Agreed about the Sonata, Steve.  After reading you post, I listened to
the Rosen recording of the Sonata and the Night Fantasies, and to the
Composers Quartet recording of the First and Second Quartets.  The First
Quartet is an excellent introduction to the composer's mature style, and
this Nonesuch recording is probably the best there is.  The Quartet unfolds
over 40 minutes and includes just about every quartet texture imagineable.
The piece is relatively easy to follow, but is still challenging.

"Stephen Hicken" <[log in to unmask]>