# Volkmann - String Quartet 5 op.37 (SQ review)



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Born in Germany, Friedrich Volkmann was the son of a church music director. He was a talented young musician, mastering the organ, piano, cello and violin. As he grew up he showed great promise as a teacher but his studies under Robert Schumann, in Leipzig, proved especially fruitful and Schumann encouraged him to compose more. After years working as a piano teacher, choirmaster and organist a few of his works began to attract attention from none other than Liszt and Van Bulow. Eventually he met Brahms in Vienna and the two soon became firm friends. Later Volkmann became a professor of harmony and counterpoint at Budapest's National Academy of Music, under Liszt. 
Volkmann wrote 6 string quartets and they are all attractive works but this one stands out from the rest. A huge fan of Beethoven's quartets (especially) his quartets are also indebted to Mendelssohn and Schumann and were thought of as their equal in his day. For example, Volkmann's second piano trio was often compared with Beethoven’s Archduke (it was also a huge favourite of Liszt, who often performed it). 
Volkmann's 5th String Quartet (1859) is the most unique of his quartets as it is only in three movements, which was still unusual for the time. The 1st movement Allegro is a masterful movement of depth and power. With rich conversation between the instruments and a strong sense of identity it is almost orchestral in realisation, making heavy use of dynamics and cross-rhythms. Its a turbulent beginning and a fine opening to this impressive quartet. The 2nd movement Adagio is slightly the longest here and is much more relaxed with its elegiac main theme. This is music of great beauty and Volkman creates great tenderness here. He ramps up the emotional language with some fine dialogue between the violins in the middle section and uses the cello and viola to lay down a dynamic, constantly changing rhythm before things fade to a gentle conclusion. The finale, Allegro energico, sounds almost like 3 quartets in one. From a scherzo-like, Beethovian beginning Volkmann gradually increases the power slowly until the movement becomes an Andantino (which acts as a sandwiched trio) using the theme from the first Allegro and then twisting it to recreate a fascinating cross-pollination. To conclude there's a short Allegro molto section which increases in tempo ending with a breathless coda. What a clever and remarkable quartet this is and if you like the quartets of Schumann and Mendelssohn this really is a quartet you should check out (and it's relatively short at just over 20 minutes in duration). 
There's only one recording of this fine work by the *Mannheimer Quartet*, on CPO. They play this quartet with great authority, fine use of dynamics (essential for the outer movements) and agility and their adagio is particularly striking and passionate. CPO give the ensemble an impressive soundstage with warm and vibrant sound. Highly recommended.


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