# Stravinsky - Three Pieces for String Quartet (SQ review)



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Stravinsky wrote little for the string quartet but, in 1914 commissioned by the Flonzaley Quartet, he wrote his Three Pieces for String Quartet in just 4 days. It's hardly a big 'quartet' with a total duration of less than a single movement in a traditional quartet (around 7-8 minutes usually). Some suggest that the '3 Pieces' is "determinedly not a string quartet but a set of pieces to be played by four strings”.
The Three Pieces were originally published without titles, but Stravinsky orchestrated them at a later date and added titles (he also added a fourth piece to create his Four Etudes for Orchestra). The 3 sections became known as “Danse”, “Excentrique” and “Cantique.” The first piece is very short indeed and interesting texturally. Each of the strings play their individual part ostinato. A Russian folk melody reminds the listener of Petroushka before the slightly longer second piece begins. This idiosyncratic piece. “Excentrique” (aptly named) was apparently inspired by an English burlesque clown called “Little Tich” and feels slightly whimsical in style . The finale, “Cantique”, is different again. The four instruments blend together to create a sombre atmosphere, providing a stark contrast to the previous movement. It's desolation is almost reminscent of his Rite of Spring, written just one year previously. 

For an in depth analysis of this tiny work there's a longer and detailed video below, by the composer Samuel Andreyev. There's also a YouTube performance of it by the Quartett Berlin-Tokyo following that. As it's such a short piece it seems pointless commenting on most so I'll only focus (briefly) on my top choices. 










Recommended

ABQ
Kontras
Borodin
Ensemble Avantgarde
Escher (Menlo live) 
Melos
Vogler (live) 
Kreutzer 
Lafayette
Lindsays
Orpheus Chamber
New Music
Goldner
New World

*Better

Chilingirian 
Moscow 
Rubin
Kubin 
Sine Nomine 
Tokyo 
Carducci (live) 
Calidore

Essential

Brodsky* - acerbic and sinewy with gloriously delicate playing and body. Absolute class. 
*Daedalus* - thicker toned and with a lovely recorded sound. A very straightforward reading that just felt right. 
*Ysaye* - strikingly forthright and vibrant live recording that transformed the way I listen to this piece. 
*Moscow* - slower but they really capture the mystery and atmosphere. A performance all about the mood. 

*Top Pick

Italiano* - this vintage 1960 account had me from the off. The dance section is hypnotically percussive, the Excentrique is hauntingly atmospheric and the Cantique is mysterious and seductive. The remastered sound on this is a pleasure.


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