I. Allegro maestoso
II. Lento ed espressivo
III. Allegro giocoso
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Benjamin Britten composed his String Quartet in D in 1931. It was by no means his first string quartet as he had written several 'immature' quartets by this time (many before he was just 12 years of age). It was, however, the first to show a more cohesive style, with much greater fluency than his previous String Quartet in F major and the first to bring pictures of his beloved Suffolk to many commentators' minds. It was completed during Britten's second year of study at the Royal College of Music, when he was 17 years old. His often critical mentor, Frank Bridge, called its counterpoint "too vocal" but his main teacher, John Ireland (who he hated) and his piano teacher, Arthur Benjamin, disagreed with this assessment and praised it highly. It was played through privately by the Stratton Quartet in 1932 and, at the time, Britten was "very pleased... it sounds more or less as I intended it". However, the ultra sensitive (to criticism) Britten still decided to shelve it so it did not receive an opus number.
In the face of pressure from some of Britten's supporters, in 1974, Britten revised it for publication, urged on by the Mahler and Britten biographer, Donald Mitchell, who was a keen advocate of the piece. Even then, Britten made a substantial cut in the last movement as well as more minor amendments, elsewhere.
It's in 3 movements and it's suggested by some that the music of the madrigals, that he was singing and studying at the time, played a key role in its composition. Other commentators opine that it should be treated as a single movement composition (the first and second movement should be played attaca).
Whatever, it's a decent if flawed work that AI rather like. Certainly it's got better part-writing than his earlier SQ pieces.
The initial Allegro Maestoso begins well, with unison playing. A number of ideas are played with until gradually the viola comes to the fore and plays a lovely, melodic first theme a few minutes in. The music becomes a little more abstract, harmonically unfocused and meandering after this until just after halfway, where the violin calls like a distant bird evoking those visual images of Suffolk that were to become so familiar in Britten’s music. This is followed by a nice bit of pizzicato. This rather striking moment for me, arguably, signals the start of Britten's mature string quartets. Gradually, the movement peters out, ending peacefully.
The 2nd movement is an expressive Lento and it's a quite beautiful one. Perhaps Bridge's criticism of the piece was that he heard a little of his own 3 Idylls music in this movement. Who knows? Whatever, it's full of ethereal violin melodies floating over a very Brittenesque, harmonic accompaniment. The mood is sombre but serene. It's my favourite movement of this work and a delightful heart to this work.
The 3rd movement, Allegro giocoso, is a tarantella and begins with what one critic described as "excited chatter". The music again meanders quite a bit after this initial opening section with a large fugal section in pizzicato (which, naturally, I love). It was after here that Britten really made most of his revisions, making major cuts and trying to bring everything together, so that those meandering harmonies are given a purpose. I obviously don't know the original work but he succeeds to some degree in that respect as the material never outstays its welcome, even if it's still a little unfocused, and I like the textures of this final movement. As I said earlier, for me this quartet marks a starting point for Britten's more mature SQ style.
There's not too many recordings so I'll talk through them below but the great news is that none of these accounts are less than impressive so you can buy with great confidence that you'll hear a quality effort. Sadly I never got to hear the Gabrieli Quartet's 1979 analogue release (that I don't think has ever made it to cd). What a shame!
The Utrecht Quartet, on their Britten Early quartets release on the Cobra label, play with great skill and this is an easily recommendable recording from a fine disc of early Britten music. However, for me, they don't quite capture that very English 'Brittenesque' sound evocative of the Suffolk countryside. The recording is excellent and you can't knock the ensemble work but I'd have liked more restraint, a slower pace and better textures in the Lento movement, in particular. That's a minor quibble. This is still very good stuff.
Again, just below my favourite recordings here are the Britten Quartet who are in very good form throughout this very well-realised account. For them textures are everything and they really do get Britten' s soundworld. The recorded sound is very good, indeed and my only reason for knocking it down a little is that the pizzicato sections sound a little clunkier than I'd like and don't flow as well in comparison to the competition. Saying that there's no way you'd be disappointed with this fine traversal.
If you've read my other Britten blog reviews you'll know that I rate the Emperor Quartet's Britten recordings very highly. This is also an easily recommendable, high quality performance however, if I'm being honest, their barber approach doesn't really capture Britten's unique earlier soundscapes as well as they did in his numbered quartets. This is particularly true of the first 2 movements where I prefer the fuller sound of other efforts more. Saying that, this is an impressive account, in great sound.
The Endellion Quartet's 1996 traversal is also of the highest calibre. I've seen the Endellion live and they are excellent in a live setting yet some of their studio recordings don't always capture their richness and warmth. Thankfully this one does! This is another high-ranking recording that you should definitely try to hear. The Endellion are rich in ensemble and texturally spot-on throughout. A beautiful slow movement is at the heart of this lovely release.
Top Pick
However, the recording that really gets to the heart of the music, for me, is the Sorrel Quartet's tremendous account. Chandos's sound is ripe and catches the quartet in full bloom. The first movement is a quasi-symphonic delight and the beaitiful Lento is just delicious in their sensitive yet assured hands. All of the Sorrel's Britten recordings are top quality but this is possibly my favourite of the lot, bringing out Britten's warming harmonies, colours and textures in fine detail. A heart-wrenching effort from the now sadly defunct, all-female, British ensemble. Get it!
www.talkclassical.com
II. Lento ed espressivo
III. Allegro giocoso
Benjamin Britten composed his String Quartet in D in 1931. It was by no means his first string quartet as he had written several 'immature' quartets by this time (many before he was just 12 years of age). It was, however, the first to show a more cohesive style, with much greater fluency than his previous String Quartet in F major and the first to bring pictures of his beloved Suffolk to many commentators' minds. It was completed during Britten's second year of study at the Royal College of Music, when he was 17 years old. His often critical mentor, Frank Bridge, called its counterpoint "too vocal" but his main teacher, John Ireland (who he hated) and his piano teacher, Arthur Benjamin, disagreed with this assessment and praised it highly. It was played through privately by the Stratton Quartet in 1932 and, at the time, Britten was "very pleased... it sounds more or less as I intended it". However, the ultra sensitive (to criticism) Britten still decided to shelve it so it did not receive an opus number.
In the face of pressure from some of Britten's supporters, in 1974, Britten revised it for publication, urged on by the Mahler and Britten biographer, Donald Mitchell, who was a keen advocate of the piece. Even then, Britten made a substantial cut in the last movement as well as more minor amendments, elsewhere.
It's in 3 movements and it's suggested by some that the music of the madrigals, that he was singing and studying at the time, played a key role in its composition. Other commentators opine that it should be treated as a single movement composition (the first and second movement should be played attaca).
Whatever, it's a decent if flawed work that AI rather like. Certainly it's got better part-writing than his earlier SQ pieces.
The initial Allegro Maestoso begins well, with unison playing. A number of ideas are played with until gradually the viola comes to the fore and plays a lovely, melodic first theme a few minutes in. The music becomes a little more abstract, harmonically unfocused and meandering after this until just after halfway, where the violin calls like a distant bird evoking those visual images of Suffolk that were to become so familiar in Britten’s music. This is followed by a nice bit of pizzicato. This rather striking moment for me, arguably, signals the start of Britten's mature string quartets. Gradually, the movement peters out, ending peacefully.
The 2nd movement is an expressive Lento and it's a quite beautiful one. Perhaps Bridge's criticism of the piece was that he heard a little of his own 3 Idylls music in this movement. Who knows? Whatever, it's full of ethereal violin melodies floating over a very Brittenesque, harmonic accompaniment. The mood is sombre but serene. It's my favourite movement of this work and a delightful heart to this work.
The 3rd movement, Allegro giocoso, is a tarantella and begins with what one critic described as "excited chatter". The music again meanders quite a bit after this initial opening section with a large fugal section in pizzicato (which, naturally, I love). It was after here that Britten really made most of his revisions, making major cuts and trying to bring everything together, so that those meandering harmonies are given a purpose. I obviously don't know the original work but he succeeds to some degree in that respect as the material never outstays its welcome, even if it's still a little unfocused, and I like the textures of this final movement. As I said earlier, for me this quartet marks a starting point for Britten's more mature SQ style.
There's not too many recordings so I'll talk through them below but the great news is that none of these accounts are less than impressive so you can buy with great confidence that you'll hear a quality effort. Sadly I never got to hear the Gabrieli Quartet's 1979 analogue release (that I don't think has ever made it to cd). What a shame!
The Utrecht Quartet, on their Britten Early quartets release on the Cobra label, play with great skill and this is an easily recommendable recording from a fine disc of early Britten music. However, for me, they don't quite capture that very English 'Brittenesque' sound evocative of the Suffolk countryside. The recording is excellent and you can't knock the ensemble work but I'd have liked more restraint, a slower pace and better textures in the Lento movement, in particular. That's a minor quibble. This is still very good stuff.
Again, just below my favourite recordings here are the Britten Quartet who are in very good form throughout this very well-realised account. For them textures are everything and they really do get Britten' s soundworld. The recorded sound is very good, indeed and my only reason for knocking it down a little is that the pizzicato sections sound a little clunkier than I'd like and don't flow as well in comparison to the competition. Saying that there's no way you'd be disappointed with this fine traversal.
If you've read my other Britten blog reviews you'll know that I rate the Emperor Quartet's Britten recordings very highly. This is also an easily recommendable, high quality performance however, if I'm being honest, their barber approach doesn't really capture Britten's unique earlier soundscapes as well as they did in his numbered quartets. This is particularly true of the first 2 movements where I prefer the fuller sound of other efforts more. Saying that, this is an impressive account, in great sound.
The Endellion Quartet's 1996 traversal is also of the highest calibre. I've seen the Endellion live and they are excellent in a live setting yet some of their studio recordings don't always capture their richness and warmth. Thankfully this one does! This is another high-ranking recording that you should definitely try to hear. The Endellion are rich in ensemble and texturally spot-on throughout. A beautiful slow movement is at the heart of this lovely release.
Top Pick
However, the recording that really gets to the heart of the music, for me, is the Sorrel Quartet's tremendous account. Chandos's sound is ripe and catches the quartet in full bloom. The first movement is a quasi-symphonic delight and the beaitiful Lento is just delicious in their sensitive yet assured hands. All of the Sorrel's Britten recordings are top quality but this is possibly my favourite of the lot, bringing out Britten's warming harmonies, colours and textures in fine detail. A heart-wrenching effort from the now sadly defunct, all-female, British ensemble. Get it!
Merl's Blogged String Quartet and String Quintet...
As some of you are aware I started blogging my recommended string quartet recordings a while back as I didn't want to lose them in the Weekly String Quartet thread. However, blogging on TC has many limitations and there was no way to link all my posts in one place without the page disappearing...
www.talkclassical.com
