Benjamin Britten - String Quartet No. 1, Op. 25
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- čas přidán 27. 04. 2024
- Benjamin Britten (1913 - 1976) - String Quartet No. 1 in D major, Op. 25 (1941)
I. Andante sostenuto - Allegro vivo [0:00]
II. Allegretto con slancio [9:13]
III. Andante calmo [12:21]
IV. Molto vivace [22:36]
Maggini Quartet (1998)
Britten's String Quartet No. 1 is his first numbered string quartet, although he had written a few compositions for string quartet earlier in his life. The work is in four movements and typically lasts around 26 minutes. The first and third movements, at about 10 minutes each, are much longer than the second and fourth, at about 3 minutes each.
"In July 1941, while still in the States, Britten received a $400 commission from an American patroness, Mrs Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, which presented him with the opportunity to compose his ‘official’ String Quartet No 1. Mrs Coolidge was a passionate devotee of the genre, and had already commissioned Bartók’s Fifth Quartet (1934) and Schoenberg’s Fourth (1936). Britten’s contribution was composed in the humble surroundings of a tool shed located in the garden of Ethel Bartlett and Rae Robertson, the British husband-and-wife piano duo who were his hosts during a stay in California. The finished quartet was first performed in September 1941 in Los Angeles, and earned its composer the Library of Congress Coolidge Medal for Eminent Services to Chamber Music. It is evident from Britten’s correspondence that his attitude to the commission was somewhat ambivalent. To his friend Elizabeth Mayer he confessed that the project would be ‘a bit of a sweat to do it so quickly, but I’ll do it as the cash will be useful!’, and to his older brother Robert he reported:
'I’m to be presented with a gold medal at the Library of Congress in Washington in October, by Mrs Sprague Coolidge (the rich patroness of music, friend of Frank Bridge) for services to chamber music! Gettin’ quite distinguished arn’t I? But it doesn’t mean any money, unless I sell the medal, which wouldn’t be quite quite. Still the old girl has just bought a String Quartet off me for quite a sum, which will keep the wolf away for a bit, so I can’t complain.'
More seriously, however, Britten told his benefactress that he rated the quartet as ‘my best piece so far’, and the Times critic wrote after its first English performance by the Griller Quartet in April 1943: ‘It looks as though he has begun to advance from his easy accomplishment into some new phase of development in his thought which will be watched with interest.’ The reviewer went on to describe the musical idiom as ‘unconventional’ and ‘experimental’ with its ‘harshly contrasted elements’, referring to the juxtapositions of passages in slow and quick tempos in the first movement inspired by Beethoven’s B flat major Quartet, Op 130. The ethereal diatonic opening to the work suggests the strong influence of neoclassical Stravinsky, as distinctively modified by the music of Copland, by whom Britten was befriended at the time of composition."
"The work immediately demonstrates Britten's extraordinary ear for instrumental sound with the high close intervals of the two violins against cello pizzicato, a soundscape that he would return to in Peter Grimes' Dawn Sea Interlude. This Tempo I episode contrasts in a Rondo form with the faster, lower sounds of the Tempo II Allegro vivo. After the brittle, march-like Scherzo with its parallels with Shostakovich, premonitions of Grimes (the Moonlight Sea Interlude) return in the 5/4 gently rocking sea swell of the Andantino calmo, a calm which is interrupted by a forceful, declamatory middle section. Further contrasting passages in the last movement include the scherzo-like rapidly running counterpoint of its opening, sharp, punctuated chords and the strong unison theme from the two violins and viola."
(sources: Wikipedia, www.hyperion-records.co.uk/dw..., www.lifesci.sussex.ac.uk/home/...) - Hudba
A magical opening to this quartet. Britten was to rework this idea a number of times in other works e.g. opening on Canticle 2 but was never able to improve upon it. I personally prefer this quartet to no 2 & 3. It has the confidence of youth without any lack of technique needed to pull it off.
I prefer it also, but we are in the minority.
Thank you for posting this. One of my personal all-time favorites. A work of incredible, heart wrenching delicacy and profundity.
After hearing that, I'm falling back in love with Britten! Thanks for posting.
I've had that experience with a few composers. Hindemith comes to mind.
Many thanks for the upload + score! Have been waiting a long time for this.
Thank you for this. Great to see the score alongside this and Quartet No 3. Any chance of seeing No 2 soon?
Fourth movement: Wow!
I think this piece sounds like Beethoven would live longer about 171 years old to compose a quartet.
Cool
If anyone is interested listening to Britten's "Simple Symphony" op.4 whilst watching the whole score,
Here it is:
czcams.com/video/cSvSOWbNNMI/video.html
yorgos lanthimos used this to make more refined and soothing scene.
I almost cried when i see that scene of the movie
@@kawaiimele9510 I love u
@@kawaiimele9510 Which movie please :) :)
@@ryanbuxtonmusic the lobster 2015 Y. Lanthimos
Which film???
baaaaai yum . . . bada tadada tadada ta dum
Britten wants to show up in my autoplay algorithm after I cleared my watch history. Exciting stuff relatively speaking. Seems to anticipate many modern gestures but i find it achingly traditional. I prefer his modern moves to Ives' who can be a bit pretentious but I will confirm that by listening to Ives. Elliott Carter learned something here. That is what CZcams is telling me.
Oh, dear. There are many works of Britten I listen to over and over with great pleasure, but his more abstract style often leaves me cold. This is music that is fun to play, but agonizing to listen to. I mean, how many measures of pianississimo skittering strings playing in their highest registers do we need? May we not have a little more charm and winsomeness?
Reading the other comments it is clear that not everyone finds it 'agonising' ! Perhaps more to do with you than the music?
I would argue that any recording will detract from the timbre Britten aims to achieve here. Although I have never heard this quartet live I would imagine it may sound more pleasing in a concert hall
Luke Townshend Excellent point! Of course hearing it live would be a wholly different experience. Thanks!
adrian wright No doubt you’re right. I find his early works are so sunny, quirky, and energetic, but, to me, the later works have a tendency to be a bit static and shrill. Certainly not all. Death in Venice may be rather static, but it has many episodes full of richly, warm music.
@@luketownshend5524 I think it sounds wonderful!