035197 CC72039 Booklet

Benjamin Britten (1913-1976)

String Quartet no. 2 in C Op.(1945) 36 ᕡ I Allegro calmo, senza rigore08?39 ᕢ II Vivace03?50 ᕣ III Chacony: Sostenuto19?15

String Quartet no. 3 Op.(1975) 94 ᕤ I Duets: With moderate movement06?32 ᕥ II Ostinato: Very 03,16fast ᕦ III Solo: Very calm05?53 ᕧ IV Burlesque: Fast con fuoco02?17 ᕨ V Recitative and Passacaglia (La Serenissima): Slow — Slowly moving10?47

Total playing time60?31

Brodsky Quartet Andrew Haveron,violin Ian Belton,violin Paul Cassidy,viola Jacqueline Thomas,cello

www.brodskyquartet.co.uk

2 Benjamin Britten: String Quartets& 32

For someone who had written so much for the medium of the string quartet in his early years (at least ten major works), Britten was surpris - ingly late in writing his 'official' First Quartet, in 1941. And although the Second followed only four years later, there is then a gap of thirty years before the Third. Indeed he wrote hardly any chamber music at all after the Second Quartet, until his friendship with Rostropovich inspi - red the Cello Sonata of 1961, and the three solo Cello Suites (1964-71). Only Lachrymae, written very hastily for William Primrose in 1950 and the Six Metamorphoses for oboe (1951) break up the sequence of almost entirely vocally-based works of the intervening twenty years.

There is little need to ask why: the coincidence of the date of the Second Quartet with the first performance of Peter Grimes the same year says it all. In addition, the string quartet is a uniquely demanding medium, to which, though it had been one of the obsessions of his youth, Britten simply had not enough time to return. Indeed if it had not been for the prompting of the Amadeus Quartet, who had played at Aldeburgh since the early 1950s, and more particularly the insistence of Hans Keller, a passionate advocate and friend for many years, the Third Quartet itself might never have been written.

3 Unlike Bartok or Schoenberg, whose quartets appear like landmarks in their life and work, Britten's career shows a major change of direction once he had succeeded in the field of opera, and the quartet is almost left behind. But this does not diminish the stature of his three mature string quartets: the entirely different and distinctive approach he adop - ted in each one of them makes one wish that he had found the space to write more. *

The Second Quartet was commissioned early in 1945 by Mary Behrend, a notable patron of the arts whom Britten had first met in 1937. He wrote to her - on the day that he finished the full score of Peter Grimes - to say that he had 'had a quartet at the back of my mind for someti - me'. He composed the work remarkably quickly in September and October of that year, and it was first performed in November at a con - cert to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the death of Henry Purcell.

The first movement's shape is wholly original: Britten presents three related themes – each begins with the same upward leap – and lets each one develop independently. Eventually all three come together at the same time: in conventional sonata form, this would be the recapi - tulation, but the effect here is rather that of a continuous improvisa - tion, which, once it has reached its climax, quickly dies away in a tranquil conclusion.

4 The second movement is a scherzo in which the instruments are muted throughout. It is wild and mercurial at the same time, and a tour de force of virtuoso string writing.

The huge third movement - almost twice as long as the first two combined - is called 'Chacony' in hommage to Purcell. The theme is a 'ground bass' which pervades the whole movement in a series of twenty two variations. These comprise the theme itself, three sets of six variations punctuated by cadenzas for the cello, viola and first vio - lin, and a final affirmative three variations in which the C major of the theme is asserted triumphantly. Each set of variations exploits a different aspect of the theme, first harmony, then rhythm, and finally melody: in spite of the formality of this movement's structure, it is the freedom of Britten's melodic invention that leaves the most lasting impression. *

With hindsight we know the Third Quartet to be Britten's last major work. At the time of its completion, a year before his death - he was still planning large-scale works, including a Sea Symphony and a Christmas Oratorio involving children. But he was well aware that his time was limited, and it is neither imagination nor sentiment that sees the shadow of death over the music. In spite of which it is revealing to see how the manuscript, at the beginning rather crabbed and hesitant – Britten had difficulty in writing with his weakened right hand – gradu - ally becomes more vital and flowing as the ideas take shape and the

5 music moves from the almost abstract dialogue of the opening to the hushed intensity of the close.

The Third Quartet is close to the world of the Cello Suites, with their increasingly free form and imaginative range – at one time Britten thought to call the quartet a 'divertimento' because of its unconventio - nal shape and at times almost improvisatory nature. With this in mind, he gave the individual movements titles, which describe the music in the simplest of terms.

The first movement, 'Duets', features the instruments playing mainly in pairs. The gentle rocking rhythm of the opening accompanies more lyrical figures which do not get much of a chance to develop before an agitated central section. The close of the movement is more relaxed, although there is a moment of anxiety before the music dies away.

The three middle movements form a kind of triptych – the second and fourth both rather wild and eccentric and scherzo-like, and very conci - se, with the 'Solo' forming a still centre. Here the first violin's rhapso - dic musing is briefly interrupted by a bird-song like cadenza before resu - ming its calm progress – this is some of the stillest music that Britten ever wrote.

He composed the finale on his final visit to Venice ('La Serenissima') and in the introduction each instrument quotes from his last opera

6 Death in Venice in a brief recitative. The last quotation is of Aschenbach's fatal cry, 'I love you', after which all passion seems spent as the music attains the serenity of the city which inspired it. The pas - sacaglia – the recurrent theme with which the cello underpins the music, similar to a chaconne – derives from the bells of two churches which Britten heard during his stay in Venice. The music of the passa - caglia is not entirely serene, but nor is it apprehensive, although the very end of the work, he said, is 'not final, but a question'.

Colin Matthews ' 2002

7 The Brodsky Quartet The Quartet everybody who?s anybody is queuing up to work with? Classic CD

Andrew Haveron & Ian Belton, violin Paul Cassidy, viola ? Jacqueline Thomas, cello

A blend of youth and experience, coupled with a unique versatility has assu - red the Brodsky Quartet a place at the very forefront of the international chamber-music scene. Their busy international schedule must be one of the most diverse, with a comprehensive repertoire, a unique ‘standing’ perfor - mance style, a penchant for new commissions and bold collaborations, and a highly acclaimed extensive discography. The Brodsky Quartet has worked with many of the world’s leading musicians including Maria Joao Pires, Peter Donohoe, Joanna MacGregor, Anne Sofie von Otter, Gidon Kremer, Elvis Costello, Paul McCartney and Björk. Over the years the quartet has also wor - ked closely with various composers such as Lutoslawski, Sculthorpe and Dave Brubeck.

The Brodsky Quartet was formed in 1972 and named after Adolf Brodsky, the Russian violinist and pioneering pedagogue of Manchester, where the quartet studied. It has held many visiting fellowships and residencies, most recently at Trinity College and Cabot Hall both in London and at L’Auditori in Barcelona. With St. George’s Bristol the Brodsky Quartet has established a warm and dyna - mic relationship resulting in regular performances every season.’

8 “There’s something that sets the Brodsky Quartet apart from other groups. It may be the fact that they choose to stand rather than sit when playing and that this somehow drives the music and gives a real edge to their performance. Whatever the reasons, the intensity of concentration and communication between the players is palpable and reaches out from the stage right into the audience” - St. George’s Bristol, BBC Celebrity series.

The quartet works exclusively for Challenge Classics to record an exciting and varied repertoire ranging from Haydn to present day, including a major international project presenting Beethoven’s Opus 18 quartets linked to six new commissions each reflecting on one of the Opus 18’s and two CD’s with soprano Anne-Sofie von Otter featuring repertoire by Respighi and Sculthorpe. In May 1998 the Brodsky Quartet was presented with a Royal Philharmonic Society Award for their outstanding contribution to the world of music.

Andrew Haveron plays a violin made by Samuel Zygmuntowicz in 2001 and Paul Cassidy’s viola is by Francesco Guissani of Milano, 1843, courtesy of the Britten Trust. Ian Belton’s violin is by Gio. Paolo Maggini c.1640 and Jacqueline Thomas plays a cello made by Thomas Perry in 1785.

The Brodsky Quartet is indebted to the Delfina Studio Trust for its support and generosity.

9 10 Recording Dates: 10-12 December 2001 Recording Location: Snape Maltings Concert Hall, Snape, UK Recording Producer: Mark Brown Engineer: Philip Hobbs Editing: Julian Millard Production: Marjon Koenekoop / Brodsky Quartet Executive Producer: Willemijn Mooij www.brodskyquartet.co.uk

With special thanks to Aldeburgh Productions at Snape Maltings, The Red House in Aldeburgh and Colin Matthews of the Britten- Pears Foundation www.britten?pears.co.uk

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