A Wonderful Tribute

 

Scallop by Maggi Hambling.

Each of the three volumes in the Emperor Quartet Britten cycle has featured the sculpture, but each with a differing hue.

The sculpture is located along Aldeburgh beach near the town museum and The Red House, Britten's home. Of course, just inland is Snape Maltings, a site repurposed into a concert hall by Britten as well.

I don't how often the Scallop has been used as a recording cover, but I find the image rather striking, especially for a program of music by Benjamin Britten. Plus, the contrasting tints across the volumes are most helpful to disseminate which works can be found where.

This final entry from the Emperor Quartet series contains all early works, with none of Britten's opused string quartets proper included. The only opus number comes attached to his Simple Symphony, a work which is more often found in its string orchestra garb, a variant that has an additional double bass part. Its music is based on melodies from Britten's youth, where the composer provides simple, charming harmonies to accompany his catchy tunes. Edward Elgar did something similar in his Wand of Youth Suites, who was perhaps more nostalgic than Britten.

I like the perky, easy going Romanticisms; they strikes me as following the folksy side of the English Pastoral School rather than Britten's mature brand of modernism. The named movement titles add to the fun, with the music amongst some of the most musical smiles I have heard from Britten. If the Playful Pizzicato or Boisterous Bourrée don't work for you, best to move on altogether.

The earlier String Quartet in F rides along similarly to the Simple Symphony, providing the listener easy-going harmonies and winsome melodies. The instrumental textures are more complex and the harmonic movement goes further afield comparatively, but this is very approachable Britten, ala his early Sinfonietta.

While the first-movement motive is catchy and bubbly, golly, I think Britten simply lets the music go on too long, the first time I have accused the composer of such a thing. I find the composer most clever in the second movement, one which bears a somewhat sultry tune. Opposite the melody, the muted second violins insistently play a dissonant-sounding rhythm in the background; what a unique soundworld he creates with this effect! Suffice to say, the following two movements follow in the same youthful freshness, with the third Haydn-esque in its Trio structure, and the finale a minor-keyed gallop to the end.

The other multi-movement work included is the three-movement Quartettino. This one is filled to the brim with dissonance, a harsher listen from the other pieces on the program. Suffice to say, it doesn't immediately reveal its riches, so more time will be devoted to its music for further appreciation.

Two, one-movement works for string quartet fill out the rest of the runtime. The blandly titled Rhapsody hosts a swirling waltz, one which is whisked away over constantly shifting tonal centers. The rhapsodic element comes between the main statements, where it is always a pleasure when the primary dance idea decides to return. I like the Phantasy in F minor much more, though. What interests me most, is the fact its music is more concerned with settling on C or D rather than the titled F, perhaps exhibiting a modal quality from Britten. Plus, the whole rhythmic profile of the piece is sacks of fun!

I really enjoy the sound of the Emperor Quartet in these works. They are pleasurably smooth sounding yet perky and virile, throwing enough concern into these early quartet pieces as to make them worthwhile, yet realizing a certain wit and derring-do needs to be applied as well. The BIS sonics enable their view, where I appreciated them both on the SACD layer over speakers and the CD layer on headphones.

Works
String Quartet in F (22.24)
Simple Symphony, op. 4 (15.44)
Quartettino (16.19)
Phantasy in F minor (11.02)
Rhapsody (7.26)

Performers
Emperor Quartet
   Martin Burgess, violin
   Clare Hayes, violin
   Fiona Bonds, viola
   William Schofield, cello

Label: BIS
Year: 2014
Total Timing: 74.36

 

I like this program of early string quartet works a lot. It certainly offers a glimpse into the style of a young Britten as a composer.

While this program is quite approachable for the casual listener, aside from the craggy Quartettino that is, there is enough meat to satisfy studied Classical Music listeners as well. Maybe these are not his finest among a catalog of masterpieces, but there is determined quality nonetheless.

Add to that fine sonics and an excellent playing and ensemble quality from the Emperor Quartet and you have a winner.