String Quartet in F major, Opus 44 - Nielsen composed string quartet music in 1906 having the title "Piacevolezza" and opus number 19. Nielsen discarded the work but enventually revised it: publication as opus 44 was in 1923. The composition can't be said to be a major advance over Opus 14, and that's not surprising given the initial time of composition and the general mood of the music which is more pleasant and sunny than the Opus 14 String Quartet; it also has clearer textures and less gritty counterpoint. The first movement, Allegro non tanto e comodo, has three basic elements which consistently get my attention. The basic theme is a swaying and somewhat eerie one which recurs throughout the movement with varying dynamics. Mid-way through the movement there's a hymn-like and errie passage of strong impact. The conclusion is a hushed and tender coda which is the perfect ending to the movement. The quality of the music is high, although I question whether there is sufficient variety of mood and invention to accomodate over seven minutes of music; I would have preferred that Nielsen cut it down to the five minute range, but he's the man in charge. The Oslo String Quartet gives the slowest performance. Their primary theme has a nice and errie quality to it, angularity is ample, the hymn like passage goes well, and the conclusion is sufficiently hushed and emotional. The Danish Quartet does as well; although the errie quality of the primary theme is rather low, the reading is more rustic and the conclusion has more feeling than the Oslo's performance. Add the Kontra to this list - they provide the most eerie basic theme and deliver abundant energy and angularity; on the other hand, their hymn-like passage and the conclusion are not particularly effective. The Zapolski Quartet has some problems with the first movement. They are not slow, but the performance does drag now and then. That's due to a generally subdued reading which has little angularity to it. The Zapolski's performance is worthy but less idiomatic than the three other versions. The second movement, Adagio con sentimento religioso, begins with a dramatic hymn-like passage which is essentially varied throughout the movement. There are three elements of the music which are most significant to me. First, being variations, it is very important that there is a high level of distinction among them so that boredom from repetition does not set in. Second, this Adagio is rustic to the core. Third, the most incisive variation, about 1/3 into the movement, gives me the image of a hushed force rising up from under the pulpit. The mystery of this passage as it relates to religious belief is stunning. The Kontra Quartet does well, but there's little sense of a rustic setting and the hushed variation is not very effective. The Danish Quartet also performs well but does not make much impact in the hushed variation. The Zapolski Quartet is outstanding in highlighting distinctions among the variations. Best of all is the Oslo Quartet whose hushed variation is perfect; I feel the floorboards lifting to give way to the music. Also, there's a strong rustic flavor to the performance. The third movement is along the lines of a happy and good-natured scherzo and trio except for a series of strong outbursts. The four versions are equally rewarding and quite good. The Danish Quartet makes the outbursts violent ones; elsewhere, it's a beautiful reading. The Kontra Quartet gives a jaunty dance-like quality to the music which is very enjoyable. The Oslo Quartet is solid and idiomatic. Most distinctive is the Zapolski Quartet with a much slower performance than the others and a relatively hushed and mysterious reading. This version would have rated higher than the other three except that the Zapolski don't get that last ounce of beauty out of the music. The fourth movement, Molto adagio-Allegro non tanto, ma molto scherzoso, has much variety to it. It begins with majestic C major chords, quickly switches to a delightfully rustic dance, then settles into a highly lyrical and serene set of passages, followed by more dance, then mournful passages having fugue-like characteristics, more dance, and a ceremonial send-off. The remainder of the movement largely continues as before with the music searching for its home key. Three versions are very good; the Olso String Quartet does not meet the competition as their dance is rather ugly and beauty is hard to locate. The Zapolski Quartet is on the slow side with beautiful lyricism; the dance is not vivacious. The Danish Quartet provides a quick and exciting dance flavor, although the more tender passages sound a little rushed. The Kontra Quartet does well throughout, but they have their moments of excessive romanticism. I have three strong recommendations for Nielsen's String Quartets: 1. Obtain the Kubin Quartet's recording on Centaur of Opus 5 and 13, and cross your fingers that they complete the series. 2. Obtain the two Naxos discs from the Oslo Quartet. Rating a very strong recommendation at any cost, the cd's are a fantastic bargain at Naxos prices. 3. Obtain the Danish Quartet set on Kontrapunkt. This is a fine set highlighted by an absolutely magical performance of the Opus 5 first movement, the movement I feel stands tall above all the others in the four quartets. This movement alone is worth the cost of set. Unless you want all versions, I'd pass on the Kontra and Zapolski Quartet recordings. I can't deny that the Zapolski provide the most variety and take the most chances of any version. However, they more often make bad choices than good ones. The issue of performing in an idiomatic manner doesn't really apply here; the Zapolski, from the onset, announce that they will not be abiding by those rules. I accept that premise, but still find more misses than hits. The Kontra Quartet has its romantic tendencies and a stubborn resistance to the rustic way of life. If your tastes are more for the romantic style and urban backdrops than mine, the Kontra could be very rewarding. Based on my perceptions of Nielsen's music, it's the Danish, Oslo, and Kubin Quartets which capture the man's spirit. I'll soon start reviewing some recordings of Bach's Art of Fugue. There will be a fair mix of harpsichord, piano, organ, and mutiple instrument versions - 15 or more depending on what future searches in the house yield. Don Satz [log in to unmask]