String Quartet in C minor, Op.51, No.1

Even when he had exorcised his fear of comparison with Beethoven - he destroyed twenty quartets before publishing his Op.51 - Brahms avoided the large-scale construction of the late quartets. The nearest Beethoven relation to the Quartet in C minor is perhaps the “Quartetto serioso” Op.95. Certainly, the first movements of the two works are motivated by a similar dynamic urgency. Although Brahms’s second movement is described as a “Romance,” it actually has much in common with the first, while the Allegretto is a far from genial scherzo. There is little appeasement in the final Allegro and no escape from its punitive ending.

It took Brahms almost as long to publish his first string quartet as it took him to publish his first symphony - and for the same reason. According to his own confession, he wrote and destroyed twenty such works before he declared himself satisfied with his Quartet in C minor in 1873. Even then, although the sound and the style of Beethoven’s late quartets were clearly in his mind as he wrote, he did not attempt to emulate the large-scale structures of those works.

The nearest Beethoven relation to Brahms’s Quartet in C minor is the middle-period Quartet in F minor, Op.95. Brahms’s first movement is longer than Beethoven’s but it is motivated by a similar dynamic urgency. The heroic determination of the opening theme, thrusting upwards on first violin over a propulsive rhythm on viola and cello, defines the character of the rest of the movement and, indeed, of much of the rest of the work. Although a contrastingly lyrical expression follows immediately, the second main theme - introduced after a brief but dramatic climax - enters nervously off the beat and over another restless ostinato on viola to compound the prevailing agitation. One aspect or another of the opening theme, above all its impulsive dotted rhythm, is nearly always present somewhere in the four-part texture. It dominates the development section, often in company with the second subject, and it reappears in the recapitulation in much the same grim mood as it was heard in the exposition. Surprisingly, disguised in a motif taken up by the cello in the coda, it is appeased into quiet C major acquiesence in the closing bars.

Although the second movement is described as a “Romance” and is set in the comparatively relaxed key of A flat major, it has much in common with the first. The dotted rhythm and rising profile of the opening theme of the work are recalled in the very first bar here and remain at least as prominent as the melody about to be introduced by first violin. The second theme has something of the nervously rhythmic quality of the equivalent theme in the first movement.

There are no such thematic echoes in the Allegro molto moderato e comodo third movement. Set in F minor, however, and characterised by the anxiously syncopated theme introduced by viola under a breathlessly repeated motif on violin, it is far from the genial scherzo usually expected at this point. The one concession to convention is the delightfully tuneful and attractively coloured middle section in F major.

The heroic mood of the opening Allegro is re-established immediately on the entry of a theme in dotted rhythms rising determinedly on all four instruments at the beginning of the last movement. Again, as in the first movement, there are other, friendlier thematic ideas. But the main theme is even more dominant in this case and, although the tonality occasionally touches on C major in the middle of the construction, there is no appeasement this time and no means of escape from the punitive C minor ending.

It took Brahms almost as long to publish his first string quartet as it took him to publish his first symphony. The problem was Beethoven, whose late quartets were no less intimidating a precedent to an ambitious successor than his symphonies. Schubert’s expansion of the form, particularly in his last Quartet in G major, must have been another hugely imposing challenge. Certainly, Brahms claimed to have written and destroyed twenty such works before he declared himself satisfied with his Quartet in C minor in 1873. Even then, although the sound and the style of Beethoven’s late quartets were clearly in Brahms’s mind as he wrote, he did not attempt to emulate the large-scale structures of those works.

The nearest Beethoven relation to Brahms’s Quartet in C minor is the middle-period Quartet in F minor, Op.95. Brahms’s first movement is longer than Beethoven’s but it is motivated by a similar dynamic urgency. The heroic determination of the opening theme, thrusting upwards on first violin over a propulsive rhythm on viola and cello, defines the character of the rest of the movement and, indeed, of much of the rest of the work. Although a contrastingly lyrical expression follows immediately, the second main theme - introduced after a brief but dramatic climax - enters nervously off the beat and over another restless ostinato on viola to compound the prevailing agitation. One aspect or another of the opening theme, above all its impulsive dotted rhythm, is nearly always present somewhere in the four-part texture. It dominates the development section, often in company with the second subject, and it reappears in the recapitulation in much the same grim mood as it was heard in the exposition. Surprisingly, disguised in a motif taken up by the cello in the coda, it is appeased into quiet C major acquiesence in the closing bars.

Although the second movement is described as a “Romance” and set in the comparatively relaxed key of A flat major, it has much in common with the first. The dotted rhythm and rising profile of the opening theme of the work are recalled in the very first bar here and remain at least as prominent as the melody about to be introduced by first violin. The second theme has something of the nervously rhythmic quality of the equivalent theme in the first movement.

There are no such thematic echoes in the Allegro molto moderato e comodo third movement but, set in F minor and characterised by the anxiously syncopated theme introduced by viola under a breathlessly repeated motif on violin, it is far from the genial scherzo usually expected at this point. The one concession to convention is the delightfully tuneful and attractively coloured middle section in F major.

The heroic mood of the opening Allegro is reestablished immediately on the entry of a theme in dotted rhythms rising determinedly on all four instruments at the beginning of the last movement. Again, as in the first movement, there are other, friendlier thematic ideas. But the main theme is even more dominant in this case and, although the tonality occasionally touches on C major in the middle of the construction, there is no appeasement this time and no means of escape from the punitive C minor ending.

Gerald Larner©