Two half hour string quartets from Denmark's other
Nielsen. Ludolf Nielsen wrote three such quartets, the first, a charming
work according to note writer Jens Cornelius, dating from 1900. The
Second is suave and full of dense movement, like mid-period Beethoven
with incursions from Dvořįk (tr.2
and tr.4 00.38) as well as wrenching and yearning romance (tr.3). This
quartet never entered the Danish repertoire despite three concert presentations
by Ludolf's own ensemble, the Bjřrvig, in 1905 and two performances
by the Anton Svendsen quartet in 1913.
The Third Quartet was written at the time of
the death of his parents in 1920 from Spanish flu and with the dislocation
and horror of the Great War not far distant. It is dedicated to the
memory of his mother and father. The first of the four movements is
mobile and flowing, carefree and care-weighed; intense and serenading,
mercurial and with passing parallels with the chamber music of Herbert
Howells. The rocking second movement is fragrant with rococo elegance.
There is just enough of the powdered wigs effect to give flavour but
to avoid enervation. The Adagio con dolore is introspective and
austere, a sincere reflective song that pulls at the heart-strings.
The finale (allegro) is a fantastic play of the passions - brilliant
and tragic. The quartet was published in 1930 having been premiered
by the Budapest Quartet in Copenhagen in 1920.
Typically warm, close recording, stingingly emotive
playing, full of energetic poignancy. The Third Quartet is a remarkable
work with a deeper reach than Ludolf's three symphonies which usually
strike me as 'pictorial' in the manner of Goldmark's Rustic Wedding,
Smetana's Festive and Børresen's Second and Third. Bless
the Aros and CPO for rediscovering the fiery life in these pages and
in the even more emotionally demanding Third.
Rob Barnett
|
Advertising
Rates
Visitor
stats
MusicWeb
International
has over 40,000 Classical CD reviews on offer
Discs
received
Having a problem
Donating?
Gerard
Hoffnung Concerts &
The
Bricklayer Story
MusicWeb
can now offer
you discs from the following catalogues:
Prices include postage
There will be NO
VAT Rises
Musicweb
Special
Offers
Monthly
Best Buys
New
Releases
New
Releases
MusicWeb
sells the Polish
catalogue CDAccord
£10.50 post free W-W
MusicWeb sells the
Arcodiva catalogue
£12.00 post free W-W
£11.75
post-free world-
wide
Google
Ads - for information about privacy matters, click here.
Amazon Musicweb International is a participant in the Amazon
EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide
a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk
and Amazon.com
|
Aros Quartet 
