# Rangström - String Quartet 'Ein Nachtstück (Nocturne in E. T. A. Hoffman Style)' (SQ review)



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Born in Stockholm, Ture Rangström was a composer, critic and singer who studied in Stockholm and with Pfitzner in Berlin. After carving out a moderate career as a singer, he later got a far more postive name for himself as a conductor.
Rangström's only String Quartet, Ein Nachtstück, was written in 1909 (when he was 24 years old) supposedly in response to Carl Nielsen's request and inspired by the writings of Hoffmann, which Rangström had first read whilst a student in Germany. It was premiered by the Ruthström Quartet on 7 August 1918 but wasn't published until after Rangström’s death (1947), by which time it had been revised significantly by Kallstenius and Atterberg, with the composer's consent. ‘Rangström’ described the piece as "my old, clumsy string quartet’ and blamed its lack of depth on his own naivety and lack of skill. Nielsen was impressed though, writing ‘I think that the life and temperament that exist in your quartet are more than breath-taking" whilst also suggesting improvenents. It's a sparser, more modernist work of a quarter of an hour in duration, comprising of a single movement based around a Scandinavian theme heard in the opening of the quartet. This is followed by variations and a Fugue interspersed with quiet, brief introspection and short, barren moments. It's a deeply intense and emotional quartet. 
Rangström originally conceived it as a contrasting reflection of a Nielsen orchestral work, writing to Nielsen that it was "a pendulum, an antipode, a negative picture, a shadow, a dark picture (where yours was light) of the voices in your Saga-Drøm." 
This fascinating quartet and reflects Rangström’s tendency to rely on literature for inspiration. The free form of the quartet may have been encouraged by the words of Busoni, whom Rangström met while studying in Berlin. 
Only 3 recordings that I know of so I'll say something about them all.

Tbh, I'll start by saying that no-one would be unhappy with any of these performances. All 3 are fine recordings and two of these have turned up on the same CPO label. The *Stenhammar Quartet* use this piece as a filler for their fine Atterberg SQ disc. It is a reading of clarity which concentrates on textures and precision perhaps to the slight detriment of some of the visceral power and they are slightly more liberal (but not unduly) with vibrato than the other CPO recording from the *Holmen Quartet.* The Holmen recording is part of a Rangström chamber music disc and again this is a very decent completion where the quartet concentrate on the long line and the overall feel of the piece but they aren't as secure as the Stenhammar in ensemble. This is still very enjoyable though. However, my overall preference here is the Swedish *Crafoord Kvartetten,* whose 1973 account has that extra bit more drive and vigour. Like the Holmen they focus on the big picture but their use of dynamics and articulation is really good even if they aren't as technically excellent as the Stenhammar. This is a recording that you always feel is straight from the heart and even though the sound is a little drier than the competition the sheer conviction of their playing impressed me from the start.


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