Sibelius' String Quartet in D minor Op.56 Voces Intimae was composed 1908-1909 between the Third and Fourth symphonies, and is the only major work for string quartet of his mature period. The Engegård’s delivery is alert and assured and they pack plenty of personality into their playing. After a slow introduction a buoyant saltarello takes centre stage. The Intermezzo has rhythmic power and drive. The Romanza which follows is generous on memorable melody, and the quartet make the contrasts between joyous lyricism and a more agitated section. The players have an eye on the bigger picture, keeping a tight grip on the narrative. The many disparate elements of the movement may cause the music to meander in some performances, but not here. There’s forceful declamation in the opening chord of the first movement, which grabs your attention immediately. The Engegård’s account is intense and passionate. Grieg employs a good deal of double-stopping which creates a full-bodied, rich orchestral sonority. The chromaticism, richly textured harmonies and bold modulations certainly have a progressive feel. The work dispels any pre-conceived notions that Grieg was at heart only a miniaturist. Debussy was very taken by the work, and it influenced him to compose his sole quartet in 1893, also in G minor. It is announced at the beginning of the quartet in unison, woven into the fabric throughout, and makes a return in the last movement. He borrowed from his own music, in this case the ‘ Spillemænd’ (fiddlers) song from his group of Ibsen settings, Op. In common with César Franck’s Piano Quartet of the same year, it incorporates elements of cyclical design. 27 dates from 1878 when he was thirty-five, and sits between an early student work which was lost and the third quartet which was left unfinished. The Engegård Quartet are completely new to me, but I see that they’ve recorded the Grieg previously in 2007 for the 2L label. The only other recording of the Grieg that I have is played by the Hagen Quartet (MYR007). I found two recordings in my collection featuring the two works: the 1989 recording by the Guarneri Quartet (426 286), and a Biddulph recording from the 1930s with the Budapest String Quartet (LAB 098 and now in a Warner Sibelius box). Apart from what some perceive as a permeating ‘Nordic sound’, what is more definite is that each composer left only one mature work in this medium, despite some early attempts. I was quite surprised how many times the Grieg and Sibelius String Quartets have been yoked on disc. String Quartet in D minor Op.56 Voces Intimae (1909) įelix Remix (String Quartet No.4) (2014) Įngegård Quartet (Arvid Engegård, Alex Robson (violins) Juliet Jopling (viola) Jan Clemens Carlsen (cello)) String Quartet in G minor, Op.27 (1877-78) Support us financially by purchasing this from
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