# Schnittke - String Quartet 3 (SQ review)



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Schnittke's 3rd String Quartet was written in 1983. The opening movement Andante is full of melodic intention with its quotations of small fragments such as a phrase from Stabat Mater by Lassus, the theme of Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge, and the personal monogram of Shostakovich, DSCH. 
That reference to Shostakovich is rather apt here as Schnittke's soundworld is not too far removed from Shostakovich in that Schnittke relates separate movements by shared material. For example, the opening Lassus cadence returns throughout the piece, like a statement, whilst the other music cavorts and changes. There's a sense of conflict in each part where the players can play together as an ensemble or break out on their own. In the 1st movement, complete with its febrile slides, dissonant tones and glissandi hovers around tonality. This Andante is intense with an air of melancholy. There's intentional tonality at the start of the 2nd movement agitato but it soon disperses and there's not much dark, angry material just disturbance and feverish change . There's no time to settle as Schnittke goes off on a tangent and re-works the music skilfully, hanging onto a morcel of melody, endlessly turning it over, reversing it, and coming at it from numerous angles. The final movement, Pesante, starts slower and initially feels mired and the Lasso quotation feels strange and grotesque as it slowly starts to unravel. The music becomes darker and is punctuated only by disjointed pizzicato notes until it eventually fades out. The emotional soundworld of this quartet is unstable, but I'm not sure that it's "confused, manic, hysterical, depressed, bitter, thoughtful, and utterly despairing all at once" as one reviewer opined. I find it 
A fine quartet which doesn't outstay its welcome or become embroiled in painful silences or ghostly glissandi. There are quite a few recordings and with a work of this sort people will have very contrasting opinions but here's which ones connected with me (I couldnt separate the top bunch). Btw, unfortunately I didn't get to hear the Orlando Quartet recording. Shame. 

Here's a good YouTube performance from the Ligeti Quartet






Recommended

Britten 
Cavaleri
Asasello
Mondriaan
Madawaska

*Better

Tale
Kapralova
Matangi

Highly recommended

Borodin* - a 'classic', full-bodied performance its easy to understand the appeal. One of the oldest recordings but it still gives the young bucks a great run for their money. The all-rounder. 
*Kronos* - although hyper dramatic this is still a very fine recording and the opening movement is a tour de force. They overdo the agitato a little but its great playing and highly rewarding. 
*Lark* - there's a fragility, darkness and atmosphere that pervades here that draws me in. It's all about the textures for the Lark and that's fine with me. 
*Danish* - the Danish Quartet's Prism discs are all exceptionally fine and this tensile and edgy account is no different. Superb Andante. I'd love to see them do this live. 
*Signum* - a grower that improves with every listen. Snappy, crisp, agitated playing in a recording of great clarity. 
*Molinari* - an account that gets right to the emotional heart of this fine quartet. The Molinari play with real depth and passion. 
*
Top pick

Pacifica* - after playing through all the recordings this one narrowly lingers longest in the memory with a flow that is so organic. The agitato is exceptionally striong but its all terrific. Stunning articulation in beautifully spacious sound. Even better, I quickly realised that it's the only recording I own, hiding on the end of the Shostakovich Quartets Vol.4 disc. Le Whoop!


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