Carl Nielsen
Kvartet for to violiner, bratsch og cello, opus 44
(Piacevolezza)
Quartet for Two Violins, Viola and Cello, Opus 44
Opus 44
CNW 58
CNUCarl Nielsen Udgaven (The Carl Nielsen Edition. Royal Danish Library: Copenhagen 1998–2009)
II/10
CNSCarl Nielsens Samling (The Carl Nielsen Collection, Royal Danish Library, Copenhagen)
41
FSDan Fog & Torben Schousboe: Carl Nielsen kompositioner. En Bibliografi. København 1965.
36
Dedicatee: Den københavnske Strygekvartet (Gunna Breuning, Gerhard Rafn, Ella Faber, Paulus Bache)
Composition: 1906.
Nielsen composed the quartet, Op. 44, between two of his major achievements: the opera Maskarade (CNW 2) and the music for the melodrama Hr. Oluf han rider– (CNW 7). The first two movements of the quartet were dated at the beginning of 1906, while the last two ones were finished in the summer. It seems that the quartet was revised several times, between different performances (1906–12) and up until its publication in 1923.
Key: F major
Music
1.
Allegro non tanto e comodoKey: F major
2.
Adagio con sentimento religiosoKey: C major
3.
Allegretto moderato ed innocenteKey: A minor
4. Finale
Molto adagio. Allegro non tanto, ma molto scherzosoKey: F major
Sources
Sketches
Score, draft (first and second movements)
Score, draft (third and fourth movements)
Score, autograph, printer's manuscript
Parts, manuscript copy, printer's manuscript
Pocket score, print
Parts, print
Performances
| 10 Aug. 1906 | Fuglsang, Lolland (performers: Carl Nielsen; Julius Röntgen; Gerard von Brucken Fock; Engelbert Röntgen). First performance. Carl Nielsen's remark in a letter to Henrik Knudsen dated 9 Aug. 1906 seems to refer to the first rehearsal rather than the first performance: 'Vi har idag spillet min nye Kvartet og den klinger som jeg havde ventet mig' (We have played my new quartet today and it sounds as I had expected). Evidence: Julius Röntgen's handwritten concert programme. (Inger Sørensen, 'Musiklivet på Fuglsang', Fund og Forskning i Det Kongelige Biblioteks Samlinger, 52 (2013), p. 239) |
| 30 Nov. 1907 | Odd Fellow Palæet, Copenhagen (performers: Ludvig Holm, violin; Johannes Schiørring, violin; Kristian Sandby, viola; Ernst Høeberg, cello). Carl Nielsen. First public performance. Reviews: Vort Land, 1 Dec. 1907 (Robert Henriques). Nationaltidende, 1 Dec. 1907 (Gustav Hetsch). Dannebrog, 1 Dec. 1907 (L.R.). Politiken, 1 Dec. 1907 (Charles Kjerulf). København, 1 Dec. 1907 (S.A.). Ekstrabladet, 1 Dec. 1907. Berlingske Tidende, 2 Dec. 1907. |
| 12 Dec. 1907 | Studenterforeningen, Copenhagen (performers: Ludvig Holm, violin; Johannes Schiørring, violin; Kristian Sandby, viola; Ernst Høeberg, cello). Kammermusikforeningen. |
| 7 Jan. 1909 | Odd Fellow Palæet, Copenhagen (performers: Ludvig Holm, violin; Johannes Schiørring, violin; Julius Borup, viola; Ernst Høeberg, cello). Privat Kammermusikforening. |
| 9 Jan. 1909 | Odd Fellow Palæet, Copenhagen (performers: Ludvig Holm, violin; Johannes Schiørring, violin; Julius Borup, viola; Ernst Høeberg, cello). Privat Kammermusikforening. |
| 17 Apr. 1909 | Studenterforeningen, Copenhagen (performers: Ludvig Holm, violin; Johannes Schiørring, violin; Julius Borup, viola; Ernst Høeberg, cello). Carl Nielsen. |
| 13 Dec. 1912 | Østerbros Teater, Copenhagen (performers: Axel Gade, violin; Johannes Schiørring, violin; Louis Witzansky, viola; Ernst Høeberg, cello). Østerbro Kammermusikforening. |
| 10 Apr. 1913 | Studenterforeningen, Copenhagen (performers: Axel Gade, violin; Johannes Schiørring, violin; Louis Witzansky, viola; Ernst Høeberg, cello). Kammermusikforeningen. |
| 21 Apr. 1913 | Copenhagen (performers: Axel Gade, violin; Johannes Schiørring, violin; Louis Witzansky, viola; Ernst Høeberg, cello). Private Chamber Music Society (Privat Kammermusikforening). |
| 26 Apr. 1913 | Copenhagen (performers: Axel Gade, violin; Johannes Schiørring, violin; Louis Witzansky, viola; Ernst Høeberg, cello). Private Chamber Music Society (Privat Kammermusikforening). |
| 4 Jan. 1919 | Den Frie Udstilling, Copenhagen (performers: Thorvald Nielsen, violin; Niels Broesbøl-Jensen, violin; Niels Borre, viola; Johan Hye-Knudsen, cello). |
| 5 Jan. 1919 | Den Frie Udstilling, Copenhagen (performers: Thorvald Nielsen, violin; Niels Broesbøl-Jensen, violin; Niels Borre, viola; Johan Hye-Knudsen, cello). |
| 12 Jan. 1919 | Den Frie Udstilling, Copenhagen (Thorvald Nielsen-Kvartetten; performers: Thorvald Nielsen, violin; Niels Jensen, violin; Niels Borre, viola; Johan Hye-Knudsen, cello). |
| 22 Mar. 1919 | Aarhus Teater, Aarhus (Thovald Nielsen Kvartetten; performers: Thovald Nielsen, violin; Ludvig Gunder, violin; Niels Borre, viola; Johan Hye-Knudsen, cello). |
| 27 Mar. 1919 | Casinos Koncertsal, Copenhagen (performers: Emil Telmányi, violin; Henry Holst, violin; Thorvald Nielsen, viola; Louis Jensen, cello). |
| 28 Mar. 1919 | Teatersalen, Nyborg (Thorvald Niensen Kvartetten; performers: Thorvald Niensen, violin; Ludvig Gunder, violin; Niels Borre, viola; Johan Hye-Knudsen, cello). |
| 10 Apr. 1919 | Studenterforeningen, Copenhagen (Thovald Nielsen Kvartetten; performers: Thorvald Nielsen, violin; Ludvig Gunder, violin; Niels Borre, viola; Johan Hye-Knudsen, cello). |
| 13 Oct. 1921 | Teatret Gammelting, Haderslev (performers: Gunna Breuning-Storm, violin; Gerhard Rafn, violin; Ella Faber, viola; Paulus Bache, cello). |
| 7 Jan. 1922 | Hornung & Møllers Koncertsal, Copenhagen (performers: Gunna Breuning-Storm, violin; Gerhard Rafn, violin; Ella Faber, viola; Paulus Bache, cello). |
| 10 Jan. 1922 | Hornung & Møllers Koncertsal, Copenhagen (performers: Gunna Breuning-Storm, violin; Gerhard Rafn, violin; Ella Faber, viola; Paulus Bache, cello). |
| 27 Feb. 1922 | Bechstein-Saal, Berlin (Breuning-Bache Kvartetten). |
| 19 Mar. 1925 | Industriforeningens nye Foredragssal, Copenhagen (performers: Thorvald Nielsen, violin; Erling Bloch, violin; Hans Kassow, viola; Johan Hye-Knudsen, cello). |
| 10 Oct. 1925 | Odd Fellow Palæet, Copenhagen (Thorvald Nielsen Strygekvartetten). |
| 18 Nov. 1925 | Saalbau Kirchholtes, Mülheim, Ruhr (Grevesmühl Quartett). |
| 3 Dec. 1925 | University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen (performers: Gunna Breuning-Storm, violin; Gerhard Rafn, violin; Ella Faber, viola; Paulus Bache, cello). |
| 14 Jan. 1926 | Industribygningens Festsal, Copenhagen (performers: Gunna Breuning-Storm, violin; Gerhard Rafn, violin; Axel Jørgensen, viola; Paulus Bache, cello). |
| 18 Jan. 1926 | Teatersalen, Fredericia (performers: Thorvald Nielsen, violin; Erling Bloch, violin; Hans Kassow, viola; Louis Jensen, cello). |
| 1 Feb. 1926 | Paladshotellet, Esbjerg (performers: Thorvald Nielsen, violin; Erling Bloch, violin; Hans Kassow, viola; Louis Jensen, cello). |
| 16 Feb. 1926 | Odd Fellow Palæet, Copenhagen (performers: Thorvald Nielsen, violin; Erling Bloch, violin; Hans Kassow, viola; Louis Jensen, cello). |
| 18 Feb. 1926 | Odd Fellow Palæet, Copenhagen (performers: Thorvald Nielsen, violin; Erling Bloch, violin; Hans Kassow, viola; Louis Jensen, cello). |
| 14 May 1927 | Konservatoriet, Stockholm (performers: Lince Berglund, violin; Nils Gustavsson, violin; Åke Karlsson, viola; Gustaf Jonsson, cello). |
| 5 Sept. 1927 | Radiostudiet, Købmagergade, Copenhagen (Breuning-Bache Kvartetten). |
| 19 Oct. 1927 | Börse, Prague (Thorvald Nielsen Strygekvartetten). |
| 29 Nov. 1927 | Odd Fellow Palæet, Copenhagen (Kolisch-Kvartetten; performers: Rudolph Kolisch, violin; Felix Khuner, violin; Eugen Lehner, viola; Benar Heifetz, cello). |
| 10 Dec. 1927 | Odd Fellow Palæet, Copenhagen (Wiener-Strygekvartten (Kolisch-Kvartetten)). |
| 2 May 1928 | Aarhus (performers: Harald Andersen, violin; Niels Jørgensen, violin; Thyge Haumüller, viola; Thomas Jensen, cello). |
| 21 Jan. 1929 | Frederiksberg Kammermusikforening, Copenhagen (Thorvald Nielsen Strygekvartetten; performers: Thorvald Nielsen, violin; Erling Bloch, violin; Hans Kassow, viola; Louis Jensen, cello). |
| 6 May 1929 | Vejle Musikforening, Vejle (Thorvald Nielsen Strygekvartetten). |
| 20 Mar. 1930 | Industribygningens Festsal, Copenhagen (performers: Thorvald Nielsen, violin; Erling Bloch, violin; Hans Kassow, viola; Louis Jensen, cello). |
| 26 Jan. 1931 | Hornung & Møllers Sal, Copenhagen (performers: Gunna Breuning-Storm, violin; Gerhard Rafn, violin; Axel Jørgensen, viola; Paulus Bache, cello). |
| 3 Feb. 1931 | Studentermusikforeningen, Copenhagen (performers: Julius Koppel/Ketty Faber/ Frans Faber?, violin; Frank Anton Svendsen, viola; Hans Hekscher, cello). |
| 1 Oct. 1931 | Industribygningens Festsal, Copenhagen (performers: Thorvald Nielsen, violin; Erling Bloch, violin; Hans Kassow, viola; Louis Jensen, Cello). |
Documents
Letters:
Other other:
B-to (interviewer), Harald Giersing (interviewee), Carl Nielsen (interviewee), Aage Oxenvad (interviewer) and Johannes C. Bjerg (interviewee): 'Kunstudstilling med Musik'. Hver 8. Dag, 17 Jan. 1919. (SamtidJohn Fellow (ed.): Carl Nielsen til sin samtid. Det Kongelige Bibliotek/Gyldendal: Copenhagen 1999. 61)
Bibliography
Robert Layton: 'Nielsen and the String Quartet'. The Listener, 64/1637, Aug. 1960, p. 238.
Frede Schandorf Petersen: 'Nu maa der gøres noget!'. Dansk Musiktidsskrift, 22/9, 1947, pp. 198–99.
Povl Hamburger: 'Orkester- og kammermusikken', in: Jürgen Balzer (ed.): Carl Nielsen: i hundredåret for hans fødsel (Nyt Nordisk Forlag Arnold Busck: Copenhagen 1965), pp. 19–45.
Povl Hamburger: 'Orchestral Works and Chamber Music', in: Jürgen Balzer (ed.): Carl Nielsen: Centenary Essays (Nyt Nordisk Forlag Arnold Busck: Copenhagen 1965), pp. 19–46.
Lena Skov: Carl Nielsens tidlige kammermusik: Karakteristiske stiltræk i Carl Nielsens kammermusik for 4-5 strygeinstrumenter indtil ca. 1906. University of Copenhagen: 1974. Speciale.
Charles M. Joseph: 'Structural Pacing in the Nielsen Quartet', in: Mina Miller (ed.): The Carl Nielsen Companion (London 1994), pp. 460–88.
Friedhelm Krummacher: 'Steps to Modernism. Carl Nielsen's String Quartets'. Carl Nielsen Studies, 2, 2005, pp. 89–131.
Inger Sørensen: 'Musiklivet på Fuglsang'. Fund og Forskning i Det Kongelige Biblioteks Samlinger, 52, 2013, pp. 213–247.
Niels Krabbe: 'Two newly discovered sources for the String Quartet in F Major, Opus 44, and the Suite for Piano, Opus 45'. Carl Nielsen Studies, 5, 2012,
pp. 382–84. 
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