Nikolai Myaskovsky - Complete String Quartets Vol. 4 (Taneyev Quartet)

Information

Composer: Nikolai Myaskovsky

• (01) String Quartet No. 9 in D minor, Op. 62
• (04) String Quartet No. 10 in F major, Op. 67 No. 1
• (08) String Quartet No. 11 in E flat major, Op. 67 No. 2

Taneyev Quartet

Vladimir Ovcharek & Grigory Lutzky, violins

Vissarion Solovyev, viola

Josef Levinson, cello

Date: 1981-84/2007

Label: Northern Flowers

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Review

'The next quartet, Op. 62, is also a product of the War years though it’s hard to extrapolate much of his experience directly from it, as was often the case in works that derived from, but were not explicitly representative of, his First War experiences when he was injured and shell-shocked. The Ninth opens with an unsettled theme later opening out lyrically – the Taneyev Quartet are especially successful in their hushed playing here observing with meticulous intelligence and instrumental excellence the precise gradations of Miaskovsky’s dynamics. The slow movement is a species of adagio and scherzo; the melody winds affectingly but in true Miaskovskian fashion fails to burst into unambiguously simple life – in fact I feel it lacks the melodic distinction to sustain the imposed mood. The middle section is of propulsive speed and then he fuses a keening cello tune with the scherzo, a real example of his stylistic flexibility and astute use of material for development – both thematic and rhythmic. The final movement begins as a quasi-march, solid with contrastive slower, more ruminative section and a constant, almost obsessive return to the pompous march tune followed by more developmental material. The ending – maybe a little forced – is of a mildly dissonant kind.

 

No. 10 was written in 1907 but radically overhauled during the Second World War and finished in 1945. A dramatic unison flourish opens the piece, giving way to a skittish folk-inflected passage with a deliciously insouciant upwards and downwards walking cello pizzicato whilst the violins answer antiphonally. There is some more playful pizzicato in the upper strings before a second cousin of a waltz theme takes us to a drone passage. Here Miaskovsky can’t resist some fugal development – very brief – before the movement resumes some almost Dvorák-like momentum and the movement gently and with beautiful simplicity winds down. The second movement is an off beat rhythmically lively scherzando and has a genuinely involving and evolving power with its entwining theme for the violins and his characteristically propulsive cello pizzicatos, an ever constant device to drive his quartets onwards. The middle section of the movement is one of wistful introspection almost as if it was impossible to sustain the original impetus – before the return of that same rhythmic material which scoops up the scherzando to a conclusion. The third movement opens with much cello eloquence and contrastive material with a spinning violin line gradually lightening and flecking the texture. However a motoric section of creeping desolation floods the material causing a slowing down and fracturing, an enervation and a not unambiguous return to the opening cello solo, eloquent but not mournful. The finale is decisive and bustling. Delightfully duetting violins join a chugging and wheezing cello with a fretfully lugubrious viola steering harmonic direction. Miaskovsky then throws in another fugal section, one which becomes increasingly frantic, before a violin led song takes the chugging lower strings with it – listen to the viola’s desperate motor as the tune is repeated in flourishing triumph before a triumphant gallop to the conclusion.

 

Subtitled Reminiscences, the Eleventh quartet hearkens back to piano works written in the first decade of the century for Liadov’s class and to vocal works of the 1930s. The easeful reflectiveness enshrined in this work attest to a direct lineage from those youthful student works. The lyricism is of easy and unhurried grace, cast in sonata form, and the ethos is nostalgic. It’s not inappropriate that Miaskovsky utilises his songs for the slow movement – the only movement where he does so – because this reminiscence from his 1936 Lermontov song cycle infuses the music with a quality of singing balladry, richly warm, not least in the chordal unison passages - albeit not untouched by some vehement outbursts too. As ever he had an ear for balance and suggestive contrasts. The waltz-like patterns of the Allegretto may remind one of the Cello Concerto, yet to be written but clearly germinating, in its lyric legato. This is altogether a lovely movement but so too in its way is the festive dance that is the finale; the drones and rhythmic vitality of the writing rounding off the quartet in fine style.'

-- Jonathan Woolf, MusicWeb International

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Nikolai Myaskovsky (20 April [O.S. 8 April] 1881 – 8 August 1950) was a Russian and Soviet composer. He is sometimes referred to as the "Father of the Soviet Symphony". Myaskovsky wrote a total of 27 symphonies (plus three sinfoniettas, three concertos and works in other orchestral genres), 13 string quartets, 9 piano sonatas as well as many miniatures and vocal works. He is professor of composition at Moscow Conservatory from 1921 until his death, and há an important influence on his pupils. His students include big names such as  Aram Khachaturian, Dmitri Kabalevsky, Rodion Shchedrin and Boris Tchaikovsky.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolai_Myaskovsky

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The Taneyev Quartet was formed in 1946 by four second-year music students at the Leningrad Conservatory who all shared the birth year of 1927. After graduation (1950-1951) the four players became members of the Yevgeny Mravinsky-led Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra. In the 1960s the ensemble developed a close relationship with Shostakovich, and in 1974 performed the premiere of his Fifteenth Quartet. The Taneyev Quartet has made numerous recordings, including the complete sets of Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Shostakovich, and Taneyev's quartets, mostly for the old Soviet-era Melodiya label.
https://www.allmusic.com/artist/taneyev-quartet-mn0001663421

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