Swiss Early Modern composer Ernest Bloch [1880–1959] wrote five string quartets, over a period of forty years from 1916 to 1956. I previously discussed his Second Quartet in September, 2017. He also wrote a student work, in G major, coincidentally in the same year, 1896, as Arnold Schoenberg’s classic student work in D major. The CD under discussion contains that student work, along with a selection of fine short pieces for the genre. These works are mostly named, and contain a lot of program music, which evokes the sound of concrete objects. Some of them also reveal Bloch’s Jewish spiritual proclivity with very emotionally moving pieces. I am very fond of this aspect of Bloch’s music.
Prelude – Recueillement (Contemplation) begins with a moving solo violin statement that is passed around among the other players. This leads into an ensemble passage until the cello has a solo moment before returning to the ensemble feeling – this is a wonderful passage, with magnificent writing. The composer fits a lot of intensity into this brief work, befitting its title.
Landscapes is in three named movements.
North opens with a shrill violin over a sustained string background, before moving into an ostinato which allows for ambivalent statements from the violins, reminiscent of a Swiss horn, with a modal character. The pulse is shared by all instruments, allowing each to participate with individual melodic ideas, which continue to the conclusion.
Alpestre (Alpine) features another solo violin introduction, as the ensemble again hold sustained chords. This is followed by a richly harmonised passage before a brief pause brings a sense of abstraction, rich with the sound of cello musings and probing violin lines.
Tongataboo, for which I could not find a translation but apparently evokes the music of the inhabitants of the island of Tongatapu in the Tongan archipelago. Bloch spent time in the South Pacific (information courtesy of Hyperion Records). This piece sets dramatic violin tones against strong percussive rhythmic interjections. With very little melody, it sounds incongruous when compared to the two preceding movements.
Prayer, the first movement of Bloch’s From Jewish Life is a marvellous, resonant piece featuring a moving cello part, set to a sympathetic accompaniment. The expressive nature of the cello melodies is stunning and, as the piece moves forward, lamenting violin melodies begin to appear, with sweeping lines. Nearing the end, the cello is emotionally intense until it drifts to a conclusion. It certainly lives up to the title.
Deux Pieces (Two Pieces) is just that. The first, marked andante is the most abstract, mysterious music heard thus far. Glissando violin lines express against an uncomfortable accompaniment. This is very Modern as the piece is dominated by intrusive interjections, from all instruments. The second movement is rhythmically piercing and again, features a Modern sound with dissonant melodies. A change brings about a gentler harmony and the music drops to a sensitive rubato section. Gradually, hints of the opening eventually lead back into the strong feeling of the opening. The end is a dramatic flourish.
Night, marked andante moderato is an eerie soundscape as the cello rumbles while the violins probe with uncertain melodies. The intensity is low and this creates another mysterious soundscape which is sustained for the duration.
In The Mountains – Haute Savoie, (an alpine region of France), Two Sketches.
Dusk again evokes a tonally ambivalent nature and is pure program music. The mood is fascinating as shrill violins express against a turgid background, with the feeling persisting for the whole of the piece.
Rustic Dance is possibly the most conservative music on the CD. A light and airy opening and of course, dance-like character, meanders through positive territory. A cello reaches skyward and this is a signal for the mood to become more insistent, yet also somewhat folk-like. A melodic section ends with a final flourish.
I won’t be discussing the student string quartet as I believe it doesn’t have much to offer in its 32 minutes duration. Some student works are of interest but in my opinion, not this one.
The review CD, titled Bloch: Landscapes – Music for String Quartet and performed by the Galatea Quartet on the Sony Music Classical label is available on Amazon UK as a CD. It is listed as New and Used from Amazon US, and is also offered as a download, which could be an attractive proposition if you ignore the student quartet.
The disc is on Spotify and all works can be heard on earsense and YouTube.
Listenability: A dose mostly of Bloch’s usual serious nature.