The distinguished Dutch violinist Jaap Schröder is the
leader and founder of the period instrument ensemble the
Esterházy Quartet. The quartet was founded in 1975 and was
disbanded in 1981. Schröder is a Mozart specialist and was
closely involved with the ambitious project to record all
the Mozart Symphonies with The Academy of Ancient Music and
Christopher Hogwood. These important accounts on original
instruments were warmly received at the time of their original
release on Decca/L'Oiseau Lyre 433 048-2 in 1982 and they
make a welcome reappearance in the Decca catalogue in Mozart’s
250th anniversary year.
It
was fashionable for eighteenth century composers to write
for the genre of the string quartet, Music publishers made
it a financially lucrative assignment. Mozart composed his
first
String Quartet in G major K.80 aged fourteen
in a single evening in Italy in 1770, but the work is really
a
Divertimento highly influenced by Sammartini. Between
1772 and 1773 Mozart completed twelve more
String Quartets before
his full creative power became apparent.
By
1782 he had become familiar with and admired many of the
great string quartets of Haydn, particularly the six ‘
Russian’ Quartets Op.33.
They opened up for him substantial artistic challenges that
he was to explore enthusiastically. Mozart did not markedly
advance the form of the string quartet as used by Haydn.
However his individuality resulted in a depth of feeling
and thought rarely encountered in Haydn, together with the
courage to experiment with progressive harmonic and melodic
constructions.
These
quartets dedicated to Haydn became universally known by the
dedicatee’s name. The set
was first published by Artaria in late 1785 and have remained
one of the cornerstones of the repertory. The first in the
set, K387 dates from 1782. The fact that work on the six
quartets occupied Mozart until 1785 (an unusually long time
for him) indicates the seriousness he attached to these pieces. Poetic and dramatic in content and widely considered
to be the greatest of the Mozart quartets, never before had
the composer been so complete a master of his means. According
to eminent music writer David Ewen nothing that Mozart had
previously written, “
reveals such
freedom of structure, such as unorthodox techniques, iconoclasm,
varied invention and high flights of inspiration”. They convinced
Haydn of Mozart’s greatness but it cannot be said that he always understood
them.
The
first work is the
G major String Quartet No. 14,
K.387
which is sometimes known as the ‘
Spring’. Composed in 1782 this shows
Mozart’s gift for polyphonic writing. The Esterházy
Quartet seem comfortable in this dense and elaborate work. Particularly impressive
are the Esterházys in the summery and appealing opening movement
allegro
vivace assai. Displaying considerable skill and artistry
the Esterházys
convey the ebullient good humour of the concluding movement molto
allegro.
The
second work on the first CD is the
String Quartet No.15
in D minor, K.421. In this direct and progressive work
we hear Mozart’s
use of bold modulations and daring harmonic changes. Although
not without some interpretative difficulties the
Esterházy profitably
create an atmosphere of dark colours in a score of prevailing
sobriety and underlying melancholy. I would have preferred
them to have adopted a
softer and more meditative approach to the deep emotions
of the second movement
andante which if played appropriately
can communicate as one of the most serene and contemplative
episodes in all Mozart’s music. Sadly it seems an impossible
task for the Esterházys to
reach the same emotional level in this movement as interpreted
by the great
Quatuor Mosaďques. In the concluding
movement I experienced a tentativeness that rather prevented
sufficient spirit being conveyed.
On
the second CD the opening work is the
String Quartet No.16
in E flat major,
K.428 which has been described
as the most concise and undoubtedly the most abstract of
those dedicated to Haydn. The contrast of stern meditation
and gushing optimism could be a depiction of Mozart’s mercurial temperament.
There is a fine distinction between sturdiness and quiet
beauty from the playing of the Esterházy in
the first movement
allegro non troppo. The Esterházys are impressive in the unsettling intensity of the
andante and
in the graceful
menuetto with its short serious episodes.
I would have preferred slightly more rhythm and vigour to
help draw out the good humour from the concluding movement
allegro
vivace.
The
String
Quartet No.17 in B flat major, K.458 ‘
Hunt’completes
the second CD. Its title is explained by the pace of the
opening theme which suggests a hunting call. On the surface
the
B flat major score appears to be the lightest
and least profound of the six and is closest in style to
that of Haydn. However, it is an uplifting and peaceful
work of no less bold invention. The Esterházy
provide a fresh and immediate performance
that helps to reveal the expressive beauty and stylish
perfection of the work. I especially enjoyed the Esterházy’s rhythmic
vitality and easy charm in the joyful and lively opening
movement
allegro vivace assai. Ideally the eloquent
slow movement
adagio needed a more measured approach
and the final
allegro assai would have benefited
from more vitality.
The
third CD in the set begins with the
String Quartet in A major,
K464 ‘
Drum’. It seems from the available manuscript
material to have given Mozart the most difficulty in composition.
It is the
A major Quartet that embraces most determinedly
the style of composition that Mozart described as his, “
new
and special way”. A special homogeneity is achieved by
the intimate kinship among the principal themes of all four
of the movements. The repeated-note figure from the cello
part in the
andante has lead some people to give the
score the nickname of the ‘
Drum’. With conviction
and impressive insights the Esterházy are responsive to the
demands of the unsettling and robust opening movement
allegro
vivace assai. The intensity of the closing movement
allegro
assai is expertly caught.
The
set concludes with the
String
Quartet in C major,
K465. This is the last of the ‘
Haydn’
Quartets and
quickly gained the sobriquet ‘
Dissonant’ (sometimes
shown as ‘
Dissonance’)from commentators and audiences
alike for the adventurous harmonic excursions of its slow
introduction. In fact some music dealers in Italy returned
the scores to the publisher thinking that the rich chromaticisms
were mistakes. The Hungarian Prince Grassalkovics was so
incensed by the score’s tonal audacities that he tore up
the parts from which his household string quartet were performing.
Even Haydn expressed some initial shock but defended the
bold prefatory chords by saying, “
Well, if Mozart wrote
it, he must have meant it”. The Esterházy Quartet provide
a firmness and expressive power in the
allegro section
of the extended opening movement. I felt the poignant
andante
cantabile would have benefited from a slightly more measured
approach. The Esterházys vigorous playing in the
minuet is
impressive with a relaxed good humour in the closing movement
allegro
molto.
The
listener is spoilt for choice in available recordings of
the six ‘
Haydn’
String Quartets. The performance
standard in many of the sets is extremely high with available
interpretations from most of the best known quartets, such
as the Italian, Talich, Hagen, Chilingirian
et al with
the final choice very much down to personal taste. On the
Warner Classics Elatus label I admire the accounts of four
of the six ‘
Haydn’
Quartets from the Alban
Berg Quartet. These were recorded between 1976 and 1979.
Unlike the more recent offerings from the Alban Berg Quartet
on EMI, they can stand comparison with the very best interpretations
and the mid-range price tag makes the release especially
attractive (Elatus 2564 60678-2 c/w K.499 ‘
Hoffmeister’ -
see
review).
My clear first choice selection has to be the mid-price versions
from Quatuor Mosaiques, using period instruments (Astrée
Naďve label on E 8843; E 8844 and E 8845 (or a five CD box
on E 8889)). With playing of real distinction these interpretations
offer new insights together with state-of-the-art sound.
Although not part of a set the new release from the Belcea
Quartet of the
String Quartet in C major,
K465 ‘
Dissonant’ is so overflowing with passion
and rapt intensity it is worthy of special praise (EMI 3444552 c/w K.
499 ‘
Hoffmeister’).
A
fine Decca reissue from the Esterházy
Quartet. Closely recorded and with well balanced sound.
Michael
Cookson
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Esterházy Quartet: (Jaap Schröder,
violin I; Alda Stuurop, violin II; Linda Ashworth,
viola; Wouter Möller, cello) 
