Part of the series «Chamber Music Compact» – Chiaroscuro Quartet plays 7 concerts in 3 days.
Joseph Haydn: String Quartet D major op. 20 no. 4, Hob. III:34
Franz Schubert: String Quartet D minor D 810 «Death and the Maiden»
Duration approx. 75 minutes
Haydn's Opus 20 quartets (1773) mark a significant step away from the galant style and the dominance of the first violin towards a more equal relationship between the four voices and greater freedom of expression. Freedom and equality, being close to nature - these are ideals that were widely disseminated in Europe in the 1760s by Jean-Jacques Rousseau and which, in fact, were inspired by American Indian criticism of the European way of life and social order, such as that of the Wendat chief Kondiaronk (ca. 1625-1701).
These ideals also seem to have interested Haydn as a composer, particularly audible in the Quartet in D major with its seemingly pastoral first movement, which, like the fourth, captivates with rugged (unison) passages and bold harmonic surprises, while the ‘Menuet alla zingarese’ with its wild syncopations clearly demonstrates the new interest in (supposedly close-to-nature) folk music.
The polarity between mortal fear (of the maiden) and gentle, reassuring response (of the redeeming death) from Schubert's song «Death and the Maiden» characterises the entire quartet in D minor, which marks the end of the Chiaroscuro Quartet's seven-part concert series.
Schubert omits the mortal fear in the 2nd movement: Although the variations lead into passionate, dramatic realms, a certain transfigured acceptance of death prevails - also symbolised by the ending in pure G major. However, the girl's mortal fear - and possibly also Schubert's, who at the time of writing was plagued by a new, severe attack of his illness, which was considered incurable - dominates the three other movements.
Chiaroscuro Quartet:
Alina Ibragimova, violin
Charlotte Saluste-Bridoux, violin
Emilie Hörnlund, viola
Claire Thirion, violoncello
Playlist ‘Chamber Music Compact 2025’ on Spotify
Read about Chamber Music Compact 2023 with the Chiaroscuro Quartet
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