Hungarian-Swiss Early Modern composer Sándor Veress [1907–1992] wrote two string quartets. Born in Hungary, he wrote both of these works there before moving to Switzerland in 1949.
The First Quartet commences with a movement marked rubato, quasi recitativo, which is an indication that phrases are to be played like speech, often using the same note. It’s rare to come across a rubato movement marking – it usually just applies to a section of music within a movement, which I guess is what happened here.
Strong violins craft powerful melodies, and then some reserved ones that really speak to me. The slow tempo is underpinned by a morose viola ostinato. A return to the strength features further powerful violin duet lines, with quite aggressive tones. Now the tempo is tightly controlled, in a gentle, mesmerising passage. Some glissandi are heard and the cello is featured as it moves the music into a stilted, rhythmic passage, which borders on the chaotic. Sweeping violin tones negotiate the rhythms before a return to the controlled is heard. I realise now that this movement constantly changes from the dynamic to the cerebral, with the latter being particularly attractive. The end is a stunning violin statement over a passive drone.
The next, andante movement, is a magnificent piece of abstract writing. Lamenting violins predominate, but there is a gently insistent viola motif, which is eventually joined by the cello. For a time we only have the viola until the violins return with probing melodies that strengthen as the passage progresses. The inherent sadness in this music is very appealing to me. The texture slowly recedes to just a cello, then the composer starts to rebuild another introspective phase. One violin expresses randomly over a delicate viola motif until this introspective mood just fades away
The final movement opens dance-like, but a cello quickly leads the ensemble into a pulsing passage, where the dynamics increase and the music cries out. Complicated, strong, swirling rhythmic phrases lead to a brief relief before again embarking on an agitated passage. The intensity resets one more time, and a gentle violin quickly becomes dynamic again to conclude on a flourish.
This a relatively brief work so I thought that I would also consider the andante movement of the Second Quartet, which is the emotional heart of that work. This formidable movement opens with wistful melodies, and sometimes a touch of glissando. The sparsity of this section is most attractive and leads to a slight mood change, led by the cello. A quiet violin ostinato is a signal for an increased density, which doesn’t last and we are soon back to lamenting violins over a drone background. This shimmering section is most alluring as the violins plead in their endeavours. The peace in this music is overwhelming – I could listen to this for hours.
Now the composer begins to build a tempo and the dynamics lift as the violins interact with great beauty before moving into a viola ostinato, which comes and goes as the music progresses. The conclusion is a long period of gentle ensemble sounds, ending on a pizzicato stroke. This is a wonderful movement, and just happens to be the longest on the CD.
The review CD, Complete Music for String Quartet, performed by the Basel String Quartet on the Toccata Classics label also contains a modern Concerto for String Quartet and Orchestra, from 1961. It is available on Amazon UK but only as a download from Amazon US. Downloading could be an attractive proposition as I think the two quartets would be enough.
The CD is on Spotify and there are several versions of the quartets on earsense and YouTube.
Listenability: Fascinating, non-confronting cerebral works.