String Quartet (Franck) String Quartet (Franck) The String Quartet in D major is the only string quartet composed by César Franck. The work was written from 1889 to 1890. The creative life of Franck is broadly divided into three periods. During the first period (1841–1858), when his ambitious father forced him to be active as a virtuoso pianist, Franck wrote works for chamber music, including four piano trios numbered as the composer's Opp. 1 and 2. Franck received advice from Franz Liszt, who commented, about 40 years later, on hearing an organ performance by Franck at Sainte-Clotilde, Paris, "How could I ever forget
Hampton String Quartet Hampton String Quartet The Hampton String Quartet, considered by many to be one of the founders of the "alternative music" genré of chamber music, is a string quartet specializing in rock music and other popular styles, playing serious chamber music arrangements of songs using classical composer influences and frequently quoting or paraphrasing snippets from their works. For example, their arrangement of "Earth Angel" is a paraphrase of Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D, and Reed's "Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da" quotes Franz Schubert's "Erlkönig." According to the liner notes of their 1986 debut album, "What if Mozart wrote 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,'"