RUSSIAN STRING QUARTETS – A Compilation

This CD contains music by five Russian composers. I have selected the two longest works to discuss.

Elena Firsova [born 1950] has written at least twelve string quartets, most of which have never been recorded. Her Fourth, titled Amoroso (loving) from 1989, is in one movement.

A quiet, sustained chord opens the work; several other softly, sustained slightly atonal chords follow. The first violin begins to express a melody containing long notes and the second violin complements it. With the ensemble in full voice the melodies become slightly confronting, but only for a time. A return to the opening feeling is wonderful, leading to a passage for the two violins which has an abstract beauty all of its own. The cello entrance initiates a tension with the violins moving into a brief agitated moment. Pizzicato notes follow, over a sustained cello tone leading to a return to another ambient atmosphere as the violins drift peacefully in a tonal manner. This mood is sustained and the violins contribute to a fascinating soundscape. An increase in tension and a tonal ambiguity is heard, as the violins bring forth torrid melodic lines. Atonal violin thrusts are quite aggressive, with many glissandos before a brief pizzicato section is followed by a pause. Now the opening mood is recreated with soft, shrill violins combining with strange harmonies. The viola and cello offer up atonal mutterings as the tension begins to rise again. With the end approaching, the tension recedes and leads to an almost inaudible fluttering violin to conclude. This is a fascinating, other-worldly piece.

Dmitri Nikolaevich Smirnov [born 1948] has written at least eight quartets, but again, most of them have not been recorded. I am going to discuss String Quartet No. 2, from 1985, which is in two movements.

A dominant violin leads the ensemble into this work, in a rather vague manner. Some agitation follows and there is a scurrying of violins. This has a very modernist sound as string sound effects are superimposed on the violin’s dissonant lines and there are several conversations going on simultaneously. A pause brings about a peace, based on a cello drone as the violin makes bird-like assertions. The second violin adds to the harmonic background with slow, interesting melodies. Another pause doesn’t change the sound, except perhaps making it a little quieter. The end is a wispy solo violin statement.

The second movement commences very sparsely with a violin expressing long tones over an occasional pizzicato cello. Another violin and a viola join in the accompaniment, with the mood still being retained. Slowly the first violin edges into its high register, supported by the second violin. The mood is delicate and a harmonised melody begins to develop – this brings a feeling of great depth and emotion. The mood now becomes more rhythmic, but the sound is still very measured. A return to the sparsity is quite precious as a long solo violin section unfolds before the ensemble enter again, all the while retaining the sensitive feeling. Nearing the end, there is a slight fluttering of a violin but it concludes with a handful of solo violin tones.

The review CD, Russian String Quartets, on the RCA Catalyst label and performed by the Chilingirian Quartet also contains brief works by Igor Stravinsky and Alfred Schnittke, together with a fascinating rhythmic piece by Nikolai Roslavets, a composer I intend to discuss in a future edition. The music has been on two separate releases, one of which is still available on Amazon UK. It is download only at Amazon US and Presto Classical. There are also several New and Used copies at Amazon resellers.

This disc is on Spotify and both of the discussed quartets are on YouTube and earsense.

Listenability: Russian string quartet music in a broad range of styles.

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