Delius finally completed!

The star here is the completed String Quartet in C minor by Delius. It is early, so the music lies on the Romantic side, but that bothers me not at all.

What makes Delius' SQ more of an indelible impression is the mediocrity of Ethel Smyth's String Quartet in E minor.

I hate to disparage music by a composer who has been paving a way into the modern music consciousness, but I remember sitting there listening, hoping something was going to happen. The notes kept spinning, but without anything to draw me in.

I think the problem for me is its length; it buckles under its own girth as if the composer doesn't know when to stop.

Thankfully, however, with the Delius programmed after the Smyth, it takes no time at all to tell who the master craftsman is, raising a student work up, where it might otherwise have remained unnoticed.

Of course, take such an opinion with a grain of salt. I only represent me!

A review from 2024

Having Delius’ String Quartet in C minor fully put together is cause for celebration for all Delius fans. Since it is an early work, the music lies on the Romantic side, but there are oodles of solid musical ideas, and it all comes together rather pleasantly.Vassily Sinaisky

The Smyth SQ is another story however. There are a lot of notes moving around in its 40-minute runtime, but I must say there is nothing present which hooks me as a listener. Don't get me wrong, it is all pleasant-sounding music; yet I kept waiting for something to come and grab me, but alas nothing did, so I was left rather wanting with this piece of music from Ethel Smyth.

The Villiers Quartet sounds much more put together for the Delius compared to the Smyth too. I wasn’t particularly taken with the sonics either; all of the lines come through clearly, but there is a ‘tinny’ boxed-in quality that followed me during both works.

A light recommendation, mostly for the Delius which I found lovely and hope more will perform now that it is completed. I am sure there is an audience for Smyth’s string quartet, but it wasn’t me; too much note spinning and not enough of a musical message to take this listener. There are other recordings of the Smyth, such as that on CPO, so the real story to hear here is Delius.

Listen on YouTube

Works
Delius: String Quartet in C minor (25.55)
Smyth: String Quartet in E minor (39.35)

Performers: Villiers Quartet

Label: Naxos
Year: 2022
Total Timing: 65.31

 

This recording barely escapes The Kraken.

As it is, this one was saved as being the only complete version of Delius' String Quartet in C minor. I am not enthusiastic for the sound quality, the playing of the Villiers Quartet, nor the accompanying work from Smyth.

Hopefully another comes along of the Delius, to toss this one into the moat!

 

 

Find more Delius recordings HERE!