Regarding Priaulx Rainier’s First String Quartet, born in South Africa in 1903, The Observer critic wrote: “I cannot recommend this work enough (…) Even if Miss Rainier had only written the first movement, she would still be one of our best composers.”
The First String Quartet by Alan Rawsthorne, born two years later, is a continuation of his Theme and Variations for two violins and bears the same title. It is not as harmonically modern as Rainier’s music, but it is still charming and playful.
With Benjamin Britten’s First String Quartet in D major, Op. 25, we reach one of the highlights of British quartet music. It was written in the United States in 1941. The special atmosphere in this quartet led an American reviewer at the time to remark that it should be considered an “In Memoriam for a Lost World.”
Priaulx Rainier (1903-1986) – String Quartet in C minor (1939)
1. Allegro molto serioso, 2. Vivace leggiero grazioso, 3. Andante tranquillo, 4. Presto spirituoso
Performers: Amadeus Quartet
Recording: SWR Classic Archive (historical recording)
Alan Rawsthorne (1905-1971) – String Quartet No. 1 ‘Theme and Variations’ (1939)
Performers: Maggini Quartet
CD: Naxos
Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) – String Quartet No. 1, D major, Op. 25 (1941)
1. Andante sostenuto – Allegro vivo, 2. Allegretto con slancio, 3. Andante calmo, 4. Molto vivace
Performers: Brodsky Quartet
CD: Challenge Records
