet that focuses on the resonance of the open strings of string instruments and the virtuosity of its players. It is very intricate and heavily utilises double stops throughout its piece, to the point where even the original publisher rejected it for having too many double stops. However, it was indeed playable and it gave rise to a new form of string quartet, with its lyrical, fast-moving melodies and its sonorous sound, yet filled many sharp contrasts. I would suggest to anyone who is bored of string quartets to listen to this, and possibly gain inspiration. Such a unique thinking of the quartet has not been thoroughly explored yet and I urge others to explore the resonance of open strings in string quartet as sort of a challenge to anyone composing future string quartets haha (link to Grieg's string quartet: https://youtu.be/OM9hdCpdcqc )

That concludes my rather lengthy post on the string quartet, let me know if anyone wants me to delve into other parts of the string quartet.

Happy composing!

Edit: I should have posted this on another forum, I didn't realise this was for incomplete works and writers block, sorry

19 hours ago, Joshua Ng said:

trying to bridge a very loud, climatic section with a very soft, intimate section within the span of a few bars is very daunting in string quartet writing.

Yes: transitions are needed, sometimes forgotten, of justified with "it's a contrast".

Contrast and transitions are not enemies.

6 minutes ago, Luis Hernández said:

Yes: transitions are needed, sometimes forgotten, of justified with "it's a contrast".

Contrast and transitions are not enemies.

 

I agree, transitions especially in string quartet it can't merely be dismissed for the all-encompassing "it's a contrast". A good string quartet needs to have a strong flow, to the point where sections should flow naturally and transitions should be nuanced. A first-time listener is able to hear the contrast in texture and instrumentation but not immediately notice the transition. My early works sounded like a mish-mash of very contrasting musical ideas that did not flow together, and that was because of weak transitioning between sections, and it still sticks out like a sore thumb

@Joshua Ng

I think it's a big mistake for many of us (sometimes I'm lazy) paying all the attention to melody, progression, and to put it in a Form. But we forget what you said: flow. Contrast is good, of course, but inside a general flow. So, we have to put mor work on transition (mainly with textures), accentuation, variation... It's difficult in every style or combination of instruments.

A transition must be made having in mind the starting and point and the goal. The more different they are, the more elements you need to change bit by bit, one by one. Mobing from a tonal phrase to a phrase harmonized by seconds is possible, but doing it in one bar would surely be a fiasco.

Lately, I focus more on these issues.

I think that writing for string quartet is quite difficult (for me, more than for the orchestra). I've never attempted to do it seriously yet.

17 minutes ago, Luis Hernández said:

think it's a big mistake for many of us (sometimes I'm lazy) paying all the attention to melody, progression, and to put it in a Form. But we forget what you said: flow. Contrast is good, of course, but inside a general flow. So, we have to put mor work on transition (mainly with textures), accentuation, variation... It's difficult in every style or combination of instruments

Yep the flow is especially important to a piece. Think of a classical piece like a storybook, you can't just jump from A to C in a storybook or the plot won't make sense. There needs to be a bridging event that can connect and tie the piece together and tie up the loose ends. For me, transitions is actually the hardest about quartet writing. Often, I can go on long stretches of composing a single section non-stop but once I reach a transition point, my mind instantly goes blank. I often go hours, days or even weeks on end racking my brain and trying to come up with a good transition. While in orchestral pieces it is very easy to transition and modulate using a held pivot chord once you understand the theory, for quartet because there is less variation in instrumental tonal quality, it is very hard to use such a pivot chord as a held note. Often, in that case, you need a transition for the transition itself! 😂 In terms of accentuation and variation, it is also quite challenging. Finding the optimal way to articulate a piece is very challenging as oftentimes without a live playback it's very hard to discern which style works best for a particular piece.

17 minutes ago, Luis Hernández said:

A transition must be made having in mind the starting and point and the goal. The more different they are, the more elements you need to change bit by bit, one by one. Mobing from a tonal phrase to a phrase harmonized by seconds is possible, but doing it in one bar would surely be a fiasco.

Sometimes what works for me is that I would just add an entirely new subject or melody as a transition that is a mix in texture between the start and end point. It may seem long winded, but it works like a charm. It creates a surefire, natural way to transition a piece into another section. And yes I agree, transitioning in one bar is near impossible, it isn't possible at all. (unless a transition in mind is absolutely perfect) Oftentimes, I find it easier to just end the previous subject on a perfect cadence, put in a pause and continue with the new subject

I agree quartet writing in my opinion can be very daunting to composers new to it. However, Quartet and string writing as a whole is all about practice. String writing is very tricky because of all the little rules on playability and tonal quality in certain registers, but with enough practice, good quartets can be done. And when that happens, it is really satisfying. The best part about quartets over orchestral pieces is that it is much easier to do a play-test of it as less players are involved.

I'm not even sure what's meant by "transitioning" here. If you don't mind me being colloquial, do you mean moving from one 'mood' to another (mood as in atmosphere, not mode); modulation? different timbre? [edit} tempo? What exactly?

Well, it does help being a string player (even if I'm a bad one) so able to appreciate what's expected of the players, like string jumping, seamless sustains and things; and of course the enormous timbral possibilities of the strings, muted and open.

A most interesting subject. Thank you.

5 minutes ago, Quinn said:

I'm not even sure what's meant by "transitioning" here. If you don't mind me being colloquial, do you mean moving from one 'mood' to another (mood as in atmosphere, not mode); modulation? different timbre? What exactly?

Well, it does help being a string player (even if I'm a bad one) so able to appreciate what's expected of the players, like string jumping, seamless sustains and things; and of course the enormous timbral possibilities of the strings, muted and open.

A most interesting subject. Thank you.

 

@Quinn Yea that's exactly what I mean haha transitioning encompasses a large range of topics but essentially it just means changing from a certain type of timbre/instrumentation/mood/key etc. to another within the same piece. Basically any type of bridging musical material between two major sections of a piece that may have different textures, dynamics, keys etc. I use transitioning as an all-encompassing word to mean that for quartets, it is important to make the music sound well-connected and make it "flow" by having good transitions between subjects rather than a hodge-podge of musical ideas that don't fit together or have weak transitions. 
 

Yea I have to admit that being a string player is a really big advantage when it comes to quartet writing. Being able to understand the intervals that are playable for multiple stops is a huge plus, along with the obvious that you can visualise how each part will sound like in a live playtest. The great thing about string quartets is the nuanced changes in textural quality like muted and open strings as you mentioned, as well pizzicato and even modern techniques such as snap pizz. and sul ponticello which add a whole new dimension to the modern string quartet. It is a fast-evolving style and I honestly feel it is under-appreciated by modern composers as it tends to fall under the stereotype as vanilla and uninteresting.

"and I honestly feel it is under-appreciated by modern composers as it tends to fall under the stereotype as vanilla and uninteresting."

Agree entirely and it seems to come into its own when a composer has something more personal to say - perhaps I'm wrong but whereas an orchestra is a machine, a small ensemble is a collaboration of individuals each interpreting their lines within a cohesive whole. They 'speak' individually but the whole is greater than the sum of their individual messages. 

It's something that new composers should go for. The possibility of performance is greater than an orchestral work; even a beginner amateur quartet can play simpler compositions. And it's still my belief that if you can write effectively for a string quartet, explore its many possibilities, then you can write for a string orchestra - and if you can do that effectively then you can write for orchestra.

I feel that those who regard a string quartet as vanilla haven't even started to open up their aural imagination - and all their compositions will be vanilla....until they wake up.

Of course there are variations - a string quintet (with double bass or some other combination) a sextet, etc. But the basic quartet is to me unlimited. 

Interesting discussion, this. The only thing I'd add to your opening post is - don't be afraid to be bold. (Obviously, don't be impossible but within what's possible, don't be afraid to do it. Question is - what's possible?) For a new composer who isn't a string player it means listening, score study perhaps and reading-up to be sure they know what the different articulations are about. Then use them appropriately. (Edit: Oh, ok, re-reading your post it looks as if you did more or less say that after all.)     

.

1 hour ago, Quinn said:

Agree entirely and it seems to come into its own when a composer has something more personal to say - perhaps I'm wrong but whereas an orchestra is a machine, a small ensemble is a collaboration of individuals each interpreting their lines within a cohesive whole. They 'speak' individually but the whole is greater than the sum of their individual messages. 

wow that's a very quotable line and I couldn't agree more. Really highlights the importance of chamber music as a whole