November / December 2017

Carl Nielsen's String Quartets

He wrote four string quartets. String Quartet No.1 was composed during 1887-1888, but it did not receive its first public performance until 1898. It was published two years later. From the opening bars, he immediately serves notice on the listener that this is not your typical late Romantic string quartet. but a trail-blazing work, which long before Bartok began to write his, paved the way for some of the new paths into which chamber music flowed during the 20th century. In the opening movement, Allegro energico, the music boldly bursts forth and assertively displaying its tonal newness. A pulsating background of 16th notes accompanies this lyrical melody and gives it a surprisingly Italian quality. The attractive second theme has a heroic quality. The lyrical second movement, Andante amoroso, is completely different in style with regard to its very traditional use of melody and harmony. It begins quite slowly in choral fashion with a highly romantic melody. Nothing could be further in mood from this than the thrusting Scherzo, Allegro molto,which follows. The main theme is stormy and powerful, but the trio section has a gentle melody over a rustic drone in the cello. The finale has the interesting title, Allegro inquieto (meaning restless). True to its title, it starts in an agitated fashion. The first violin is given a highly dramatic subject, accompanied by off-beat pizzicati in the other voices. The excellent elaboration cleverly uses grace notes and unexpected twists in rhythm. The quartet ends with an exciting coda.

That Nielsen's String Quartet No.2 has a lower opus number than his First Quartet was due to an error on the publisher's part. It was, in fact, composed the year after the First Quartet. Completed in 1889, the Second Quartet exhibits all of the traits of his later works and was far ahead of most everything being written at the time. This fact will be driven home if you listen to the sound-bites and keep in mind that Mahler was 30; Verdi, Bruckner and Brahms were all still alive and composing. Within ten years, in part because of this work, Nielsen’s name was internationally known. During his lifetime, it was performed with some regularity in northern Europe. The opening movement, Allegro non troppo ma energico, begins with turbulent urgency, created by the main theme’s syncopated rhythm and the 16th note accompaniment in the middle voices. The second theme, first heard in the cello and then completed by the violin is highly romantic. The slow movement, Un poco adagio, is a deeply felt, mildly sad lied. A very attractive and playful Allegretto scherzando comes next. The finale, Allegro appassionato, is filled with what was surely very adventurous tonality for 1890. It would have shocked the ears of his contemporaries, for whom Bruckner was outer tonal limit. The somewhat relentless opening is theme given out by the first violin. The development is quite exciting, using the same off-beat harmonic accompaniment that is in the first movement. This is an important quartet, fresh and original. It deserves to be heard in concert but is within ability of experienced amateurs.

Although String Quartet No.3 dates from 1898, nonetheless in spirit, it can be hailed as  one of the most important string quartets of the early 20th century. The opening measures of the first movement, Allegro con brio, have an uncompromising quality which has led later day critics to consider the quartet as a descendent of Beethoven’s Late Quartets. Full of contrapuntal effects, the music is boldly assertive. The second movement is characterized by lyrical introspection. After a brief, hesitant and chromatic Andante sostenuto introduction, the first violin states the main theme at the Andante. From this quiet and restful theme, Nielsen builds an edifice which at times rises to great dramatic heights of considerable harmonic complexity. The third movement, Allegretto pastorale, is a striking intermezzo made so by its wayward chromaticism in the theme given out by the first violin against a very imaginative accompaniment in the other voices. The trio consists of an incredible Presto. Stormy and exciting, the music plunges ahead dragging all in its wake. The first violin is given a racing series of triplets against powerful double stop chords, sometimes syncopated, in the other voices. This is then followed by a very beautiful, lyrical interlude before the return of the main section. The main theme of the finale, Allegro coraggioso, begins in a fashion which would allow it to serve as music to a cowboy western movie, something of the sort Aaron Copeland was later to write. Then, after the full statement of the main theme, Nielsen introduces a second theme upon which he begins a series of fugues followed by an appealing and original pizzicato intermezzo section.

Nielsen's String Quartet No.4 was composed in 1906. However, it had to wait nearly two decades until it was finally published. This work is written in a completely different musical language than his three preceding quartets.  Here, Nielsen was making no attempt to scale the heights of emotion. The Quartet was originally subtitled, Piacevolezza, which can be translated as agreeable and charming. Thus the goal he set for himself was to write an appealing modern work, and in this he eminently succeeded. The opening movement, Allegro non tanto e comodo, was originally marked Allegro piacevolo ed indolente. One could easily make the argument that this movement is a perfect example of studied casualness by a composer who was an expert at creating music of a specific character whenever he chose. For his treatment of the thematic material, Nielsen proceeds exactly as an early 20th century Mozart might have—not an ersatz neo-classical Mozart, but a real 20th century one. The second movement, Adagio con sentimentio religioso, is an extraordinarily fine example of a choral fantasy. It shows Nielsen's preoccupation with the Danish national song style. The third movement is a very striking Allegretto moderato ed innocento, a playful scherzo full of surprises and unexpected twists and turns. The theme begins in an quiet and unassuming fashion but is suddenly interrupted by a forte glissando followed by a powerful crash of 8 32nd notes. This in turn is then followed by a cute and charming rondo section. The trio is equally fine, beginning with a singing melody in the cello. Rather than proceeding a la Verdi, Nielsen introduces all of the others into the fray and creates a brief dramatic crescendo before returning to the main section. The finale, begins with a very brief Molto adagio introduction which is really nothing more than a few double stops held for several beats. Then, the main section, Allegro non tanto, ma molto scherzoso, is let loose. What begins as a rondo  has many unusual interludes, some slow and a bit wayward. The uplifting and lyrical second theme which is given a brief fugal treatment, perhaps can be considered as the apotheosis of of the entire work: Light-hearted, but with a tinge of worldly wisdom. Overall, the music is buoyant, charming and at times full of humor. A fine work that should be in the repertoire and which should provide no great technical problems for amateurs.

You can hear soundbites from each movement on our website and if you desire purchase the parts from Edition Silvertrust by clicking on the links above.