The String Quartet

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.