Am having trouble determining which string quartets rival Bartok's in the 20th century. The Ravel one is certainly in the discussion, but one can also make a case for the four by Elliott Carter, the four by Arnold Schoenberg, the op. 5 and 9 and 28 of Anton Webern, the "Lyric Suite" of Alban Berg, the 15 Dmitri Shostakovich quartets, and the Janacek 2nd quartet. All are extraordinary pieces. Have reworded the first entry to reflect this. I do think the Bartok are arguably the finest of the century, though.
Am having trouble determining which string quartets rival Bartok's in the 20th century. The Ravel one is certainly in the discussion, but one can also make a case for the four by Elliott Carter, the four by Arnold Schoenberg, the op. 5 and 9 and 28 of Anton Webern, the "Lyric Suite" of Alban Berg, the 15 Dmitri Shostakovich quartets, and the Janacek 2nd quartet. All are extraordinary pieces. Have reworded the first entry to reflect this. I do think the Bartok are arguably the finest of the century, though.