# Cerha - String Quartet 2 (SQ review)



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

Cerha's second quartet was written in 1990 stating that his insiration was music from Papua New Guinea. For me, that's slightly more evident in the first quartet and tbh I hear very little of those sing-sing melodies or percussive cross-rhythms in this quartet and more echoes of Berg intermingled with Cerha's interesting style. The quartet is a single arch-like movement rising from silence. Later, as the piece progresses, simple melodic lines give way to bursts of rhythm which gradually increase in frequency and pace before the piece ends in static chords and a peaceful surrender. I'll be honest and say that these arc-like pieces can often bore me but there's enough of interest here to keep me entertained. 
There's only one recording of this interesting work and that's by the perennial champions of the underdog quartet, the *Arditti Quartet.* As so often, they play with great clarity and purpose and seem to grasp the arc-like structure superbly whilst using dynamics appropriately throughout. A pleasant surprise.


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