Chamber Music - your best pick.


Be it the solo, duets, trios, quartets or quintets.
What is/are your favorite(s) in this gener?
What are your recommendations - classical, romantic or 20th century composers.

Most played lately in my system is Shostakovich String Quartets.
Others that get a lot of playing time are Brahms, Dvorak and Schubert.

Would like to check out something new that I haven't heard before. I was looking to pick up some Elgar string quartet and piano quintet next. Any other recommendations? Thanks.
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By the way, chamber music presents a fantastic oportunity for multichannel. A prime example is the TACET DVDA of Mozart Flute Quartets, and other similar discs from TACET. Close your eyes and the performers are with you in your room.
Have you tried Bartok yet? His six quartets are superb. There are many fine readings available - Julliard, Tokyo and Emerson - but my favorite is the Tatrai Quartet. I've got it on vinyl (Hungaraton) - don't know if it was issued on CD.
WOW.....This is great!
I'll definitely look into every suggestion.
To start with something, Bartok is next on my list.

Shadorne, LOL.....
My wife actually likes their "Born" cd.
Tchaikovsky must be spinning in his grave to their techno version of "The 1812" though
:)

Any Piano Trios on Hyperion by the Floristan Trio. They have recorded a nice selection, I haven't heard a bad one yet.
As far as composers I'm partial to just about anything by Schubert.
Tchaikovsky "The Seasons" is also very nice as is Kodaly on the Fidelis Label.

Chuck