White Hat's Top 100 Chamber Music Works

During 2008, the ABC conducted a survey of its listeners to find their top 100 chamber music which prompted us at White Hat to compile our own list.

Firstly we had to set some bounds as to what we would consider as 'chamber music'. There is no hard and fast definition of 'what is chamber music' and nor should there be. However in the end we had to raw some arbitrary lines in the grey area for the purposes of this list. They are not 'right' or wrong' and you are perfectly welcome to come up with different criteria. For music to be included on our Top 100 Chamber Music List we decided it should:

• Be written for specified instruments. This eliminates certain 'pure theoretical' music such as Bach's Art of Fugue and most Renaissance instrumental music including wonderful works such as Byrd's The Leaves Be Green.

• Should not contain 'doubling' instruments (multiple instruments playing the same part throughout as in the string section of an orchestra). This alas eliminates some great works such as Mozart's Serenade for 13 Wind Instruments as well the sunny Dvořák Serenade for Winds, Op. 44.

• Should be music designed to be performed without a conductor. The presence of a conductor takes the music a step further from 'a conversation between equals'. This unfortunately eliminates great works like Richard Strauss' Metamorphosen for 23 solo strings and Stravinsky's L'Histoire du Soldat.

In the end here is what we came up with one day. The following day the list would probably look different.

1. Mendelssohn Octet [ABC No.8]
2. Schubert String Quintet in C, D956 [ABC No.2] - Schubert is one of the few composers who can make time stand still as he does at times in this glorious work.
3. Bartók String Quartet No.3 [ABC - unlisted]
4. Ravel Piano Trio [ABC No.29]
5. Bach Brandenburg Concerto No.3 - I know this is often played with multiple string players per line, but Bach almost certainly conceived it as being played either by nine individual string players (with continuo) and would have been happy enough for those parts to be doubled.
6. Messiaen Quartet for the End of Time [ABC No.22]
7. Schubert Piano Trio No.2 [ABC No.9]
8. Shostakovich String Quartet No. 8 in C minor, Op. 110 [ABC No.19]
9. Haydn String Quartet in E flat major, op 76 no 6 [ABC - unlisted]
10. Various The First Book of Consort Lessons (published by Thomas Morley and containing arrangements of works by Dowland and others) - Sophisticated, civilised music beautifully realised for the archetypal English chamber ensemble of instruments of the late Renaissance.[ABC - unlisted]
11. Sculthorpe String Quartet No. 15 with didgeridoo [ABC - unlisted]
12. Haydn Piano Trio No.25 in G Major 'Gipsy Trio' - This trio ends with a gipsy-inspired finale which is great fun. However it is very simple and very beautiful slow movement which shows what Haydn can produce with very few notes.
13. Schubert String Quartet in D min 'Death and the Maiden [ABC No.5]
14. Mozart Clarinet Quintet in A [ABC No.6]
15. Shostakovich Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor, Op. 67 [ABC No.18]
16. Debussy String Quartet in G minor, Op. 10 [ABC No.34]
17. Bartók String Quartet No.4 [ABC - unlisted]
18. Schoenberg Verklärte Nacht, for string sextet, Op. 4 (Transfigured Night) [ABC No.65] - This lush late-romantic work is often heard in its adaption for large string orchestra and forms a strong contrast to the somewhat astringent works Schoenberg produced in his later 12 Tone style.
19. Haydn String Quartet in C major, Hob.III:77 ‘Emperor’ [ABC No.39]
20. Shostakovich Piano Quintet in G minor, Op. 57 [ABC No.76]
21. Bach Musikalisches Opfer (Musical Offering), BWV1079 [ABC no.96]
22. Schubert Quintet for Strings and Piano D. 667 'The Trout' [ABC No.1]
23. Desmond Take Five [ABC - unlisted] - This piece in 5/4 time is best known from its performance by the Dave Brubeck Quartet.
24. Borodin String Quartet No.2 [ABC No.7]
25. Brahms Clarinet Quintet in B minor, Op. 115 [ABC No.11]
26. Janáček String Quartet No. 2 ‘Intimate Letters’ [ABC No.72]
27. Ravel String Quartet in F major [ABC No.13]
28. Tchaikovsky Souvenir de Florence, Op. 70 [ABC No.47]
29. Beethoven Piano Trio No.17 Op.97 'Archduke' [ABC No.4]
30. César Franck Violin Sonata in A major [ABC No.17]
31. Ravel Introduction and Allegro [ABC No.53]
32. Dvořák String Quartet No. 12 'The American' [ABC No.10]
33. Mozart String Quintet in G minor, KV516 [ABC No.41]
34. Haydn String Quartet in D major, Hob.III:63 ‘The Lark’ [ABC No.98]
35. Schubert Notturno [ABC No.3]
36. Mendelssohn Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49 [ABC No.14]
37. Mozart Quintet for Piano and Winds in E-flat major, KV452 {ABC No.45]
38. Dvořák Piano Quintet in A major, Op. 81 [ABC No.15]
39. Schubert Octet in F major, D803 [ABC No.28]
40. Brahms Horn Trio in E-flat major, Op. 40 [ABC No.44]
41. Barber String Quartet, Op. 11 [ABC No.56]
42. Beethoven String Quartet in E minor, Op. 59 ‘Razumovsky’ No. 2 [ABC No.58]
43. Brahms Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25 [ABC No.33]
44. Debussy Sonata for flute, viola and harp [ABC - unlisted]
45. Beethoven String Quartet in F major, Op. 59 ‘Razumovsky’ No. 1 [ABC No.59]
46. Beethoven Septet in E-flat major, Op. 20 [ABC No.67]
47. Beethoven String Quartet in C major, Op. 59 ‘Razumovsky’ No. 3 [ABC No.83]
48. Rachmaninov Cello Sonata in G minor, Op. 19 [ABC No.100]
49. Beethoven Violin Sonata in F major, Op. 24 ‘Spring’ [ABC No.12]
50. Schubert Piano Trio in B-flat major, D898 [ABC No.16]
51. Beethoven String Quartet in A minor Op. 132 [ABC No.21]
52. Piazzola Oblivion [ABC - unlisted]
53. Brahms Piano Quintet in F minor, Op. 34 [ABC No.23]
54. Schumann Piano Quintet in E-flat major, Op. 44 [ABC No.26]
55. Beethoven String Quartet in C-sharp minor, Op. 131 [ABC No.27]
56. Boccherini Guitar Quintet in D major, G448 [ABC No.35]
57. Pachelbel Canon in D major [ABC No.37]
58. Smetana String Quartet No. 1 in E minor ‘From My Life’ [ABC No.52]
59. Brahms Sextet No. 1 in B-flat major, Op. 18 [ABC No.38]
60. Nielsen Wind Quintet, Op. 43 [ABC No.91]
61. Tchaikovsky Piano Trio in A minor Op. 50 ‘A la mémoire d’un grand artiste (In memory of a great artist)’ [ABC No.30]
62. Dvořák Dumky (Piano Trio No. 4 in E minor), Op. 90 [ABC No.31]
63. Brahms Piano Trio No. 1 in B major, Op. 8 [ABC No.36]
64. Fauré Piano Quartet No.1 in C minor, Op. 15 [ABC No.86]
65. Dvořák Bagatelles, Op. 47 [ABC No.69]
66. Beethoven String Quartet in E major, Op. 74 ‘Harp’ [ABC No.78]
67. Poulenc Sextet for Wind Quintet and Piano, Op. 100 [ABC No.93]
68. Tchaikovsky String Quartet No. 1 in D major, Op. 11 [ABC No.32]
69. Beethoven String Quartet in B-flat major, Op. 130 [ABC No.40]
70. Smetana Piano Trio in G minor [ABC No.46]
71. Beethoven String Quartet in E-flat major, Op. 127 [ABC No.43]
72. Beethoven Violin Sonata in A major, Op. 47 ‘Kreutzer’ [ABC No.50]
73. Arensky Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 32 {ABC No.48]
74. Beethoven Grosse Fuge (Great Fugue), Op. 133 [ABC No.49]
75. Mendelssohn Piano Trio No. 2 in C minor, Op. 66 [ABC No.54]
76. Mozart Oboe Quartet in F major, KV370 [ABC No.51]
77. Schubert Sonata in A minor, D821 ‘Arpeggione’ [ABC No.20]
78. Beethoven Cello Sonata No. 3 in A major, Op. 69 [ABC No.57]
79. Boccherini String Quintet in E major, G275 [ABC No.68]
80. Mozart Horn Quintet in E-flat major, KV407 [ABC No.88]
81. Beethoven String Quartet in F major, Op. 135 [ABC No.61]
82. Mozart String Quartet in B-flat major, KV458 ‘Hunt’ [ABC No.80]
83. Mozart String Trio in E-flat major, KV563 [ABC No.64]
84. Beethoven Piano Trio in D major, Op. 70 ‘Ghost’ No. 1 [ABC No.62]
85. Schubert String Quartet in G major, D887 [ABC No.66]
86. Brahms Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78 {ABC No.71]
87. Hummel Piano Trio in E-flat major, Op. 12 [ABC No.70]
88. Boccherini String Quintet in C major, G324 ‘Night Music from the Streets of Madrid’ [ABC No.79]
89. Bartók String Quartet No.1 [ABC - unlisted]
90. Schumann Piano Quartet in E-flat major, Op. 47 [ABC No.74]
91. Mozart Piano Quartet in G minor, KV478 [ABC No.75]
92. Richard Strauss Violin Sonata in E-flat major, Op. 18 [ABC No.81]
93. Grieg Violin Sonata No. 3 in C minor, Op. 45 {ABC No.85]
94. Dvořák Piano Trio in F minor, Op. 65 [ABC No.95]
95. Beethoven Piano Quintet in E-flat major, Op. 16 {ABC No.82]
96. Hummel Piano Quintet in E-flat, Op. 87 [ABC No.87]
97. Elgar Salut d’amour, Op. 12 [ABC No.97]
98. Sibelius String Quartet in D minor, Op. 56 ‘Voces intimae’ [ABC No.99]
99. Brahms Cello Sonata No. 1 in E minor, Op. 38 [ABC No.94]
100. Mozart Trio for Piano, Clarinet and Viola in E-flat major, KV498 ‘Kegelstatt’ {ABC No.84]

Selected performances in Australia featuring works from White Hat's Top 100 Chamber Music works:

Free Sunday Live Concert - Trio Tasman Trio Tasman was formed at the beginning of 2010 with the aim of bringing chamber music to a wide community audience. Shan Deng (piano), Jeremy Williams (violin) and Patrick Murphy (cello) are all lecturers at the Conservatorium of Music, University of Tasmania. Today they will perform two Beethoven works: Beethoven Piano Trio in B flat, Op 39: Allegro Beethoven Piano Trio in B flat, Op 97 (Archduke) (one of White Hat's Top 100 Chamber Works) Please be seated by 2.50pm. The live broadcasts begin promptly at 3.00pm. 3pm, Sunday 18th July 2010 Theatre Royal, 29 Campbell Street, Hobart - Free

Musica Viva - Pavel Haas Quartet - program 1 The Pavel Haas Quartet perform: Paul Stanhope String Quartet no 2 (2009) Dvořák String Quartet no 12 in F major, op 96, ‘American’  (one of White Hat's Top 100 Chamber Works) Pavel Haas String Quartet no 2, op 7, ‘From the Monkey Mountains’ 7.30pm Saturday 31st July, Harold Lobb Concert Hall Newcastle Conservatorium of Music, Newcastle 7pm Monday 2nd August, City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney 7pm Tuesday 10th August, Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne - Enquiries: 1800 688 482

Australian Chamber Orchestra - Viennese Masters Australian Chamber Orchestra Richard Tognetti (Artistic Director and Lead Violin), Satu Vänskä (Violin), Christopher Moore (Viola), Timo-Veikko Valve (Cello), Maxime Bibeau (Double Bass), Craig Hill (Clarinet), Darryl Poulsen (Horn) and Jane Gower (Bassoon) perform: Schubert (arr. Tognetti) Rondo Brilliante, D895 Beethoven Septet, Op.20 (one of White Hat's Top 100 Chamber Works) Brahms Clarinet Quintet (one of White Hat's Top 100 Chamber Works) 8pm, Saturday 25th September, Llewellyn Hall, ANU, Canberra 2.30 pm, Sunday 26th September and 8pm, Monday 27th September, Hamer Hall, The Arts Centre, Melbourne 8pm, Tuesday 28th September, Adelaide Town Hall, Adelaide 8pm, Wednesday 29th September, Perth Concert Hall, Perth 8pm, Tuesday 5th October & Saturday 9th October and 7pm Wednesday 6th October, City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney 8pm, Monday 4th October, QPAC Concert Hall, Brisbane 2.30pm, Sunday 10th October, Sydney Opera House, Sydney 7.30pm, Thursday 7th October, Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, Wollongong - Enquiries: 1800 444 444

Musica Viva - Alina Ibragimova and Cédric Tiberghien Alina Ibragimova (violin) and Cédric Tiberghien (piano) perform: Schubert Sonatina no 3 in G minor, D408 Brahms Violin Sonata no 1 in G major, op 78 (one of White Hat's Top 100 Chamber Works) Szymanowski Mythes, op 30 Richard Strauss Violin Sonata in E flat major, op 18 8pm Saturday 2nd October, Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne 7pm Thursday 7th October, Llewellyn Hall, Canberra 1.30pm Saturday 16th October,, City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney - Enquiries: 1800 688 482

Trout Quintet Chamber music performed by members of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Monica Curro (violin), Sarah Curro (violin), Robert Macindoe (violin), Katharine Brockman (viola), Lauren Brigden (viola), Gabrielle Halloran (viola), Miranda Brockman (cello), Sharon Draper (cello), Rachel Atkinson (cello), Sylvia Hosking (double bass) and Caroline Almonte (piano). Schoenberg Transfigured night (one of White Hat's Top 100 Chamber Works) Schubert Piano Quintet in A Major, D.667 (The Trout) (one of White Hat's Top 100 Chamber Works) 11am Sunday 31st October 2010 Iwaki Auditorium, Melbourne -

Musica Viva - Atos Trio - program 1 Atos Trio perform: Rachmaninov Piano Trio no 1 in G minor, ‘Trio élégiaque’ (1892) Schumann Piano Trio no 2 in F major, op 80 Paul Stanhope Piano Trio Dolcissimo Uscignolo (2007) Mendelssohn Piano Trio no 2 in C minor, op 66 (one of White Hat's Top 100 Chamber Works) 7.30pm Tuesday 2nd November, Perth Concert Hall, Perth 8pm Thursday 4th November,, Adelaide Town Hall, Adelaide 7pm Tuesday 16th November, Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne 7.30pm Saturday 20th November, Harold Lobb Concert Hall Newcastle Conservatorium of Music, Newcastle 7pm Monday 22nd November,, City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney - Enquiries: 1800 688 482

Musica Viva - Atos Trio - program 2 Atos Trio perform: Paul Stanhope Piano Trio Dolcissimo Uscignolo (2007) Brahms Piano Trio no 3 in C minor, op 101 Schubert Piano Trio no 1 in B flat major, D898 (one of White Hat's Top 100 Chamber Works) 7pm, Wednesday 10th November, Conservatorium Theatre, Brisbane 8pm Saturday 6th November, Elisabeth Murdoch Hall, Melbourne Recital Centre, Melbourne 7pm Thursday 11th November, Llewellyn Hall, Canberra 1.30pm Saturday 13th November, City Recital Hall, Angel Place, Sydney - Enquiries: 1800 688 482

Benaud Trio - Concert 4 - Café Music The Benaud Trio perform: Schubert Piano Trio in Bb Op.99 (one of White Hat's Top 100 Chamber Works) Paul Schofield Cafe Music 6pm, Saturday 27th November 2010 Salon, Melbourne Recital Centre - Enquiries: 03 9699 3333