Hilding Rosenberg (1892-1985) is one of the greatest modernist pioneers of the 20th century Swedish music. His music with international focus, combining neo-classicism(both German and French)and the Schonberg school since the early 1920s, was to encompass practically all genre of music‐everything from symphony and opera to short works for vocal and piano. This Sonata No.2, with neo-classical stance, is a relaxed, vigorous divertimento.

　

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) is one of the most famed French composers. Ravel devoted to the splendor of French style music, but has also experimented boldly and successfully with different musical forms. 'Tzigane' (gypsy in French)is a dramatic arrangement of the Romany music,incorporating various advanced violin techniques. This is one of the very popular concert pieces among the highly skilled violinists today.

Eugene Ysaye (1858-1931) is considered to be one of the greatest violinists of not only Belgium but of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His talent extended from being a virtuoso violinist to a composer, conductor and pedagogue. Although he never officially studied composing, he wrote the virtuosity Six Sonatas for violin, which were each dedicated to 6 virtuosi who were in close contact with Ysaye. This No.4 was dedicated to Fritz Kreisler and his style of noble playing. It is believed that in this Sonata No.4, we can hear Ysaye's nostalgia for the old dance music of the Baroque era.

　

　

Dmitry Shostakovich(1906-1975), a Russian composer, composed total of fifteen works for string quartet. All of which, including this very delicate piece with beautiful harmony, which was composed in 1935, are said to express the Russia's societal situation of his time and thread through his rich creative life like some inner odyssey. This No.1 in C major also marked the beginning of his lifelong partnership with the Beethoven Quartet. Shostakovich wrote all 15 quartets with them in mind.

　

　

Franz Schubert (1797-1828) is one of the greatest composers of Vienna, Austria. Of 15 works for string quartets composed by Schubert, 11 of them were composed in his late teens. This "String Quartettsatz" is the first movement of "String Quartet No.12 in C minor" which was never completed. Schuber composed thid piece after some time away from writing works for quartet and it is said to be an innovative work for Schubert's style. Same as the "Unfinished Symphony No.8", this is a brilliant work despite the fragmentary quality and very often performed by musicians today.