String Quartet No. 4

work by Schoenberg

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July 14, 2026

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String Quartet No. 4 is a work by Arnold Schoenberg, composed in 1936. It is an example of 12-tone music, a compositional technique Schoenberg developed. In this method, all 12 tones of the chromatic scale are used in a specific order, known as a 12-tone row, to provide a new basis for musical structure, replacing traditional tonality. The 12-tone row for String Quartet No. 4 is D–C♯–A–B♭–F–E♭–E–C–A♭–G–F♯–B. This technique ensures no single note predominates, creating a unique harmonic and melodic framework for the composition.1

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12-tone music
… (1924) is E♭–G–A–B–C♯–C–B♭–D–E–F♯–A♭–F; for his String Quartet No. 4 (1936) it is D–C♯–A–B♭–F–E♭–E–C–A♭–G–F♯–B.
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… (1924) is E♭–G–A–B–C♯–C–B♭–D–E–F♯–A♭–F; for his String Quartet No. 4 (1936) it is D–C♯–A–B♭–F–E♭–E–C–A♭–G–F♯–B.
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