Presented by Leo Samama.
Mieczyslaw Weinberg (1919-1996) – String Quartet No. 11 in F-sharp major, Op. 89 (1965/66)
Allegretto, 3. Adagio semplice, 4. Allegro leggiero
Performers: Quatuor Danel
CD: CPO
Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) – String Quartet No. 11 in F minor, Op. 122 (1966)
Introduction (Andantino), 2. Scherzo (Allegretto), 3. Recitative (Adagio), 4. Etude (Allegro), 5. Humoresque (Allegro), 6. Elegy (Adagio), 7. Finale (Moderato)
Performers: Quatuor Danel
CD: Alpha Classics
German Okunev (1931-1973) – String Quartet No. 2 (1962)
Introduction, 2. Scherzo, 3. Andante, 4. Intermezzo, 5. Finale
Performers: Taneyev String Quartet
CD: Northern Flowers
Firstly, the remaining movements of Miezcyslaw Weinberg’s String Quartet No. 11 in F-sharp major, Op. 89. Then, Shostakovich’s String Quartet No. 11 in F minor, Op. 122 from the same year. Indeed, both composers, Shostakovich and Weinberg, are on the same level, but Shostakovich’s new work is strikingly introspective and subdued.
The fact that Shostakovich and Weinberg were not the only composers in the Soviet Union who held somber thoughts in those years is evident from the five-part Second String Quartet from 1962 by the young deceased German Okunev.
