String Quartets by South African Composers: a Comprehensive Catalogue and Annotated Discussion of Works Composed Between 1940 and 2016
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String quartets by South African composers: a comprehensive catalogue and annotated discussion of works composed between 1940 and 2016 Hester Susanna Martens A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree DMus (Performance) in the Department of Music at the UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA FACULTY OF HUMANITIES SUPERVISOR: Prof. John de C Hinch October 2017 iii String quartets by South African composers: a comprehensive catalogue and annotated discussion of works composed between 1940 and 2016 Hester Susanna Martens ‘n Proefskrif voorgelê ter vervulling van die vereistes vir die graad DMus (Uitvoerend) in die Departement Musiek van die UNIVERSITEIT VAN PRETORIA FAKULTEIT GEESTESWETENSKAPPE STUDIELEIER: Prof. John de C Hinch Oktober 2017 iv Acknowledgements My sincerest thanks to: My study leader Prof. John de Courteille Hinch, for immeasurable support and guidance. The University of Pretoria Department of Music, notably Proff. Wim Viljoen, Alexander Johnson and Denise Sutton, for their encouragement and assistance. The University of Stellenbosch composition department, notably Prof. Hans Roosenschoon and composition students, for their advice and support. Santie de Jongh, head of the Documentation Centre for Music at the University of Stellenbosch, for making information on Arnold van Wyk and Graham Newcater available. University of Stellenbosch music library staff members Esmeralda Tarentaal and Sonette le Roux, for finding what I could not find. Proff. James May and Jan du Toit, for permission to include and discuss Arnold van Wyk’s works for string quartet. Anna Joubert and Alison Grové, for permission to include and discuss John Joubert and Stefans Grové. Liezl-Maret Jacobs, for making Roelof Temmingh’s manuscripts available. The South African Music Rights Organization (SAMRO), for providing me with their catalogue of South African string quartets, as well as manuscripts required. Every composer who answered my questions in detail, providing me with information and insight into their work and thought processes. It was a most interesting journey. My students, for having to deal with a distracted violin lecturer, listening to ideas and helping with technology. Peter, Elizabeth and Marianne, for your love and patience. i Abstract The projected outcome of this mixed methods research document is the compilation of a catalogue of South African string quartets, composed between 1940 and 2016. The main motivation for the choice of topic is the author’s aspiration to create a document containing basic information, as well as performance notes, where possible, regarding as many quartets, composed within this time frame, as could be found. Every effort has been made to create a document that is as comprehensive as possible, containing specific information regarding the works discussed. Works by more than 75 composers are listed in alphabetical order according to the composer’s surname. Each composer’s works are listed chronologically according to date of composition. Although this document lists more than 180 works for string quartet, as well as a few significant works for string quartet with one or two other voices, this document should not be regarded as fully comprehensive. Each catalogue inscription consists of the name, birth year and birth place of the composer; country of residence, if not in South Africa; publishing details of the composer, where applicable; contact details of the composer; title of work and year of composition; dedicatee and commission, where applicable; approximate duration; titles of movements; details of first performance; details of recordings; notes (annotations). The catalogue is preceded by a succinct historic overview of the development of the string quartet as a medium, as well as a timeline of composers of string quartets in South Africa. A short chapter explaining the annotation process is included. The research document concludes with suggestions for further investigation. ii Opsomming Die geprojekteerde uitkoms van hierdie gemengde metodes-navorsingsprojek is die samestelling van ‘n katalogus van Suid-Afrikaanse strykkwartette, gekomponeer tussen 1940 en 2016. Die hoofmotivering vir die onderwerpkeuse is die skrywer se aspirasie om ‘n dokument daar te stel wat basiese inligting, asook, waar moontlik, enkele opmerkings rakende die uitvoering van soveel werke moontlik wat binne hierdie tydperk gekomponeer is, bevat. Die skrywer het gepoog om soveel werk- spesifieke inligting as moontlik te versamel, en sodoende te verseker dat die dokument so volledig as moontlik is. Werke van meer as 75 komponiste is in alfabetiese volgorde, volgens die komponis se van, gelys. Elke komponis se werke is kronologies, volgens komposisiedatum, gelys. Alhoewel hierdie dokument meer as 180 werke vir strykkwartet, asook enkele werke vir strykkwartet met een of twee ander stemme, waarin die strykkwartet as ‘n eenheid ‘n beduidende rol speel, bevat, behoort dit nie as geheel en al volledig beskou te word nie. Elke katalogusinskripsie bevat die naam, geboortejaar en geboorteplek van die komponis; land waar die komponis woonagtig is, indien nie in Suid-Afrika nie; besonderhede van die komponis se uitgewer, indien van toepassing; die komponis se kontakbesonderhede; titel en komposisiejaar van die werk; persoon of kwartet aan wie die werk opgedra is, indien van toepassing; indien dit ‘n opdragwerk is, besonderhede daarvan; tydsduur van die werk; titels van bewegings; besonderhede rakende die eerste uitvoering; besonderhede rakende opnames; asook annotasies. Die katalogus word voorafgegaan deur ‘n bondige historiese oorsig van die strykkwartet as ‘n medium, ‘n tydlyn van Suid-Afrikaanse komponiste wat strykkwartette gekomponeer het, sowel as ‘n kort hoofstuk met opmerkings rakende die annotasieproses. Die navorsingsdokument word afgesluit met voorstelle vir meer uitgebreide navorsing. iii KEYWORDS South African composers South African music Chamber music String quartet String ensembles Compositions South African music history iv Table of contents Acknowledgements i Abstract ii Opsomming iii Keywords iv Chapter 1: Introduction 1 1.1 Background to the study/ Rationale 1 1.2 Research problem 2 1.3 Objectives of the study 2 1.4 Literature review 3 1.5 Research methodology 12 1.6 Problems encountered during the research process 14 1.7 Ethical considerations 15 1.8 Chapter outline 15 Chapter 2: Historical outline of the development of the string quartet 18 2.1 The string quartet as composition 18 2.1.1 Origins 18 2.1.2 The sixteenth to early nineteenth centuries 18 2.1.3 The nineteenth century 21 2.1.3.1 Austria and Germany 21 2.1.3.2 Central European countries 23 2.1.3.3 Russia 24 2.1.4 The twentieth century 25 2.1.4.1 France 25 2.1.4.2 Austria 26 2.1.4.3 Central European countries 28 2.1.4.4 Russia 30 2.2 The string quartet as a functional entity 32 2.2.1 From chamber venue to concert hall 32 2.2.2 The age of technology 34 2.2.3 Full circle 34 v Chapter 3: Tracing the string quartet in South Africa 36 3.1 The early years: Composers born in the late nineteenth century, up to 1929 36 3.2 1930 to 1959 43 3.3 1960 to 1979 58 3.4 The new generation (1980- ) 65 Chapter 4: Comments regarding the annotation process 74 4.1 Catalogue inscriptions 74 4.2 Annotations 74 Chapter 5: Catalogue 76 5.1. Compositions for traditional string quartet formation 76 A 76 B 78 C 83 D 86 E 87 F 88 G 91 H 92 J 100 K 104 M 110 N 116 P 123 R 124 S 128 T 136 V 140 W 156 Z 161 5.2. Compositions for string quartet plus one of two other voices 162 H 162 M 163 R 164 Z 165 vi Chapter 6: Conclusions and suggestions for further research 167 List of sources 169 Appendix: Questionnaire directed at composers 180 Letter of consent: Composers 182 vii CHAPTER 1 Introduction 1.1 Background to the study / Rationale As a violinist living in South Africa, I spent most of my student life as well as my entire professional life thus far playing chamber music. I have been a member of various string quartets1 since 1987, when I became a member of student string quartets, first at the University of Pretoria and then at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. Since 1995, as a professional musician, I have been a member of the Rosamunde quartet (1995-2007), the Schwietering quartet (2002-2005), the Amici quartet (2006- ) and the Quartet of Peace (2010- ) which has since morphed into the Juritz quartet. My interest in South African compositions was first ignited by studying and performing Arnold van Wyk’s Five Elegies for string quartet (1940-41). This interest was enhanced by the close contact I had with certain contemporary South African composers while studying and performing their works. I had the privilege to premiere three violin concertos by South African composers: Allan Stephenson, Thomas Rajna and David Earl (double violin concerto). Thomas Rajna and Allan Stephenson both dedicated string quartets to the Amici quartet, of which I am the first violinist. The Amici quartet also performed string quartets by Hans Roosenschoon, Hendrik Hofmeyr and Allan Stephenson. As a member of the original Quartet of Peace, I had the privilege to perform Eugene Skeef’s “uxolo” in Stellenbosch, Leipzig, London and Paris. My own involvement in contemporary South African compositions has grown to include works for flute and violin, flute, harp and violin, as well as a number of works for violin and piano. In my current capacity as the convenor of the Chamber Music division at the Music Department, University of Stellenbosch, I strive to ignite young performers’ interest in and passion for contemporary South African chamber music. I have had the opportunity to work with three postgraduate string quartets since 2007. During this time the various groups ventured into learning Arnold van Wyk’s Five Elegies, Mattijs van Dijk’s “Truce”?...he asked, Bongani Nodana-Breen’s Apologia, Jan-Hendrik Harley’s Onderstroom and Paul Hanmer’s Yet Another Look.