The Four and the One: In Praise of String Quartets

Rating:
Summary: Multi-faceted approach to the String Quartet
Review: A fascinating introduction to the String Quartet as a musical form. Rounds starts from an introduction to the lives of the four women of the British Columbia based Lafayette String Quartet. From their life histories and rehearsals for a recording of the Borodin Quartet Number 2 he adventures into an exposition of the history of the string quartet form, the working lives and career stresses of string quartet players, vignettes of the personalities of former quartets such as the Budapest and the Guarneri etc. The book has musical examples. It ends with personal recommendations for quartets from Haydn to Shostakovitch and contemporary composers such as Terry Riley. A very rewarding, well-written, informative read.

Rating:
Summary: Good info, but badly packaged...
Review: As a musician who has played a great deal of chamber music at the professional level, I found Mr. Rounds' writing a bit amateurish and pompous at times. In the introduction I felt like I was reading a high school creative writing project! But it does get better. He is obviously not a musician and the book is not aimed at musicians. That being said, I thought the interviews with the quartet were very interesting and realistic, and he does present a lot of interesting information about the business of chamber music. I would read "Indivisible by Four" by Steinhardt first.

Rating:
Summary: Must reading for all music lovers!
Review: Whether you've never heard a string quartet in your life, or whether you're a lifelong aficionado, The Four & the One will rivet your attention from the first page. This unique book traverses a wide range of topics, from the technical aspects of music making to the status of western classical music at the millenium. The author's knowledge is encyclopedic, yet his writing is deft and his love for the music shines through every page. Strongly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Must reading for all music lovers!
Review: Whether you've never heard a string quartet in your life, or whether you're a lifelong aficionado, The Four & the One will rivet your attention from the first page. This unique book traverses a wide range of topics, from the technical aspects of music making to the status of western classical music at the millenium. The author's knowledge is encyclopedic, yet his writing is deft and his love for the music shines through every page. Strongly recommended!