Born in the 1900s •
George Antheil (1900–1959): Three quartets (1925, 1927, 1948), plus two smaller collections. •
Aaron Copland (1900–1990): Four pieces for string quartet (1921, unpublished; 1923, 1923, 1928). •
Ernst Krenek (1900–1991): Eight, covering a wide range of 20th Century musical styles. •
Otto Luening (1900–1996): Piece for string quartet published in 1914, and two quartets published by CF Peters as string quartets 2 and 3 in the 1970s (No. 2 dating from 1922, No. 3 from 1927). •
Alexander Mosolov (1900–1973): Probably two quartets: Op. 24 1926 and 1943; only No. 1 survived. •
Hans Erich Apostel (1901–1972): Two mature numbered quartets (1935, 1956) and other works for string quartet (early quartets from 1925 and 1926; 6 Epigrams, Op. 33 from 1962). •
Henri Sauguet (1901–1989): Three numbered string quartets (1941, 1948, 1979) and
Méditation (1983) •
Edmund Rubbra (1901–1986): Four string quartets (No. 1 in F minor, Op. 35, 1933 revised 1946; No. 2 in E Op. 73, 1951; No. 3, Op. 112, 1963; No. 4, Op. 150, 1977; dates from the notes to the Sterling Quartet cycle on Conifer). •
Ruth Crawford Seeger (1901–1953): One
string quartet (1931). •
Emil Hlobil (1901–1987): At least five string quartets (at least 3 published: No. 2, Op. 15, (1935–36); No. 3, Op. 50 (1955); No. 5, Op. 81 (1971) •
Simon Laks (1901–1983): Five string quartets (1928, 1932, 1946, 1962, 1964). •
Vissarion Shebalin (1902–1963): Nine quartets (1923–1963). •
Freda Swain (1902–1985): Two string quartets, No 1
Norfolk (1924) and No 2 in G minor (1949). •
Stefan Wolpe (1902–1972): String quartet (1968–1969). •
William Walton (1902–1983): Two string quartets (1922 and 1947). •
Berthold Goldschmidt (1903–1996): Four quartets; No 1 (1925–26), No 2 (1936), No 3 (1988–89), No 4 (1992). •
Priaulx Rainier (1903–1986): String Quartet No. 1 in C minor (1939). There is another string quartet from her student years in London (1922/1924?) to which she later didn't look back to favourably. •
Günter Raphael (1903–1960): Six quartets (1924–1954). •
Iet Stants (1903–1968): Two string quartets (1920 and 1921/1922). •
Lennox Berkeley (1903–1989): Three string quartets. •
Nikos Skalkottas (1904–1949): Wrote many; only 4 works survived: No. 1 (1928), No. 3 (1935), No. 4 (1940) and
Zehn Stücke [
Skizzen] (1940) plus arrangements of traditional Greek dances. •
Dmitry Kabalevsky (1904–1987): Two string quartets (1928 and 1945). •
Arthur Dennington (1904–1988): String quartet (1926). •
William Alwyn (1905–1985): Three string quartets (1954, 1975 and 1984),
Three Winter Poems for string quartet (1948), and a
Novelette for string quartet (1938). •
Karl Amadeus Hartmann (1905–1963): Two quartets (1933, 1945–46). •
Alan Rawsthorne (1905–1971): Four quartets (1935–1965). •
Giacinto Scelsi (1905–1988): Five quartets (1944, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1984). •
Verdina Shlonsky (1905–1990): One string quartet. •
Julia Smith (composer) (1905–1989): One string quartet (1964). •
Michael Tippett (1905–1998): Five numbered string quartets plus two unnumbered youthful works. •
Eduard Tubin (1905–1982): One string quartet. •
Klaus Egge (1906–1979): Several quartets. •
Benjamin Frankel (1906–1973): Five quartets (1944–1965); No 1 (1944), No 2 (1945), No 3 (1947), No 4 (1948), No 5 (1965) •
Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975): Fifteen string quartets. •
Elisabeth Lutyens (1906–1984): Thirteen quartets. •
Ross Lee Finney (1906–1997): Eight quartets: No. 1 in F minor (1935) to No. 8 (1960). •
Louise Talma (1906–1996): String Quartet (1954). •
Guirne Creith (1907–1996): String Quartet in E minor in one movement (1928). •
Wolfgang Fortner (1907–1987): String quartets No 1 (1929), No 2 (1938), No 3 (1948), No 4 (1975) •
Camargo Guarnieri (1907–1993): Two string quartets (1932, 1944). •
Imogen Holst (1907–1984): Phantasy Quartet (1928), String Quartet No. 1 (1946). •
Elizabeth Maconchy (1907–1994): Thirteen quartets. No 1 (1931), No 2 (1937), No 3 (1938), No 4 (1943), No 5 (1948), No 6 (1950), No 7 (1957), No 8 (1967), No 9 (1968), No 10 (1971), No 11 (1976), No 12 (1979), No 13 (1983). •
Miklós Rózsa (1907–1995): Best known for his film scores, Rózsa also composed concert music including two string quartets, No. 1, Op. 22 (1950) and No. 2, Op. 38 (1981). •
Ahmed Adnan Saygun (1907–1991): Four string quartets: Op. 27 (1947), Op. 35 (1957), Op. 43 (1966) and Op. 78 (1990). •
Elliott Carter (1908–2012): Five string quartets in the second half of the 20th century; also, Elegy (1948) and Fragments 1 & 2 (1994; 1999); the
second quartet won the
Pulitzer Prize for Music, 1960; the
third, in 1973. •
Kurt Hessenberg (1908–1994): Eight string quartets (1934–1987). •
Zenobia Powell Perry (1908–2004): Two string quartets (1956, 1964). •
John Verrall (1908–2001): Seven string quartets. •
Grażyna Bacewicz (1909–1969): Seven string quartets, the first two only recently published and recorded (the others from 1947 to 1965). •
Vagn Holmboe (1909–1996): Twenty-one numbered quartets, the last of which (
Quartetto sereno, Op. 197, 1996) was completed by
Per Nørgård. Also extant is a handful of 'lettered' quartets (in various degrees of completion), a quartet arrangement of
Sværm (
Swarm, Op. 190b, 1996; originally for two violins), and the
Concerto for String Quartet (Op. 195, 1996; includes orchestra), Holmboe's last completed work. •
Minna Keal (1909–1999): Fantasy String Quartet (1929), String Quartet, Op. 1 (1976–77).
Born in the 1910s •
Samuel Barber (1910–1981):
One string quartet (B minor, Op. 11, 1936–1943), from which the
Adagio for Strings was orchestrated, as well as a
Serenade (Op. 1, 1928; arranged for strings in 1944) and
Dover Beach (Op. 3, 1931; includes baritone soloist); a second quartet, commissioned in 1947, never progressed beyond early sketches. •
Evgeny Golubev (1910–1988): twenty-four string quartets (1931–1986). •
Paule Maurice (1910–1967): One string quartet. •
William Schuman (1910–1992): Five string quartets (1936–1987). •
Josef Tal (1910–2008) Three string quartets (1954, 1963, 1976). •
Bernard Herrmann (1911–1975): Best known as a film composer (
Citizen Kane,
Psycho,
Taxi Driver, etc.),
Echoes was his only string quartet (1966) •
Alan Hovhaness (1911–2000): American composer of Armenian heritage wrote 4 string quartets, recorded by the Shanghai Quartet amongst others. •
Nino Rota (1911–1979): One string quartet (1948–1954). •
Phyllis Tate (1911–1987): String Quartet in F major (1952), Movements for String Quartet. •
John Cage (1912–1992):
String Quartet in Four Parts (1950),
Thirty Pieces for String Quartet (1983),
Music for Four (the quartet parts extracted from his
Music for...) (1987–1988),
Four (1989). Also, many of Cage's indeterminate scores can be arranged for string quartet. •
Arkady Filippenko (1912–1983): Ukrainian composer who wrote three string quartets; No. 1 in A minor, No. 2 in D major, No. 3 in G major. String quartet No. 2 was awarded the U.S.S.R. State Prize in 1948. •
Jean Françaix (1912–1997): String Quartet in G major (1934). •
Peggy Glanville-Hicks (1912–1990): String Quartet no. 1 (1937). •
Conlon Nancarrow (1912–1997): Three string quartets (1945, c. 1948, 1987); second incomplete. •
Barbara Pentland (1912–2000): Five string quartets between 1945 and 1985. •
Vadim Salmanov (1912–1978): Six string quartets. •
Violet Archer (1913–2000): Three string quartets between 1940 and 1981. •
Benjamin Britten (1913–1976): Three numbered string quartets (1941, 1945 and 1975) plus two early unnumbered ones (1928 and 1931) and a number of other works for string quartet (such as the three
Divertimenti, 1933). •
Matilde Capuis (1913–2017): String quartet in c sharp minor. •
Vivian Fine (1913–2000): Prelude for String Quartet (1937), String Quartet (1957). •
Dulcie Holland (1913–2000): Six string quartets between 1981 and 1997. •
Tikhon Khrennikov (1913–2007): Three quartets, the third his Op. 33 (1988). •
Witold Lutosławski (1913–1994): One string quartet (1964). •
David Diamond (1915–2005): Ten string quartets, from 1940 to 1974. •
Pamela Harrison (1915–1990): One string quartet (1944). •
Peggy Hubicki (1915–2006): Theme and Variations for string quartet. •
Vítězslava Kaprálová (1915–1940): One string quartet, Op. 8 (1935–1936). •
George Perle (1915–2009): Eleven, of which five (1–4, 6) were withdrawn. •
Vincent Persichetti (1915–1987): Four string quartets (1939, 1944, 1959, 1972). •
Milton Babbitt (1916–2011): Five abstract, densely
serialistic quartets in the mid-20th century, and a sixth premiered in 2002. •
Henri Dutilleux (1916–2013): One quartet,
Ainsi la nuit (1976). •
Einar Englund (1916–1999): One quartet in 1985. •
Alberto Ginastera (1916–1983): Four string quartets, 1948 to 1974, the last with baritone to a text from Beethoven's
Heiligenstadt Testament. •
Bernard Stevens (1916–1983): Two quartets; No 1 (1949), No 2 (1962) •
Brian Boydell (1917–2000): Three (1949, 1957, 1969), plus
Adagio and Scherzo for String Quartet (1991). •
Lou Harrison (1917–2003):
String Quartet Set (1979). •
Geraldine Mucha (1917–2012): Four string quartets between 1941 and 1988. •
Isang Yun (1917–1995): Six string quartets (No. 1 before 1956, No. 2 withdrawn, No. 3 in 1959, revised in 1961, No. 4 in 1988, No. 5 in 1990 and No. 6 in 1992. •
George Rochberg (1918–2005) Seven quartets: The sixth quartet includes a set of variations on
Pachelbel's Canon; the second includes a soprano part with texts by Rilke; the seventh includes a baritone part to texts by his late son.
String Quartet No. 3 is well known for its supposedly
neo-romantic esthetic. •
Sven-Erik Bäck (1919–1994): Four (1945, 1947, 1962, 1984). •
Roslyn Brogue (1919–1981): One string quartet (1951). •
Eleonora Eksanishvili (1919–2003): Two string quartets (1944, 1949). •
Leon Kirchner (1919–2009): Four (1949, 1958, 1967, 2007); the third, which includes a tape part, won the
Pulitzer Prize for Music, 1967. •
Mieczysław Weinberg (1919–1996): Seventeen, from his Op. 2 (1937 rev. 1986) to Op. 146 (1987).
Born in the 1920s •
Peter Racine Fricker (1920–1990): Three string quartets (1948, 1953, 1976). •
Bruno Maderna (1920–1973):
Quartetto per archi (c. 1946);
Quartetto per archi in due tempi (1955), dedicated to
Luciano Berio. •
William Bergsma (1921–1994): Five string quartets (1942, 1944, 1953, 1970, 1982). •
Ruth Gipps (1921–1999): Two quartets,
Sabrina, String Quartet in one movement, Op. 13 (1940) and Op. 47 (1956). •
Karel Husa (1921–2016): Four quartets; the third quartet won the
Pulitzer Prize for Music, 1969. •
Andrew Imbrie (1921–2007): At least five (fifth written in 1987). •
Božidar Kantušer (1921–1999):
Seven string quartets, between 1953 and 1988. •
Joonas Kokkonen (1921–1996): Three string quartets (1959, 1966, 1976). •
Robert Simpson (1921–1997): Fifteen string quartets between 1952 and 1991. •
Rosalina Abejo (1922–1991): Three string quartets. •
Doreen Carwithen (1922–2003): At least two string quartets, no. 1 in 1948, no. 2 in 1952. There are possibly also sketches for a third one. •
Stefans Grove (1922–2014): Two string quartets (1946, 1955) •
Ester Mägi (1922–2021): Three string quartets, No. 1 (1964), No. 2 (1965), and Vesper (1998/2016). •
Iannis Xenakis (1922–2001): Four works for string quartet:
"st/4—1,080262" (1955–1962), which was written with the help of an
IBM 7090 computer using
stochastic algorithms,
Tetras (1983), a work in nine sections,
Tetora (1990), and
Ergma (1994). •
György Ligeti (1923–2006): String Quartet No. 1 ("Métamorphoses nocturnes") (1953–1954) and
String Quartet No. 2 (1968). •
Ursula Mamlok (1923–2016): Two string quartets (1963 and 1998). •
Peter Mennin (1923–1983): Two string quartets (1941 and 1951). •
Daniel Pinkham (1923–2006): At least one string quartet •
Mel Powell (1923–1998):
Filigree Setting (1959), String Quartet (1982). •
Ludmila Ulehla (1923–2009): String Quartet in e minor (1953); Aria, Fugue and Toccata for String Quartet (1968). •
Lejaren Hiller (1924–1994): Seven quartets. •
Ezra Laderman (1924–2015): Twelve string quartets. •
Benjamin Lees (1924–2010): Six string quartets. •
Krystyna Moszumanska-Nazar (1924–2008): No. 1 (1954), No. 2 (1974), No. 3 (1979),
Impressions for string quartet (1998), No. 4 (2003). •
Tatiana Nikolayeva (1924–1993): One string quartet (1960). •
Luigi Nono (1924–1990):
Fragmente-Stille, an Diotima for string quartet (1980), inspired by the poetry of
Friedrich Hölderlin •
Ruth Schönthal (1924–2006): Three string quartets: No. 1 (1962), No. 2 (In the Viennese Manner, 1983/1996), and No. 3 (In memoriam Holocaust, 1997). •
Veniamin Basner (1925–1996): Five string quartets: No. 1 Op. 1 (1948) in one movement; No. 2 Op. 5 (1953), a piece in three movements; No. 3 Op. 9 (1960), in four movements; No. 4 Op. 18 (1969), in three movements; and No. 5 Op. 24 (1975), in two movements. •
Luciano Berio (1925–2003): Quatuor No. 1 (1956), dedicated to
Bruno Maderna;
Sincronie (1963–64);
Notturno (1993);
Glosse (1997). •
Edith Borroff (1925–2019): Four string quartets between 1941 and 1974. •
Pierre Boulez (1925–2016):
Livre pour quatuor (1948/49; sixth movement completed 1959; fourth movement completed from sketches by
Philippe Manoury in 2018). •
Bertold Hummel (1925–2002): String Quartet No. 1, Op. 3 (1951); String Quartet No. 2, Op. 46 (1972);
8 FRAGMENTS from Letters of Vincent van Gogh for Baritone and String Quartet, Op. 84 (1985);
Concertante Music for Guitar and String Quartet, Op. 89a (1989). •
Gunther Schuller (1925–2015): Four quartets. •
Vladimir Shainsky (1925–2017): At least one string quartet. •
Boris Tchaikovsky (1925–1996): Six (1954–1976). •
Earle Brown (1926–2002): One quartet (1965). •
Paul Cooper (1926–1996): Six quartets. •
Morton Feldman (1926–1987):
Structures (1951);
Three Pieces (1954–1956); String Quartet No. 1 (1979), lasts about 100 minutes; String Quartet No. 2 (1983) lasts over six
hours. •
Hans Werner Henze (1926–2012): Five. •
Ben Johnston (1926–2019): Ten string quartets: No 1
Nine Variations (1959); No 2 (1964); No 3
Vergings (1966); No 4
Amazing Grace (1973); No 5 (1979); No 6 (1980); No 7 (1984); No 8 (1984–1986); No 9 (1987–88); and No 10 (1995). String Quartets Nos 3 and 4 may be performed together as
Crossings. •
Betsy Jolas (born 1926): Four string quartets. •
György Kurtág (born 1926): String Quartet, Op. 1,
Hommage à Mihály András (12 Microludes), Op. 13,
Officium breve in memorium Andreae Szervánszky, Op. 28, 6 Moments musicaux Op 44 (2005); plus, the shorter works
Aus der Ferne III (1991),
Aus der Ferne V (1999),
Hommage à Jacob Obrecht (2004–2005),
Arioso – Hommage à Walter Levin 85 (2009). •
Maria de Lourdes Martins (1926–2009): Two string quartets (1952–1953, 1989). •
Claire Polin (1926–1995): Three string quartets, written between 1953 and 1969. •
Esther Scliar (1926–1978): Movimento de quarteto (1966). •
Carlos Veerhoff (1926–2011): String quartet op.1 (1949) and String quartet No.2 (1972). •
Marilyn J. Ziffrin (1926–2018): Two string quartets (1970, 1999). •
Emma Lou Diemer (1927–2024): One string quartet (1987). •
Thomas Wilson (1927–2001): Four string quartets most notably String Quartet No. 3 (1958) McEwen Composition Prize and String Quartet No. 4 (1978), as well as numerous other chamber works. •
Samuel Adler (born 1928): Ten quartets; No. 6 includes a soprano part. •
Ursula Mamlok (1928–2016): Two string quartets (1962, 1997). •
Thea Musgrave (born 1928): One string quartet (1958). •
Einojuhani Rautavaara (1928–2016): Four string quartets. •
Ezra Sims (1928–2015): First Quartet (1953);
String Quartet No. 2 (1962) (1974) (really a quintet for winds and strings), Third Quartet (1962), Fourth Quartet. •
Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928–2007):
Helikopter-Streichquartett (from
Mittwoch aus Licht), for string quartet in 4 helicopters. •
Zlata Tkach (1928–2006): One string quartet (1982). •
George Crumb (1929–2022): String Quartet, and
Black Angels (Images I), for electric string quartet. •
Peter Sculthorpe (1929–2014): Eighteen string quartets, of which the first five are considered lost, although isolated movements have been performed and recorded; the twelfth, fourteenth, sixteenth, and eighteenth quartets include optional parts for
didgeridu; the thirteenth includes soprano voice.
Born in the 1930s •
Larry Austin (1930–2018): Quartet in Open Style (1964). •
Vera Baeva (1930–2017): One string quartet. •
Jacqueline Fontyn (born 1930): Horizons for String Quartet (1977). •
Cristóbal Halffter (1930–2021): Seven quartets. •
Ruth Lomon (1930–2017): Vitruvian Scroll for String Quartet (1981), Janus for String Quartet (1984), The Butterfly Effect for String Quartet (1989). •
Dieter Schnebel (1930–2018): Three quartets:
Stücke für Streichinstrumente (1955); String Quartet No. 2 (2000–2007), which includes two vocal parts; String Quartet No. 3 ("Im Raum") (2005–2006) •
Tōru Takemitsu (1930–1996):
A Way a Lone for string quartet (1981). •
Nancy Van de Vate (1930–2023): Two string quartets (1969, 2005). •
Sofia Gubaidulina (1931–2025): Four string quartets (1971, 1987, 1987, 1994), the last with tape. •
Mauricio Kagel (1931–2008): Five. •
Joyce Mekeel (1931–1997): Spindrift for String Quartet (1970). •
Ib Nørholm (1931–2019): At least nine, No. 1 from 1954 to No. 9, his Op. 137, in 1994 •
James Douglas (1932–2022): 15 string quartets. •
Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen (1932–2016): Fourteen quartets; the tenth and eleventh also have optional vocal ensemble parts; the twelfth, thirteenth and fourteenth quartets were designed to be played individually, or any two or all three simultaneously; also the
Concerto Grosso for string quartet and instrument ensemble (1990/2006). •
Alexander Goehr (1932–2024): Four string quartets (Op. 5 (1957), Op. 23 (1967), Op. 37 (1976), Op. 52 (1990)). •
Glenn Gould (1932–1982): String Quartet in F minor, Op. 1 (1953–55). •
Marta Jirácková (born 1932):
The Blankenburg Fugue, Op. 33 (1985),
Three Paintings by Edvard Munch, Op. 54 (2000). •
John Kinsella (1932–2021): Five numbered string quartets (1960, 1968, 1977, 1993, 2013), and
On Hearing Purcell and Shostakovitch at Bantry House: June 2008 (2009). •
Tera de Marez Oyens (1932–1996): Probably three. Contrafactus (1981), String Quartet no. 3 (1988). •
Per Nørgård (1932–2025): Ten string quartets. •
Pauline Oliveros (1932–2016): 70 Chords for Terry (2005). •
Rodion Shchedrin (1932–2025): Lyric Scenes (2006). •
Gitta Steiner (1932–1990): Two string quartets (1968, 1984). •
Seóirse Bodley (1933–2023): Four string quartets (1968, 1992, 2004, 2007). •
John Exton (1933–2009): Seven string quartets: No. 1 1957, No. 2 1961, No. 3 1969, No. 4 1972, No. 5 1972, No. 6 1974 and No. 7 1975. •
Henryk Górecki (1933–2010): String Quartet No. 1 ("Already It Is Dusk"), Op. 62, String Quartet No. 2 ("Quasi una Fantasia"), Op. 64; String Quartet No. 3 (Piesni Spiewaja, "...songs are sung"), Op. 67. •
Krzysztof Penderecki (1933–2020): Four string quartets (1960, 1968, 2008, 2016);
Der Unterbrochene Gedanke (1984). •
R. Murray Schafer (1933–2021): Thirteen string quartets; the seventh quartet includes a soprano part, the fourth and ninth include tape parts. Diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease in 2015, Schafer composed the brief String Quartet No. 13, which he subtitled 'Alzheimer's Masterpiece', for the Quatuor Molinari. •
Harrison Birtwistle (1934–2022): Nine Movements for String Quartet (1991–1996), String Quartet: The Tree of Strings (2007); Hoquetus Irvinus (2013) (short work for the
Arditti Quartet's fortieth anniversary); String Quartet No 3: The Silk House Sequences (2015). •
Peter Maxwell Davies (1934–2016):
String Quartet in One Movement (1961); a few other shorter works; Maxwell Davies was commissioned by
Naxos Records to compose ten string quartets, completed in 2007. The recordings are performed by the
Maggini Quartet. •
Peter Dickinson (1934–2023): Two string quartets; No 1 (1958), No 2 (1976) •
Jan Klusák (born 1934): Composed 6 string quartets to date, the first 5 in 1955–56, 1961–62, 1975, 1990, and 1994 and the most recent in 2003. •
Teresa Procaccini (born 1934): One string quartet, Op. 45 (1969). •
Roger Reynolds (born 1934):
Tetra,
Coconino . . . A Shattered Landscape (1985; rev. 1993),
Visions (1991), ''Ariadne's Thread
, with computer (1994), not forgotten
(2007-10), FLIGHT'' (2012-16). •
Alfred Schnittke (1934–1998): Four string quartets; also,
Canon in Memoriam Igor Stravinsky and
Variations for string quartet. •
Christian Wolff (born 1934):
Summer (1960);
Lines (1972);
String Quartet Exercises Out of Songs (1974–1976);
For E.C. (2003); ''for two violinists, violist and 'cellist
(2008); Out of Kilter'' (2019) •
Biancamaria Furgeri (born 1935): Immagini fluttuanti for String Quartet, Op. 24 (1985). •
Helmut Lachenmann (born 1935): Three string quartets:
Gran Torso (1972),
Reigen seliger Geister (1989), and
Grido (2001), plus
Tanzsuite mit Deutschlandlied for string quartet and orchestra. •
François-Bernard Mâche (born 1935):
Eridan, String Quartet Op. 57 (1986), written for the
Arditti Quartet;
Moirés for string quartet and tape, Op. 73 (1994). •
Arvo Pärt (born 1935):
Psalom,
Summa, and arranged
Fratres for string quartet. •
Terry Riley (born 1935):
String Quartet (1960); returned to pre-composed notated music at the request of the
Kronos Quartet in the 1970s:
G Song;
Sunrise of the Planetary Dream Collector;
Cadenza on the Night Plain;
Mythic Birds Waltz;
Salome Dances for Peace;
Requiem for Adam;
The Sands for string quartet and orchestra;
The Cusp of Magic for string quartet, pipa and assorted toys;
Sun Rings for string quartet, choir and backing track of sounds recorded by NASA in space, and others. •
Aulis Sallinen (born 1935): Five string quartets. •
Peter Schickele (1935–2024): Five string quartets, two quintets with piano. •
P.D.Q. Bach (1807-1742?): String Quartet in F ("The Moose"), S.Y2K. •
La Monte Young (born 1935):
On Remembering a Naiad (Five small pieces) (1956);
Chronos Kristalla (Time Crystals) (1990), where the quartet's strings are tuned to
Just intonation, natural
harmonics are played throughout, and the performance lasts about ninety minutes. •
Iván Erőd (1936–2019): Three quartets: Op. 18 (1975), Op. 26 (1978), Op. 78 (2003). Numbers 2 and 3 recorded by the
ALEA Ensemble. •
Steve Reich (born 1936):
Different Trains (1988), for string quartet and tape;
Triple Quartet (1998), which may be performed by one quartet (with tape), three quartets, or a 36 piece orchestra; and
WTC 9/11 (2009–10), for string quartet and tape. •
Herbert Blendinger (1936–2020): Four quartets: Op. 11 (1957), Op. 19 (1969), Op. 29 (1976), Op. 54 (1990) – numbers 2, 3 and 4 have been recorded by the
ALEA Ensemble. •
Anthony Payne (1936–2021): Three quartets: No 1 (1978); No 2 (2010); No 3 (2018). •
Erich Urbanner (born 1936): Three quartets. •
Janet Beat (born 1937): So far three string quartets: String Quartet No. 1 (1992–99), Scherzo Notturno for String Quartet (1992), String Quartet No. 3, The Blackbird (2014). •
Philip Glass (born 1937): Three string quartets as a student, eight mature string quartets (1966, 1983, 1985, 1989, 1991, 2013, 2014, 2018), music for string quartet for the 1931 film
Dracula (1998), and the suite from
Bent (2009). •
Katherine Hoover (1937–2018): Two string quartets (1999, 2004). •
Marta Lambertini (1937–2019): Quasares for String Quartet (1971), Vaghe stelle dell’Orsa for String Quartet (1978). •
Valentyn Silvestrov (born 1937): Three quartets (1974, 1988, 2011), plus
Quartetto Piccolo (1961). •
Ann Southam (1937–2010): Song of the Varied Thrush for String Quartet (1991). •
Zbigniew Bargielski (born 1937): Six string quartets (1976, 1980, 1985-1986, 1994, 2001, 2006). •
Bart Berman (born 1938): String quartet (1958); Four Melodies for string quartet (1994). •
Ann Carr-Boyd (born 1938): Two string quartets (1964, 1966). •
Gloria Coates (1938–2023): Glissando String Quartet (1962), String Quartet No. 1 „Protestation Quartet" (1965/66), No. 2 „Mobile“ (1971), No.3 (1975), No. 4 (1976), Six Movements for String Quartet (1978), No. 5 (1988), No. 6 (1999), No. 7 „Angels“ with organ (2001), No. 8 (2001/02), No. 9 (2007), No. 10 „Among the Asteroids“ (1971/76). •
John Corigliano (born 1938): String quartet (1995), revised for
string orchestra as Symphony No. 2 (2000). •
Alvin Curran (born 1938):
VSTO (1993). •
John Harbison (born 1938): Six string quartets. •
Paavo Heininen (1938–2022): String Quartet No. 1, Op. 32c; String Quartet No. 2, Op. 64 ("Anadyr.mpl"). •
Joan Tower (born 1938): 'Night Fields' (1994), 'In Memory' (2002), 'Incandescent' (2003), 'Angels ' (2008), 'White Water' (2011). •
Charles Wuorinen (1938–2020): Four, plus the short
Divertimento and
Josquiniana, in six movements based on
Josquin des Prés. •
Louis Andriessen (1939–2021): Two string quartets. •
Elinor Armer (born 1939): Two string quartets (1983, 2011). •
Leo Brouwer (born 1939): Five quartets: No. 1 "Homage to Béla Bartók" (1961),
Rem Tene Verba Sequentur (1969), No. 3 (1997), No. 4 "Rem tene verba sequentur II" (2007), No. 5 (2011). •
Maija Einfelde (born 1939): Three string quartets (1965, 1994, 2009). •
Jennifer Fowler (born 1939): String Quartet (1968), Towards release for String Quartet (2005). •
Jonathan Harvey (1939–2012): Four string quartets. •
Heinz Holliger (born 1939): Two (1973, 2007). •
Tom Johnson (1939–2024):
Formulas for String Quartet (1994) (eight short movements, each following a mathematical formula);
Combinations for String Quartet (2003);
Tilework (2003) •
Tigran Mansurian (born 1939): Three string quartets; No 1 – 1983–1984, No 2 – 1984, No 3 – 1993 •
John McCabe (1939–2015): Seven string quartets;
Partita for String Quartet (No 1 – 1960), No 2 (1976), No 3 (1978), No 4 (1982), No 5 (1989), No 6
Silver Nocturnes (2011), No 7
Summer Eves (2012) •
Tomáš Svoboda (1939–2022): Ten string quartets as of 2009. •
Ellen Taaffe Zwillich (born 1939): String Quartet No. 1 (1974), String Quartet No. 2 (1998), String Quartet No. 3, Voyage (2012).
Born in the 1940s •
Maria Teresa Luengo (born 1940): 6 preludios for String Quartet (1968). •
Dorothy Rudd Moore (1940–2022):
Modes for string quartet (1968). •
Judith Bailey (1941–2025): Five string quartets (Op. 31, Op. 39, East Coker Op. 87, The Dry Salvages Op. 88 and Little Gilding Op. 89). •
Chick Corea (1941–2021): One specifically for the
Orion String Quartet in 2004. •
Moya Henderson (born 1941): Kudikynah Cave for String Quartet (1987), Two Days in June (2009), Bride's Recessional: the Beloved awaits (2012). •
Ivana Loudová (1941–2017): Two string quartets (No. 1 in 1964, No. 2 in 1974–1976), also Hukvaldy Suite for string quartet (1984) and Variations on J.V.Stamic-Theme (1989). •
Jenny McLeod (1941–2022): Airs for the Winged Isle (2009). •
Gillian Whitehead (born 1941): Te Ahua, Te Atarangi for String Quartet (1970), Angels Born at the Speed of Light for String Quartet (1990), Moon, Tides and Shoreline for String Quartet (1990), The Wind was in their Wings for String Quartet (1990), Hine-pu-te-hue for String Quartet (for string quartet and Maori instruments) (2002), Clouds over Mata-au for String Quartet (2010), No stars, not even clouds for String Quartet (2012), Poroporoaki for String Quartet (2015). •
Richard Wilson (born 1941): Five as of 2008. •
Ingram Marshall (1942–2022):
Entrada (At the River) for string quartet amplified with processing,
Evensongs,
Voces Resonae (1984), and
Fog Tropes II. •
Meredith Monk (born 1942):
Stringsongs for string quartet (2004). •
Horațiu Rădulescu (1942–2008): Six string quartets; No. 4 is for quartet plus eight other quartets (live or pre-recorded) circling the audience. •
Joanna Bruzdowicz (1943–2021): Two (1983, 1988). •
Gavin Bryars (born 1943): Four: No.1 (1986 (
Between the National and the Bristol)), No.2 (1990), No.3 (1998), No.4 (2020) •
Eleanor Cory (born 1943): Three string quartets (between 1985 and 2009). •
Edward Cowie (born 1943): Nine quartets, as of 2020; Nos. 8 and 9 can be combined to be performed as a string octet. •
Julio Estrada (born 1943): "Canto mnémico" (1973, rev. 1983), ishini'ioni (1984–1990) and "Quotidianus", with voice (2006). •
Brian Ferneyhough (born 1943):
Sonatas for String Quartet (1967), String Quartets Nos. 2–6; the fourth includes a part for a soprano; also,
Adagissimo (1983),
Dum Transisset I-IV (2007), "Exordium – Elliotti Carteri in honorum centarii" (2008),
Silentium (2014). •
Anne Lauber (born 1943): Suite for string quartet (1991). •
Tania Léon (born 1943): Escencia (2009), Cuarteto No. 2 (2011). •
David Matthews (born 1943): Fourteen up to 2017. •
Krzysztof Meyer (born 1943): Fifteen (1963, 1969, 1971, 1974, 1977, 1981, 1985, 1985, 1989, 1994, 2001, 2005, 2010, 2014, 2017). •
Fred Lerdahl (born 1943): Four string quartets (1978/2008, 1982/2010, 2008, 2016), the third of which was a finalist for the
Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2010. •
Michèle Reverdy (born 1943): L'Intranquillité (1991), Quatre eaux fortes (2013), Quatuor pour Maud (2018). •
Gabriella Cecchi (born 1944): Sères for string quartet (1984). •
Paul Lansky (born 1944):
String Quartet No. 1 (1967),
String Quartet No. 2 (1971–1978),
Ricercare (2000). •
Michael Nyman (born 1944): Five string quartets, plus a few smaller pieces. •
John Tavener (1944–2013): Four string quartets:
The Hidden Treasure – String Quartet No. 1;
The Last Sleep of the Virgin – String Quartet No. 2, for string quartet and handbells;
Diódia – String Quartet No. 3;
The Bridegroom – String Quartet No. 4; plus other works including parts for string quartet. •
Klaas de Vries (born 1944): One string quartet (1993). •
Victoria Bond (born 1945): Dreams of Flying (1994). •
Graciane Finzi (born 1945): Quatre Études for String Quartet (1976). •
Elizabeth Raum (born 1945): String Quartet (1993), Four Elements for String Quartet (2004), Table at the Bushwakker (2008). •
Judith Lang Zaimont (born 1945): De Infinitate Caeleste (Of the Celestial Infinite) (1980), String Quartet – The Figure (2007), A Strange Magic – String Quartet No. 2 (2016). •
Renate Birnstein (born 1946): One string quartet (1986). •
Colin Matthews (born 1946): Five string quartets. •
Jane O'Leary (born 1946): Mystic Play of Shadows (1995), In the Stillness of Time (2004), FanFare ConCorde (2005), ConTempo ConVersations (2005), the passing sound of forever (2015), Fanfare for Strings (2017), forever begin.... (Fanfare for a New Year) (2020). •
Sheila Silver (born 1946): String Quartet (1975), Four Etudes and a Fantasy – String Quartet No. 2 (1997). •
Pēteris Vasks (born 1946): Six string quartets. •
Joelle Wallach (born 1946): Three string quartets and Movement for String Quartet. •
Heinz Winbeck (1946–2019): Three string quartets (as of 2011), entitled
Tempi capricciosi Tempi notturni (both 1979) and
Jagdquartett (Hunting quartet) (1984). •
John Adams (born 1947): ''
John's Book of Alleged Dances in 1994 for the Kronos Quartet; String Quartet No. 1 (2008); Fellow Traveler
(2010); Absolute Jest'' (2011) (string quartet and orchestra); Second Quartet (2015). •
Frangiz Ali-Zadeh (born 1947): String Quartet No. 1 (1974), String Quartet No. 2, Dilogie I (1988), String Quartet No. 3, Mugam Sayagi (1993), String Quartet No. 4, Oasis (1998), In Search of ... for String Quartet (2005), Raegs (Dance) for string quartet (2016). •
Nicola LeFanu (born 1947): Four quartets. No 1 (1988), No 2 (1997), No 3 (2011), No 4 (2017). •
Ada Gentile (born 1947): Three quartets, No. 1 (1980), No. 2 (1983), No. 3 (2000). •
Salvatore Sciarrino (born 1947):
Sei quartetti brevi (1967–1992), as well as String Quartets No. 7 (1999) and No. 8 (2008). •
Faye-Ellen Silverman (born 1947): String Quartet (Untitled) (1976), Paula's Song (1996), Let's Play (2007). •
Hilary Tann (1947–2023): And the Snow Did Lie (Et La Neige Resta) (2014). •
Gwyneth Van Anden Walker (born 1947): Three American Portraits (1988), Short Set for String Quartet (1993), Traveling Songs (including Coming Home) (1996, rev. 2003), Quartet for Leap Year (2000), Sweet Land (of Liberty) (2001), The Dove (2014), Sounds and Colors (2016), Folk Carols for Strings (2019). •
Marjan Mozetich (born 1948):
Changes (1971);
Lament in the Trampled Garden (1992), the compulsory piece for the 1992 Banff String Quartet Competition. •
Stephen Brown (born 1948):
The Bugs (2024);
Elk Lake (2025). •
Diana Burrell (born 1948): Coro, Gulls and Angels (1993), Earth (1998). •
Peter Ruzicka (born 1948): Seven quartets; the fourth includes a part for a speaker; the sixth includes a part for a soprano. •
Julia Tsenova (1948–2010):
String Quartet No. 1 (2003). •
Jeanne Zaidel-Rudolph (born 1948): Strange Quartet (2006). •
Kalevi Aho (born 1949): 5 string quartets. •
Eleanor Alberga (born 1949): String Quartet No. 1 (1993), String Quartet No. 2 (1994), Remember (2000), String Quartet No. 3 (2001). •
Nikolaus Brass (born 1949):
Ohne Titel: Musik für Streichquartett (1995); String Quartet No. 2 (2000/2002); String Quartet No. 3 (
Erinnern und vergesse)(2004); String Quartet No. 4 (2008); String Quartet No. 5, with two obligato clarinets (
Aus dem Wöterbuch der Liebenden) (2013);
Etchings (2016); String Quartet No. 6 (
Nach dem Roman Licht scheint auf mein Dach von Kenzaburo Oe). •
Shulamit Ran (born 1949): String Quartet No. 1 (1984), String Quartet No.2 – Vistas (1988–89), Bach-Shards (2002), String Quartet No. 3 – Glitter, Shards, Doom, Memory (2013). •
Christopher Rouse (1949–2019): three string quartets: number 1 (1982); number 2 (1988); number 3 (2010) •
Dave Smith (born 1949): Six string quartets: No. 1
Cuban quartet (1990/2014); No. 2
Natural selections (2009/10); No. 3
African mosaic (2014); No. 4
After Albania (2014); No. 5
All this and less (2014); No. 6
The myth of Sisyphus (2014) •
Kevin Volans (born 1949): twelve string quartets, plus a short quartet movement.
Born in the 1950s •
Lejla Agolli: (born 1950): String Quartet (1977). •
James Dillon (born 1950). Nine quartets: No 1 (1983); No 2 (1991); No 3 (1998); No 4 (2005); No 5 (2009); No 6 (2010); No 7 (2013); No 8 (2017); No 9 (2018). •
Elena Firsova (born 1950): At least twelve string quartets between 1970 and 2005. •
Alistair Hinton (born 1950): One quartet (1999) •
Libby Larsen (born 1950):
String Quartet No. 4 (Emergence) (1991),
Schoenberg, Schenker and Schillinger (1999),
Quartet she wrote (2008),
Sorrow, Song and Jubilee (2014). •
Lorenzo Ferrero (born 1951): Set of twelve string quartets entitled
Tempi di quartetto (1996–1998);
Five Aztec Gods (2005). •
Aleksander Lasoń (born 1951): Eight quartets, as of 2019. •
Eugeniusz Knapik (born 1951): Two string quartets (1980, 2019). •
Andrzej Krzanowski (1951–1990): Three string quartets (1973-1976, 1978, 1988). •
Rafał Augustyn (born 1951): Three string quartets (1973, 1981, 1995). •
Cecilia McDowall (born 1951): The case of the unanswered wire (2004), Are we on the same page? (2011). •
George Tsontakis (born 1951): Five string quartets (1980–2006). •
Lois V. Vierk (born 1951):
Into the brightening air (1994/1999), dedicated to
Mel Powell and
River Beneath the River (1993). •
Hans Abrahamsen (born 1952): String Quartet No. 1 "Ten Preludes" (1973); String Quartet No. 2 (1981), String Quartet No. 3 (2010), String Quartet No. 4 (2012). •
Simon Bainbridge (1952–2021): String Quartet (1972). •
Reinhard Febel (born 1952): String Quartet (1981/82). •
Bunita Marcus (born 1952):
The Rugmaker (1986). •
Wolfgang Rihm (1952–2024): Thirteen quartets, as of 2012, plus the elegical "Grave" (2010, in memory of
Thomas Kakuska, late violist of the
Alban Berg Quartet). •
Kaija Saariaho (1952–2023):
Nymphea (Jardin Secret III) (1987) for string quartet and live electronics,
Terra Memorium (2012). •
Grażyna Krzanowska (born 1952): Three string quartets (1973, 1980, 2011). •
John Luther Adams (born 1953):
The Wind in High Places (2011);
Dream of the Canyon Wren (2013);
untouched (2015);
Canticles of the Sky (2015);
Everything That Rises (2017);
Lines Made by Walking (2019);
Waves & Particles (2021) •
Chen Yi (composer) (born 1953):
At the Kansas City Chinese New Year Concert,
Blue Dragon Sword Dance (from "At the Kansas City Chinese New Year Concert"),
Burning (2004),
From the Path of Beauty,
Shuo. •
Violeta Dinescu (born 1953): Three string quartets (1973, 1974 and 1984). •
Jürg Frey (born 1953): String Quartet No. 1 (1988); (Unbetitelt) Nr.6 (1991); String Quartet No. 2 (1998–2000); String Quartet No. 3 (2012); String Quartet No. 4 (2020–21) •
Georg Friedrich Haas (born 1953): Eleven quartets, plus the short
LAIR, written for the
Arditti Quartet's fortieth anniversary. Quartets 3, 9, and 10 were meant to be performed in absolute darkness. •
Adriana Hölszky (born 1953): String Quartet (1975), Inner Worlds II for String Quartet (1981–82), Suspension bridges – String Quartet 'to Schubert', two string quartets, octets may be played simultaneously (1989–90). •
Cynthia Cozette Lee (born 1953): Paris String Quartet. •
Cindy McTee (born 1953): String Quartet No. 1 (1976; withdrawn), Adagio for String Quartet (2003). •
John Zorn (born 1953):
Forbidden Fruit for voice, string quartet & turntables (1987), ''Cat o' Nine Tails (or, Tex Avery Directs the Marquis de Sade)
(1988), The Dead Man
(1990), Memento Mori
(1992), Kol Nidre
(1996), Necronomicon
(2003), The Alchemist
(2011); Pandora's Box
(2014) (includes soprano part), The Remedy of Fortune
(2015), The Unseen'' (2017). •
Sylvie Bodorová (born 1954): Dignitas homini, String quartet No. 1 (1987); Shofarot, String quartet No. 4 (2000). •
Elisabetta Brusa (born 1954): Belsize Op. 1 (1980–81). •
Joël-François Durand (born 1954): One quartet (2005). •
Beat Furrer (born 1954): Four (1984, 1988, 2004, 2021). •
Robert Greenberg (born 1954): Five string quartets:
Breaths, Voices, and Cadenze (String Quartet No. 1) (1982); ''Child's Play
(String Quartet No. 2) (1988); Among Friends
(String Quartet No. 3) (1995); Snappy Rejoinder
(String Quartet No. 4) (2005); It's Snowing'' (String Quartet No. 5) (2011) •
Cecilie Ore (born 1954): Praesens Subitus (amplified string quartet, 1989), Lex Temporis (amplified string quartet, 1992), Cirrus (2002), WaterWorks (2018), Glacier Song (2020), Morning Mist (2020). •
Arturo Rodas (born 1954):
A – B – C – D (1989);
Fuga Atonal II (2008). •
Sinan Savaskan (born 1954): Three quartets; his third quartet,
Panic in Needle Park is for string quartet and for channel electro acoustic music. •
Carl Vine (born 1954) Six string quartets to date:
Knips Suite (String Quartet No. 1) (1979); String Quartet No. 2 (1984); String Quartet No. 3 (1994); String Quartet No. 4 (2004); String Quartet No. 5 (2010); String Quartet No. 6 (''Child's Play'', 2017). •
John Woolrich (born 1954): Two quartets and 'A Book of Inventions'. •
David Garner (born 1954): Two quartets (2008 and 2015) •
David A. Jaffe (born 1955): Five quartets:
Telegram to the President (1984);
Grass Valley Fire (1988);
Quiet Places (1996);
Fox Hollow (2013); ''Eight O's in Wooloomooloo'' (2014, with contralto voice). •
Pascal Dusapin (born 1955): Seven quartets (1982, 1989, 1992, 1997, 2005, 2009, 2010); his sixth quartet is for string quartet and orchestra. •
Nigel Keay (born 1955): Two quartets (1983, 1995). •
Behzad Ranjbaran (born 1955): String Quartet No. 1 (1988). •
Karmella Tsepkolenko (born 1955):
Glorification of the Four Elements for string quartet (1982). •
Sally Beamish (born 1956): String Quartet No 1 (1999); String Quartet No 2,
opus California (1999); String Quartet No 3,
Reed Stanzas (2011); String Quartet No. 4,
Nine Fragments (2018). •
Eve de Castro-Robinson (born 1956):
Pendulums (1997). •
Laura Kaminsky (born 1956): Six string quartets,
Transformations (2000),
Transformations II (2002),
Monotypes (2005),
American Nocturne (2009),
Cadmium Yellow (2010),
Rising Tide (2012). •
Iris Szeghy (born 1956):
Musica dolorosa (1985),
Aria (2016),
Goldberg (2021). •
Miguel del Águila (born 1957): Three quartets:
Presto II (1993);
Life is a Dream (1995), recorded by Camerata San Antonio (CD Salon Buenos Aires). •
James Clarke (born 1957): Four quartets; No 1 (2003), No 2 (2009), No 3 (2014), No 4 (2017) •
Elena Kats-Chernin (born 1957): 25 string quartets. •
Bob Ostertag (born 1957):
All the Rage (1992). •
Hilda Paredes (born 1957):
UY U T’AN (1998),
Cuerdas del destino (2008),
Bitácora capilar (2013),
Hacia una bitácora capilar (2014). •
Gerhard Präsent (born 1957): Four quartets:
Music for Strings (1977/78);
La Tâche (1994/95),
Missa (2001);
Big Apple (2007/08) – numbers 2, 3 and 4 recorded by the
ALEA Ensemble. •
Linda Catlin Smith (born 1957): Six string quartets so far:
Clay (1980),
As you pass a reflective surface (1991),
Folkestone (1997),
Gondola (2006),
Waterlily (2008),
String Quartet #6 (2013). •
Rhona Clarke (born 1958): Three string quartets:
Magnificat (1990),
Pas de Quatre (2009),
Edge (2017). •
Hanna Havrylets (1958–2022):
Elegy for string quartet (1981),
Memories for string quartet (1997),
To Maria… for string quartet (1999),
Expressions for string quartet (2004). •
Bent Sørensen (born 1958): Alman (1984), Adieu (1986), Angels’ Music (1988), The Lady of Shalott (1993), Schreie und Melancholie (1994). •
Errollyn Wallen (born 1958): Variations for String Quartet (1983), Second String Quartet (1988). •
Rodney Waschka II (born 1958):
String Quartet: Laredo (1999)
String Quartet: Ha! Fortune (2003) both recorded by the
Nevsky String Quartet on Capstone Records. •
Julia Wolfe (born 1958):
Four Marys (1991),
Early that summer (1993),
Dig Deep (1995),
Blue Dress for string quartet (2015),
Forbidden Love (4 percussion playing string quartet, 2019). •
Lawrence Dillon (born 1959):
Invisible Cities String Quartet Cycle –
String Quartet No. 1: Jests and Tenderness (1998);
String Quartet No. 2: Flight (2002);
String Quartet No. 3: Air (2005);
String Quartet No. 4: The Infinite Sphere (2009);
String Quartet No. 5: Through the Night (2009);
String Quartet No. 6: REM (2014). •
James MacMillan (born 1959): Three string quartets. •
Shigeru Kan-no (born 1959): Ten string quartets as of 2008. •
Robert Scott Thompson (born 1959):
Dissipative Structures for String Quartet (1981). •
Erkki-Sven Tüür (born 1959):
String Quartet: in memoriam Urmas Kibuspuu (1985);
String Quartet No. 2 (Lost Prayers) (2012).
Born in the 1960s •
Gregor Huebner (born 1967): Several string quartets. •
Caroline Charrière (1960–2018): Quatuor Ophelia (2006). •
Annie Gosfield (born 1960): Three string quartets:
Lightheaded and Heavyhearted (2002);
The Blue Horse Walks on the Horizon (2010);
Signal Jamming and Random Interference, string quartet with sampler/electronics (2014). •
Aaron Jay Kernis (born 1960): Three string quartets: No. 1
Musica celestis (1990), No. 2
Musica instrumentalis (1998), No. 3
River (2015). He received the 1998
Pulitzer Prize for Quartet No. 2. •
Hanspeter Kyburz (born 1960): One string quartet (2004–05). •
William Susman (born 1960): Four string quartets. •
Mark-Anthony Turnage (born 1960):
Twisted Blues with Twisted Ballad (2008) (String Quartet No. 1);
Contusion (2013) (String Quartet No. 2);
Shroud (2016) (String Quartet No. 3); ''Winter's Edge
(2019) (String Quartet No 4); Split Apart
(2020); Awake'' (2023) •
Ezequiel Viñao (born 1960): Three quartets, as of 2009:
La Noche de las Noches (1989);
The Loss and the Silence (2004) and
Sirocco Dust (2009). •
Nicolas Bacri (born 1961): Nine string quartets: No. 1 Op. 1 "Fantaisie" (1980), No. 2 Op. 5 "5 Pieces" (1982), No. 3 Op. 18 "Esquisses pour un Tombeau" (1985–1989), No. 4 Op. 42 "Omaggio a Beethoven" (1989–1994), No. 5 Op. 57 (1997), No. 6 Op. 97 (2005–06), No. 7 Op. 101 "Variations sérieuses" (2006–07), No. 8 Op. 112 "Omaggio a Haydn" (2008–09), No. 9 Op. 140 "Canto di speranza", (2015). •
Unsuk Chin (born 1961): Parametastring for String Quartet and Tape (1995/96). •
Cindy Cox (born 1961): Columba aspexit, after Hildegard von Bingen (1997, revised 2002). •
Jorge Grundman (born 1961): Fragment for String Quartet (2004), Surviving a Son's Suicide (2009), God's Sketches for String Quartet, Soprano and Mallets (2012), On Blondes and Detectives. Cliché Music for String Quartet (2012), A Mortuis Resurgere: The Resurrection of Chris for Soprano and String Quartet (2013), The Propagation of Faith (2014), Villa Medicea di Pratolino. Cliché Music for String Quartet (2014). •
Hanna Kulenty (born 1961): Six quartets. •
Lowell Liebermann (born 1961): Five string quartets: String Quartet No. 1, Op. 5 (1979), String Quartet No. 2, Op. 60 (1998), String Quartet No. 3, Op. 102 (2007), String Quartet No. 4, Op. 103 (2007), and String Quartet No.5 Op. 126 (2014). •
Peter Machajdík (born 1961):
To The Rainbow So Close Again (2004),
Seas and Deserts (2015),
Welcome! (2016),
Terauchi (for String Quartet and Audio Playback, 2018),
Passing Through Nothing (2021),
This was blue (2021). •
Edgar Meyer (born 1961): Released an album mostly of string quartets,
Short Trip Home (1999). •
Jesús Rueda (born 1961): 19 String Quartets (1989–2023). •
Karen Tanaka (born 1961): Metal Strings (1996), At the grave of Beethoven (1999) •
Michael Torke (born 1961): Great Crossing (1996), Chalk (1992), Corner in Manhattan (2000). •
Roland Dahinden (born 1962): Six quartets: String Quartet No.1, String Quartet No.2 (
mind rock), String Quartet No.3 (
mond see), String Quartet No.4 (
flying white), String Quartet No.5 (''poids de l'obre
), String Quartet No.6 (whitish''). •
Konstantia Gourzi (born 1962): String quartet no. 1, Op. 19,
Israel (2004), String quartet no. 2, Op. 33/2,
P-ILION, neun fragmente einer ewigkeit (2007),
one touch, Op. 58 (2015), String quartet no. 3, Op. 61,
Anájikon, the Angel in the Blue Garden (2015). •
Galina Grigorjeva (born 1962):
Perpetuum mobile (I movement from the cycle Ad infinitum, 2008),
Infinite Canon [Lõputu kaanon] (II movement from the cycle Ad infinitum, 2006). •
Jennifer Higdon (born 1962): Eight string quartets: ''Autumn's Cricket
(1987), Voices (1993), Sky Quartet (1997 revised 2001), Amazing Grace
(2003), Impressions (2003), Southern Harmony
(2003), An Exultation of Larks
(2005), Reel Time''. •
Leonie Holmes (born 1962): Fragment II: for string quartet (2016). •
Victoria Poleva (born 1962): Walking on Waters (2013). •
Eric W. Sawyer (born 1962): 3 string quartets. Album: Albany Records, 2005, String Quartet 2 (1999), String Quartet 3 (2002). •
Laura Schwendinger (born 1962): Two string quartets:"String Quartet in Three Movements" (2001),
Creature Quartet (2015) •
Fredrik Sixten (born 1962): Chaconne (2007) recorded by the Swedish radio. "Contrasts" for string quartet (1984). •
Andersen Viana (born 1962): Five quartets (1984, 1990, 1990, 1996, 1998). •
Graham Waterhouse (born 1962): composed
string quartets, including
Hungarian Polyphony (1986),
Chinese Whispers (2010),
Prophetiae Sibyllarum,
Alcatraz (2014) and
Alchymic Quartet (2022), among others. •
Ludmila Yurina (born 1962):
Visions of St. John Baptist for string quartet (2004). •
Osvaldo Coluccino (born 1963):
Aion (2002),
Attimo (2007). •
Graham Fitkin (born 1963):
Servant (1992);
A Small Quartet (1993);
Another Small Quartet (1993);
Pawn (2005);
Inside (2006);
String (2008);
Informal Dance (2010). •
Sophie Lacaze (born 1963):
Het Lam Gods (2005). •
Isabel Mundry (born 1963):
11 Linien (1991–1992),
no one (1994–1995),
Linien, Zeichnungen (1999–2004). •
Elena Ruehr (born 1963): Twelve string quartets as to 2024. •
Julia Gomelskaya (1964–2016): N-Quartet (1995), From the Bottom of the Soul (1997). •
John Pickard (born 1964): five quartets; No 1 (1991), No 2 (1993), No 3 (1994), No 4 (1998), No 5 (2012) •
Annette Schlünz (born 1964):
An eine Vernunft (1982). •
Matthew Taylor (born 1964): eight quartets; No 1 (1984), No 2 (1990), No 3 (1995), No 4 (1999), No 5 (2007), No 6 (2008), No 7 (2009), No 8 (2017) •
Augusta Read Thomas (born 1964): Sun Threads (1999–2002), Invocations (2000), Eagle at Sunrise (2001), Rise Chanting (2002), Helix Spirals (2015), Chi (2017). •
Ian Wilson (born 1964): Twenty-one string quartets; No 1 ''Winter's Edge
(1992), No 2 The Capsizing Man and other stories
(1994), No 3 Towards the far country
(1997), No 4 Veer
(2000), No 5 wander, darkling
(2000), No 6 In fretta, in vento
(2001), No 7 Lyric Suite
(2004), No 8 unbroken white line
(2007), No 9 heaven lay close
(2009), No 10 Across a clear blue sky
(2009), No 11 im Schatten
(2010), No 12 Her charms invited
(2010), No 13 Still life in green and red
(2011), No 14 Tribe
(2013), No 15 Alluvio
(2014) No 16 Aus der Zauberküche
(2014), No 17 Linte
(2016), No 18 Up Above the World
(2018), No 19 Rossiniana
(2018), No 20 Capital
(2019), No 21 Ground Out'' (2019) •
Dorothy Ker (born 1965): One string quartet,
Perigean Tide. •
Georges Lentz (born 1965): “Caeli enarrant…” IV (1991–2000), String Quartet(s) (2000–2022). •
Charlotte Seither (born 1965): Corps croisé (2002). •
Dorothy Hindman (born 1966): The Road to Damascus (2010). •
Liza Lim (born 1966):
Hell (1992), ''In the Shadow's Light
(2004), The Weaver’s Knot'' (2014). •
Alla Zahaikevych (born 1966): String quartet (2009). •
Deirdre Gribbin (born 1967): Four string quartets:
What The Whaleship Saw (2004),
Merrow Sang (2008),
Hearing Your Genes Evolve (2012),
somewhere i have never travelled (2015, with or without film Collaboration with artist Esther Teichmann). •
Rebecca Saunders (born 1967): Fletch (2012), Unbreathed (2017). •
Katia Tiutiunnik (born 1967): Night Journey (2001). •
Isidora Žebeljan (1967–2020): Dark Velvet (in Memory of Gustav Mahler, 2005), Polomka Quartet (2009–2011). •
Kenneth Hesketh (born 1968): One string quartet, ''Sisyphus' punishment (Die Bestrafung des Sisyphos)'' (2011). •
Vanessa Lann (born 1968): "Lullabye for a Young Girl Dreaming" (1990); "Landscape of a Soul's Remembering" (2006). •
Olga Neuwirth (born 1968): Akroate Hadal (1995), settori (1999), in the realms of the unreal (2009). •
Ananda Sukarlan (born 1968) is perhaps the most prolific Asian composer for the string quartet genre, with repertoires ranging from easy and short pieces to complex 20-minute quartets, some with very unique sound influenced by Indonesia's folk music •
James Francis Brown (born 1969): One string quartet (2010). •
Nimrod Borenstein (born 1969). Meditation and Burlesque opus 43 (2013); Lullaby opus 81b (2018); Cieli d' Italia opus 88 (2019). •
Victoria Borisova-Ollas (born 1969): One string quartet,
Creation of the Hymn. •
Johanna Doderer (born 1969): Four string quartets as of 2019. •
Peter Fribbins (born 1969): Two string quartets: String Quartet No. 1
I have the serpent brought (1990–1998 rev. 2002–2004); String Quartet No. 2
After Cromer (2006). •
Enno Poppe (born 1969):
Tier (2002) for string quartet. •
Jonathan Powell (1969–2025): Two quartets. •
Eric Sessler (born 1969): String Quartet (2012–13).
Born in the 1970s •
Donnacha Dennehy (born 1970):
Ecstasis, full stop (1999),
Counting (2000),
Pushpulling (2007),
Stamp (2008),
One Hundred Goodbyes (2011),
The Weather of It (2016),
Wig (2021). •
Ralph Farris (born 1970):
2fer (2008), ''Wreck'd
(2009), Factions'' (2013). •
David Horne (born 1970):
Surrendering to the Stream (1993),
Undulations (1996),
Subterfuge (), String Quartet No. 3
Flight from the Labyrinth (2005), String Quartet No. 4 (2006). •
Fred Momotenko (born 1970):
Liquid pArTs (2005),
Essere preso nel gorgo della passione (2008) for string quartet and percussion. •
Fazıl Say (born 1970): String Quartet, Op. 29 (2010). •
Arlene Sierra (born 1970):
Insects in Amber (2010). •
Aleksandra Vrebalov (born 1970): At least 18 string quartets, many of them in collaboration with the
Kronos Quartet. •
Lotta Wennäkoski (born 1970):
Culla d’aria (2004),
Metsäkoulu (2009, speaking string quartet),
Pige (2021/2022). •
Thomas Adès (born 1971):
Arcadiana (1994),
The Four Quarters (2010). •
Richard Carrick (born 1971):
Adagios for Strings (2010). •
Lior Navok (born 1971):
Voices from India (String Quartet No. 1) (1997),
Hope Cycles (String Quartet No. 2) (2004),
Whispered Questions (String Quartet No. 3) (2010). •
Ingrid Stölzel (born 1971): Impulse for string quartet (1999). •
Yitzhak Yedid (born 1971): 'Visions, Fantasies and Dances' 60 minutes in 7 parts (2007). •
Craig Walsh (born 1971): 'String Quartet No. 1' (2010). •
Gabriela Lena Frank (born 1972): Leyendas: An Andean Walkabout (string quartet or string orchestra, 2001), Inkarrí (Inca Rey) (2005), Quijotadas (2007), Milagros (2010), Kanto Kechua No. 2 (2018). •
Edward Top (born 1972): Two string quartets (1998, 2002). •
Helena Tulve (born 1972):
nec ros, nec pluvia… (2004). •
Lera Auerbach (born 1973): No. 1, No. 2
Primera Luz (2005), No. 3
Cetera Desunt (2006), No. 4
Findings – 16 Inventions (2007), No. 5
Songs of Alkonost (2011), No. 6
Farewell (2012), No. 7
Désir (2013), No. 8 ''Sylvia's's Diary
(2013), No. 9 Thanksgiving
(2020), No. 10 Frozen Dreams'' (2020), Epilogue in one movement (2005). •
Eivind Buene (born 1973): Three Quartets (1998–2000), Grid (2006). •
Tansy Davies (born 1973): Nightingales: Ultra Deep Field (2020). •
Yalil Guerra (born 1973): Three string quartets: String Quartet No. 1, "A Mil Guerras Solo", String Quartet No. 2, and String Quartet No. 3 "In memoriam Ludvig van Beethoven" •
Airat Ichmouratov (born 1973). Four quartets. No 1 (2003); No 2 (2004); No 3 (2010);
No 4 (2013) •
Žibuoklė Martinaitytė (born 1973): 5 Pieces for string quartet (1991), String Quartet (1993), Illusions of time and space for string quartet and tape (2006). •
Maja Ratkje (born 1973):
Tale of Lead and Light (2011). •
Sarah Kirkland Snider (born 1973):
Ave (2002). •
Henry Vega (born 1973):
The motion of arrayed emotion (2011), for string quartet and computers. •
Jörg Widmann (born 1973): String Quartets 1–5 (1997–2005) that form one cycle (No. 5 includes soprano voice); String Quartets 6–10 (Study on Beethoven I, II, III, IV, V) (2019/2020). •
Jefferson Friedman (born 1974): Three string quartets (1996, 1999, 2005). •
Claudia Molitor (born 1974):
Und lass Dir… (2014). •
Joseph Phibbs (born 1974): Three quartets. No 1 (2014); No 2 (2015); No 3 (2018). •
Jennifer Walshe (born 1974):
:blurt (1997),
MARLOWE S. (2009; for string quartet, tape recorder and CD),
THEY LEFT HIM IN THE OCEAN (2014; for string quartet and DVD). •
Helena Winkelman (born 1974): Quadriga Quartett (2011), Papa Haydn’s Parrot (2016), The Clock (2016). •
Kati Agócs (born 1975): String Quartet No. 1,
Tantric Variations (2016), String Quartet No. 2,
Imprimatur (2018). •
R. Luke DuBois (born 1975):
Hard Data (2009). •
Vivian Fung (born 1975): String Quartet No. 1 (the third movement, Pizzicato, may be performed as a separate work for string quartet; 2004), No. 2 (2009), No. 3 (2013), No. 4 (2019). •
David Philip Hefti (born 1975):
Ph(r)asen – String Quartet No. 1 (2007);
Guggisberg-Variationen – String Quartet No. 2 (2008);
Mobile – String Quartet No. 3 (2011);
con fuoco – String Quartet No. 4 (2011);
Concubia nocte – Music for the Second Nocturnal Vigil – String Quartet No. 5 (2018);
Five Scenes for Gustav - String Quartet No. 6 (2020);
To the End of Time - String Quartet No. 7 (2023);
Songs of Yearning - String Quartet No. 8 (2024). •
Gilda Lyons (born 1975):
Bone Needles II (2006). •
Svitlana Azarova (born 1976):
Hotel Charlotte (2005), for string quartet. •
Kasia Glowicka (born 1976): "Springs and Summers" (1999), for string quartet and
countertenor, music set to
Shakespeare's sonnets. •
Yotam Haber (born 1976):
Torus (2012),
From the Book (2016) •
David Flynn (born 1977): Three string quartets to date. String Quartet No. 1 "Fairground Attractions" (2003), String Quartet No. 2 "The Cranning" (2004–2005), String Quartet No. 3 "The Keening" (2007). •
Santa Ratniece (born 1977):
Aragonite (2005),
Alvéoles (2005),
Silsila (2013). •
Kerry Andrew (born 1978):
tInItUs sOnGs for string quartet and recorded spoken word (2018). •
Emily Hall (born 1978):
time back for time given (2004),
braid (2007),
from listening to trees (2008). •
Jimmy López (born 1978): String quartet "La Caresse du Couteau" (2004). •
Anna Meredith (born 1978): Songs for the M8 (2005), Chorale for string quartet and sampled MRI scanner (2010), A Short Tribute to Teenage Fanclub (2013), Tuggemo for string quartet and electronics (2017). •
Annesley Black (born 1979): "Folds Dependent" (2003). •
Linda Buckley (born 1979): "Latitude Longitude" (2007) and "Beethoven Reflected" (2019), in addition "Haza" (2016) for string quartet and tape. •
Joseph Hallman (born 1979): Many string quartets for multiple groups, including "the not-so-magnificent cadaver", "musings", and "compliments". Also notable are his transcriptions of contemporary pop songs for gospel singer and string quartet. •
Emily Howard (born 1979): Two string quartets, "Afference" (2014), "Four Musical Proofs and a Conjecture" (2017). •
Kate Moore (born 1979): Sketches of Stars (2000), Violins & Skeletons for string quartet + three recorded string quartets, or four string quartets (2010), Cicadidae (2019). •
Dinesh Subasinghe (born 1979): "Night Before the Battle" (2011).
Born in the 1980s •
Anna Clyne (born 1980): Roulette (2007; for string quartet and tape), Shadow of the Words (2010; for string quartet and tape), Primula Vulgaris (2010), Breathing Statues for String Quartet (2020), Woman Holding a Balance (2020). •
Cheryl Frances-Hoad (born 1980): My Day in Hell (2008), Invocatio (2017). •
Missy Mazzoli (born 1980): Harp and Altar (for string quartet and electronics, 2009), Death Valley Junction (2010), You Know Me From Here (2012), Quartet for Queen Mab (for string quartet and optional electronic delay, 2015), Enthusiasm Strategies (2019). •
Tyshawn Sorey (born 1980): Everything Changes, Nothing Changes (2020); For Grachan Moncur III (2023)(string quartet and percussion). •
Dobrinka Tabakova (born 1980): On a bench in the shade (2004), The Smile of the Flamboyant Wings (2010), Organum light (2014). •
Alexandra Fol (born 1981): String Quartet op. 42-D (2006), The ELGEA Quartet (2013). •
Helen Grime (born 1981): String Quartet No. 1 (2014), String Quartet No. 2 (2021). •
Jessie Montgomery (born 1981):
Strum (2006; revised 2012),
Voodoo Dolls (2008),
Break Away (2013),
Source Code (2014). •
Richard Zarou (born 1981): String Quartet "Retreating From the Light" (2003). •
Charlotte Bray (born 1982): Ungrievable Lives (2021/22). •
Joey Roukens (born 1982): String Quartet No. 1 (2003),
Earnest and Game (String Quartet No. 2, 2007),
Visions at Sea (String Quartet No. 3, 2011)
What Remains (String Quartet no. 4, 2019). •
Caroline Shaw (born 1982):
Punctum (2009, revised 2013), ''Entr'acte
(2011), Valencia
(2012), Plan & Elevation: The Grounds of Dumbarton Oaks
(2015), Blueprint
(2016), First Essay: Nimrod
(2016), Second Essay: Echo
and Third Essay: Ruby
(2018), The Evergreen'' (2020). •
Ann Cleare (born in 1983): One string quartet,
moil (2010). •
Hannah Kendall (born 1984): Glances / I Don't Belong Here: (2019). •
Prach Boondiskulchok (born 1985): "Ritus" (2018). •
Mohammed Fairouz (born 1985):
Lamentation and Satire (2008),
Chorale Fantasy (2010) and
The Named Angels (2012). •
Julia Adolphe (born 1988):
Between the Accidental (2010),
Veil of Leaves (2014),
Star-Crossed Signals (2018). •
Cecilia Damström (born 1988):
Via Crucis, Op. 34 (2012–2014),
Letters – String Quartet No. 2, Op. 61 (2018). •
Sky Macklay (born 1988): Many Many Cadences (2016); Vertebrae (2019). •
Freya Waley-Cohen (born 1989): String Quartet (2017).
Born in the 1990s •
Caio Facó (born 1992):
Cangaceiros e Fanáticos (2018) •
Edward W. Hardy (born 1992):
Evil Eye, A Fantasy (second and third movements from "Three Pieces Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe (2018).
Vengeance (2018).
Flying (Dancing in Spanish Harlem) (2019).
Strange Fruit (2020). == See also ==