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MOZART_QUATUOR TALICH
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Six months later Mozart returned to Vienna and wrote
another cycle of six quartets; they are much more
ambitious works, in four movements instead of three
(like those of his master Haydn). He even tried his
hand at fugue and at imitative writing. Here are new
expressions of Mozart’s genius.
The
Viennese
Quartets,K.168-173 (1773)
The charmand peacefulness of
Quartet K.168
are undoubtedly emphasised by the
key of Fmajor. Unusually,Mozart specifies the use of themute in the
Andante
.The
Menuetto
expresses simple, quiet joy,while the final
Allegro
is abounding fugue.
Like K.160, the
Molto allegro
of
string quartet in A major, K.169
beginswith the first
notes of one of the Divertimenti for string quartet. The atmosphere is relaxed
and the composition shows great skill. The theme of the
Andante
is nostalgic
and lyrical, supported by a ground bass, which gradually gives way to calls
and responses from the instruments in pairs, before a recapitulation further
heightens the atmosphere. An impulsive
Menuetto
gives way to a short
Allegro
in
rondo form.
Most curiously, theopeningmovement of the
string quartet in Cmajor, K.170
is an
Andante
withvariations,verycloseinitsgravitytosomeofthequartetsdedicated
to Haydn. Should we speak of nobility? Serenity? This is the music of a man who
had reached maturity – yet Mozart was only just seventeen! This movement is
followedby a lively
Menuetto
, thena
Poco adagio
that is as tender as a lullaby softly
murmured to a child... This music is so fresh and pure that one could imagine