Phonograph Monthly Review, Vol. 1, No. 7 (1927-04)

292 The Phonograph Monthly Review times it is expanded and then again it is con- tracted. At a ball game a double or triple “play” is unusual. A quartet is featuring quadruple plays all the time! Apart from this interest in the texture or lines which each instrument carries there is the general form of the individual movements. Just as a journey through a plain is less interesting than through a section with mountains and rivers for variety, so a quartet without change of mood and form would be intolerable. Now with Beethoven’s early quartets, as in the six of Opus 18, their features are modeled so much like those of Mozart and Haydn that they were easily comprehended. When it came to the Quartets of the middle period there was more in- dividuality about them. There were features in one, for instance, the so-called ’Cello Quartet, which caused Romberg to throw his part on the ground and stamp on it. It was unusual, to say the least. The later ones are more difficult to comprehend partly because they are longer and it is hard for the listener to sense the form; and partly because the texture is more involved or abstract than is customary. This is no insuperable barrier, how- ever, to their enjoyment. Remember that each quartet has an individu- ality of its own and as the beauties in nature and character are not often on the surface, so there is an endless satisfaction in exploring and adding new discoveries of tonal beauty. Beethoven’s Quartets are practically symphon- ies for four players. It would serve no useful purpose to attempt an analysis of each quartet here. Each is important enough to deserve spec- ial detailed study. With the aid of the material cited above we can get detailed analyses. Attention should again be called to the possibility of studying with the mini- ature score in hand. All are available in the Philharmonia (which has splendid introductory material) and Eulenburg editions. Pianists may well explore the four-hand arrangements in the Peters edition. Of the six in Opus 18 there are two-hand adaptions. Of the sixteen quartets seven are dedicated to Count Lobkowitz, three to Prince Rasoumowsky, three to Prince Galitzin, and one each to Zmeskall, Baron von Stutterheim, and Wolfmeier. A brief outline of the dates, opus numbers, keys, dedications, and popular titles or marks ol indentity is appended as being helpful in getting a general idea of the sixteen. BEETHOVEN’S QUARTETS—AN OUTLINE No. (Dedication) Popular title) Beethoven born. 1. (F) Op. 18, No. 1. Lobkowitz. “Amenda”. 2. (G) Op. 18, No. 2. Lobkowitz. “Komplimentier.” 3. (D) Op. 18, No. 3. Lobkowitz. 4. (C minor) Op. 18, No. 4. Lobkowitz. 5. (A) Op. 18, No. 5. Lobkowitz. 6. (B) Op. 18, No. 6. Lobkowitz. La Malinconia mvt. 7. (F) Op. 59, No. 1. Rasoumowsky. “ ’Cello.” 8. (E minor) Op. 59, No. 2. Rasoumowsky. 9. (C) Op. 59, No. 3. Rasoumowsky. (Spiccato Fugue) 1770 1800 1808 1809 10. (E flat) Op. 74. Lobkowitz. “Harp”. 1810 11. (F minor) Op. 95. Zmeskall. (Serioso mvt.). 1825 12. (E flat) Op. 127. Galitzin. “fifths.” 13. (B) Op. 130. Galitzin. (Contains last mvt. he wrote). 14. (C sharp minor) Op. 131. Stutterheim. (Favorite of Wagner’s.) 15. (A minor) Op. 132. Galitzin. (Mvt. in Lydian mode). 16. (F) Op. 135. Wolfmeier. “Muss es sein?” 17. (B flat) Op. 133. Rudolph. Fugue originally in Op. 130. 1827 Beethoven died. PHONOGRAPH RECORDINGS Electrical recordings are starred (*) No. 1. (Op. 18, No. 1) H.M.V. D957-950—Catterall String Quartet. Eng. Columbia L1350-1—London String Quartet (Badly Cut). Velvet Face 571-3—Lyric String Quartet. (Complete ex- cept for 60 bars in the Adagio.) 2. (Op. 18, No. 2). *Columbia Masterworks Set No. 66—Lener Quartet. *Victor 1218-21—Flonzaley Quartet. H.M.V. D997-9—Catterall Quartet. Eng. Columbia L 1056-8—London String Quartet. Actuelle 15171—Dutch String Quartet. (Adagio alone). Parlophone PI 174—Briider Post Quartet. (Adagio alone). 3. (Op. 18, No. 3). Vocal ion D02004-8—London String Quartet. H.M.V. DB248—Flonzaley Quartet. (Presto alone). 4. (Op. 18, No. 4). ’•‘Columbia Masterworks No. 59—Lener Quartet. ^Victor 1225—Flonzaley. (Menuetto alone). H.M.V. DB253—Flonzaley Quartet (Scherzo—2nd Mvt. —alone). Eng. Columbia L1038—London Quartet. (Allegro alone). Pathe 5767—Rose Quartet. (Allegro alone). 5. (Op. 18, No. 5) (Menuetto alone). H.M.V. D562—Catterall Quartet. Polydor 69763—Wendling Quartet. Pathe 5767—Rose Quartet. (Air and Variations alone.) Actuelle 15133—Rose Quartet (uncut). 6. (Op. 18, No. 6). *Columbia Masterworks Set No. 60—Lener Quartet. *H.M.V. D1206-9—Virtuoso Quartet. Vocalion D02141-2—London Quartet. (Last mvt. omitted) 7. (Op. 59, No. 1). ^Columbia Masterworks Set No. 49—Lener Quartet. H.M.V. D947-950—Catterall Quartet. N.G.S.—Spencer Dyke Quartet. Velvet Face 571-3—Lyric Quartet. Eng. Columbia L1554—Lener Quartet. (Adagio alone). 8. (Op. 59, No. 2). *Columbia Masterworks Set No. 50—Lener Quartet. H.M.V. D953-6—Virtuoso Quartet. 9. (Op. 59, No. 3). ^Columbia Masterworks Set No. 51—Lener Quartet. *H.M.V. D1202-5—Virtuoso Quartet. Victor 6114—Flonzaley Quartet. (Fugue alone). 10. (Op. 74). Columbia Masterworks Set No. 26—Lener Quartet. N.G.S.—Spencer Dyke Quartet. 11. (Op. 95). *Columbia Masterworks Set No. 56—Lener Quartet. Polydor 65819—Leipziger Gewandhaus Quartet. (Allegro con brio alone). 12. (Op. 127). 13. (Op. 130). 14. (Op. 131). Columbia Masterworks Set No. 6—Lener Quartet. Vocalion K 05138-41—London Quartet. 15. (Op. 132). Columbia Masterworks Set No. 27—Lener Quartet. 16. (Op. 135). ’“Victor 1222-5—Flonzaley Quartet. *Columbia Masterworks Set No. 55—Lener Quartet. The End.