Jurgis Karnavičius - String Quartets Nos. 1 and 2

[JP]

Hello everyone. These are the first 2 recorded string quartets (of 4 in all) by postromantic-nationalist Lithuanian composer Jurgis Karnavičius (1884 – 1941), a close contemporary of his Finnish counterpart Leevi Madetoja, released on the Ondine label earlier this month. They're given a heartfelt performance by the Vilnius String Quartet.

Karnavičius' string quartets do strike me as being soulfully meditative compositional essays cast in a lyrically searching, deeply reflective and expressive mould, with moments of brooding introspection verging on pathos but delivered in a poetically restrained, nuanced and understated fashion by the Vilnius quartet.  The ensemble's consummate interpretation of the scores coupled with their sensitized playing allows them to navigate through the complex morass of themes & melodies with a degree of transparency and deft subtlety in terms of their executional prowess and sense of exposition that orientates both works purposefully along the intended pathways of their musical quest towards their concluding destinations. The musical waypoints of the Karnavičius' quartets are often enmeshed in a densely textured contrapuntal undergrowth of thematic cells & chromatic harmonies, oftentimes couched in a stylistically meandering fashion somewhat like the mature works of Sibelius and post-Asrael polytonal compositions of Josef Suk (not easy to hum or recall the key melodies & thematic motifs especially of the 2nd quartet).   My initial impression is that the quartets are, upon first hearing, somewhat akin to the late chamber works of Delius as well as those churned out by Frank Bridge hailing from the latter's early to middle compositional periods.     

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kZVAXHZW1secMaz8loATrE6N3BcwauY7U

https://www.ondine.net/?lid=en&cid=2.2&oid=6706

https://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=ODE1351-2

In addition, here are two complete segments or movements (whole composition?) from his third quartet, played by the same ensemble with the same degree of acute sensitivity, that has yet to be commercially released on Ondine which hopefully will be paired with the fourth in due course:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_j-NYfRoPo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDfB5gtCKZY
 
In all, a worthy add-on to those eagerly exploring the late/postromantic Baltic music repertoire.

Best wishes to one and all in the lead up to Easter weekend, JP. 

[Mark Thomas]

I thought both quartets introspective and, frankly, gloomy to an almost excessive degree, although Karnavičius' style in itself is quite approachable. Not music to listen to if you're feeling at all despondent, but the works are well played and radiate sincerity.

[Alan Howe]

Haven't we found this composer's music rather gloomy before?
http://www.unsungcomposers.com/forum/index.php/topic,4928.45.html

[eschiss1]

Actually, when I'm feeling especially despondent is precisely when I'd -rather- hear music in sympathy with my mood. Depends, I guess!

[Christopher]

It's an interesting question as to whether gloominess negates the quality of a work. It certainly doesn't for the visual arts (Edvard Munch anyone?!). In music is gloominess as valid an emotion/tone as any other?..Alan is right, the composer has been discussed before with regard to orchestral pieces he wrote portraying Edgar Alan Poe - a very gloomy writer.

[Mark Thomas]

No, music with a darker side is fine by me, and that includes these two quartets but, as with very upbeat music, I often choose my music to fit, or counter, my mood.