French female composer Francoise Choveaux [born 1953] has written at least four string quartets.
Both Quartets Nos. 1 and 2 are in three movements.
The First Quartet, titled Memories of Flanders begins with a slow movement, of some beauty. A lone violin produces a melancholy mood with a plucked cello giving the music substance – this goes on for some time, until a second violin enters with a sparse line. Now the cello returns to arco and briefly moves to the front of the ensemble. This is followed by a passage for the two violins and a section of stunning writing, the quiet melancholy is extraordinary. The ensemble enter, with the cello prominent – it doesn’t last however and the cello goes solo with a haunting melody, leading to the return of the violin. The cello becomes busy and the intensity goes up a notch as the violins drift upwards. A quiet passage ensues and the two violins harmonise each other, this is a very sparse feeling. A return to the opening mood, this time with two violins again brings a strength to the mood. Two violins end in a wispy manner.
The second movement features a pizzicato backdrop to a gently wistful violin. This is music with a spring in its step. Eventually, a tempo arrives before the music goes out on a rhythmic passage. It is a very short movement.
The last movement opens in a rhythmically intense manner with a type of frantic minimalism. Another slow passage is very gentle, with the violin expressing over a bowed cello. It doesn’t last and the movement concludes on an upstroke.
The Second Quartet is titled Opaque Reflections. It commences with strong violin lines leading the ensemble in a pulsing passage. A moment of solo violin delineates the mood into a wafting section where the two violins are sonorous and delicate. A return to the opening is brief but introduces a roaming violin over a pizzicato moment. This creates an unusual mood with long sustained tones. Harmonised cello lines make for an interesting change and a progression into a pastoral feeling with melodic movement from all instruments. A short, sharp flourish ends.
A slow, harmonised passage introduces the second movement. Now a gently plucked cello gives the music a tempo which persists even as the cello drops out. Eventually the tempo is no more and a solo violin makes for more long sustained tones. A change into some ensemble musings doesn’t last and the cello returns with its pulsing utterances leading into another muted pastoral passage. Nearing the end a violin duet is very spacious and concludes on two plucked cello notes.
The final, very short movement starts energetically with violin flourishes before moving into a tempo. Following is a sparse, rambling section which builds gently back into the opening flourishes and a sharp ending.
The review CD also contains the other two quartets and a piano quintet. It is performed by the Vilinius String Quartet on the Saphir Productions label.
All works can be heard on earsense.
Listenability: Charming conservative works.