Streichquartette • String Quartets • Quatuors À Cordes

Released in 1976 on the Telefunken label, this recording brings together cornerstone works of the Second Viennese School alongside contemporary compositions. The album serves as a testament to the Alban Berg Quartett's commitment to the avant-garde, pairing Anton Webern’s rigorous formal miniatures with works by Roman Haubenstock-Ramati and Erich Urbanner. It represents the label’s effort to document the evolution of the string quartet genre in the twentieth century, bridging the gap between early serialist masters and the mid-century modernists who expanded the boundaries of chamber music.

The design of the 6.41994 release reflects the aesthetic sensibilities of German classical pressings from the mid-1970s, prioritizing clean, informative typography that foregrounds the academic and technical nature of the music. By selecting these specific composers, the Alban Berg Quartett aimed to demonstrate the continuity of the Viennese tradition, highlighting the technical challenges and intellectual intensity inherent in modern string writing. Critics of the era generally praised the ensemble for their clinical precision and ability to render the sparse, angular textures of Webern with clarity, cementing the quartet's reputation as leading interpreters of the modern repertoire.