Bohuslav Martinu: String Quartet No. 5 G-minor, H.268

[@fransmeersman2334]

Marvelous quartet, one of the great string quartets of the 20 th century together with for example the first of Bloch and the eight of Shostakovich. Magnificent performance !

[@ronaldbwoodall2628]

No composer could write more aggressively energetic music than Martinu, and this quartet is a fair example of the fact. Its intense sobriety adds to its initial unattractiveness; its serious mien becomes more grating than congenial. But it IS Martinu, ensuring that it is a work of integrity, merit, and lasting value.

[@GeorgeHenderson]

At 11:13 - the end of the second movement - there is a direct quotation of the "pisnicka" theme of Viteszlava Kapralova. This theme appears in her song Easter (accompanying the text "it is a sad little song") and piano piece Pisnicka, and is similar to a theme in her own earlier string quartet which is also echoed, less exactly, in this movement. Once you know this, the pisnicka theme suggests itself as a resolution at many points in the movement, making me suspect that the entire 2nd movement has been based on a harmonic sequence extrapolated from this theme of Kapralova's. Pisnicka was Martinu's pet name for Kapralova, and it is a matter of record that she inspired the writing of this quartet, which Martinu only allowed to be published two years before his death.

[@captainbildad]

As discussed here: rateyourmusic.com/list/rm508/50ish_essential_string_quartets_for_fun_and_profit/

[@jg29thewinneris77]

Although this does not quite match the heights that Berg, Britten, Bartok, Ligeti's No.1, Shostakovich and other acknowedged masters of 20th century tonal quartet writing could reach, this is a fine piece and deserves to be heard more often. Worth someone doing a version for full string orchestra.

[@norbertflorianschuck9300]

The key word in this post is "acknowledged".

[@franklincox9508]

I think it belongs up at the peak. None of his other quartets is at this level, though; he was very uneven, with many pieces having one or two weak movements. But his slow movements are routinely magnificent; he just had uncanny gifts. And his peak pieces--the Toccata e due Canzone, Double Concerto, last four symphonies, and so forth, belong at the summit of 20th century music. In my view, he finally got things together in about 1932; from that point on, very few composers of the century wrote as many outstanding works as Martinu did.