Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe [1929-2014] wrote seventeen string quartets, the first five of which are considered lost.
This CD contains three string quartets, Nos. 8, 11 and 13.
String quartet No. 11, titled Jaribu Dreaming contains two movements. The first opens with an aggressive cello riff, more reminiscent of rock music than a string quartet. A solo violin floats beautifully across this riff and the other musicians enter at differing times. Sculthorpe invokes his trademark use of seabird sounds from the violins. The music then enters a short violent phrase, which fades into a dialogue between the two violins, with viola accompaniment. A strong passage follows, very rhythmic before going out on birdsong. A solo violin starts the second movement and, following a brief chaotic section, morphs into the standard quartet style. Further seabird sounds are heard. The violin soars above an insistent cello motif for a time. The texture becomes dense and then recedes. The violin soars again, birdsong reappears and the density resumes. The violin, inspired by the birds, reaches great heights. Suddenly,the piece ends in a cacophony of seabird sounds and fades away.
Quartet No. 13, featuring vocalist Anne Sophie von Otter, is in one movement, and, for me, is the centrepiece of the CD. It opens with solo vocal before the ensemble enters in solo, and supporting roles. This is a divine moment; the wordless vocals blend perfectly with the quartet. This piece is ultimately a soundscape with solo vocal and the other instruments phasing in and out. The accent then shifts to a new rhythm, but a similar feeling, with the still wordless vocals. This is a wonderful passage. The ending begins with a gentle vocal and an ensemble motif, which gives the music substance. The final notes are a long vocal phrase. This is a magnificent piece, beautifully realised. The original recording, by the Goldners, did not feature a vocalist.
Quartet No. 8 is in five movements. It was written in 1969 and is of its time. A peaceful, abstract opening gives way to more birdsong. A solo cello concludes the movement. The next opens with a pizzicato section, to my mind, not particularly successfully. This is soon over and a plaintive violin laments over a sparse accompaniment. Suddenly, the opening pizzicato reappears with a few non-musical sounds. It finishes on a single, loud Bartok pizzicato cello note.
The third movement opens with a solo cello section before being paired with a violin for a time. The ensemble enter to complete the mood. This has such an emotional depth! The rest of the piece is basically for solo cello; the other strings enter for one chord to bring it to a conclusion. The third pizzicato movement sounds dated, very 1960’s Modernism. The fourth movement is a bit the same with abstract interjections. The only real music comes from the cello.
I once had a chat with Peter Sculthorpe. It was at a concert in Perth with gifted local cellist Sophie Curtis playing his Requiem for Solo Cello. He was quite happy to talk about his string quartets. The conversation ended rather rapidly when he told me he was going to arrange all of his quartets with a part for didgeridoo. That was too much for me to take!
This CD, Island Dreaming, on the Challenge Classics label is played by the Brodsky Quartet with guest vocalist Anne Sophie von Otter. I think the concept works well. The disc is freely available on Amazon UK and US.
It is also on Spotify if you wish to sample it. This CD, along with several other Sculthorpe quartets, is also on YouTube and earsense.
Listenability: Apart from a little 1960’s Modernism, a great pleasure.