Masterclass: Richard O’Neill on Brahms’ String Quartet no.3 op.67

RichardONeill

The Takács Quartet violist looks at the first and third movements of this well-loved B flat major work, where his instrument is thrown into a rare spotlight

Explore more Masterclasses  like this in The Strad Playing Hub

Read more premium content for subscribers here

Brahms was such a passionate person and his music is gorgeous, but there’s a sense of lonely desolation in some of his string quartet writing that breaks my heart. For me, his three quartets give a glimpse into his character in a way that none of his other compositions do, and op.67 in particular shows what a master he was. While he was progressive as a composer, he was always looking back to earlier music, including the traditions of Bach and Beethoven. I don’t think that he ever tried to sound ‘new’ – he just took old music and honoured it. His quartets are very Beethovenian in that sense, with an allegro first movement, followed by a slow movement and scherzo or minuet and trio, and then a rondo or other type of finale. At the same time, they are very Brahms!

Already subscribed? Please sign in

Subscribe to continue reading…

We’re delighted that you are enjoying our website. For a limited period, you can try an online subscription to The Strad completely free of charge.

  • Free 7-day trial

    Not sure about subscribing? Sign up now to read this article in full and you’ll also receive unlimited access to premium online content, including the digital edition and online archive for 7 days.

    No strings attached – we won’t ask for your card details

  • Subscribe 

    No more paywalls. To enjoy the best in-depth features and analysis from The Strad’s latest and past issues, upgrade to a subscription now. You’ll also enjoy regular issues and special supplements* and access to an online archive of issues back to 2010.

 

* Issues and supplements are available as both print and digital editions. Online subscribers will only receive access to the digital versions.