Bla Bartk (1881-1945) composed a total of six string quartets, which are considered 20th-century milestones in the genre. STRING QUARTET No. 1 in A minor, Op. 7/ Sz. 40 was composed between 1908 and 1909. The first movement is largely inspired by Bartk’s unhappy and unrequited love for violinist Stefi Geyer, which in a letter to her he called a “funeral dirge.” The following two movements are much faster, and the work ends happily. The work premiered on March 19, 1910 in Budapest by the Waldbauer-Kerpely Quartet. Reprint edition.