Dmitri Shostakovich - String Quartet No. 1 in C major, Op. 49 (1938): Score And Analysis

Details

Description

D. Shostakovich expressed his thoughts on his composition: "After the completion of my 5th Symphony, I didn't do much for a whole year. I only wrote a quartet consisting of four small parts. I began writing it without any particular thoughts or feelings, thinking that it wouldn't amount to anything. After all, a quartet is one of the most challenging musical genres. I wrote the first page as a sort of exercise in quartet form, never intending to finish or release it. In general, I often write pieces that I don't publish. They serve as a kind of compositional exercise. But then, I became very engrossed in working on the quartet, and I wrote it extremely quickly. One should not seek profound depth in this first quartet of mine. In terms of mood, it is joyful, cheerful, and lyrical. I would call it the "spring" quartet.”

All four parts are very short, and the genres and forms presented here are given in a simplified and somewhat reduced manner. The first part is written in an extremely condensed sonata form and can be understood as a sonatina. The second part is "little variations," the third part is a "scherzino," and the finale, with its concise sonata form, is also akin to a sonatina.

1st movement, C major.
Form: Double binary/sonata
EXPOSITION:
00:00 r.1 Primary Subject (C major): Soft choir voices create a delicate blend of smooth harmonies, occasionally forming softly dissonant harmonies. The beautiful melody unfolds with unpretentious elegance. Accompanying voices add tonal shades, while the cello provides a contrapuntal voice.
01:27 r.4 Secondary Subject (E-flat major): A complementary contrast, combining lyricism with dance-like qualities. The solo violin leads a simple melody, accompanied by an ostinato movement in the lower voices.
RECAPITULATION:
02:57 r.9 Primary Subject (C major): The recapitulation begins with the development of a fragment from r.3. The primary subject is rhythmically altered, transitioning to quadruple meter.
04:12 r.12 Secondary Subject (A-flat major): Two-voice motifs take the lead, with the viola and cello carrying the theme.
CODA:
04:46 r.14: Crystalline sounds in the high register, rare and beautiful melody, and a pastoral color created by the cello. The coda evokes a sense of quiet reverence for nature's enduring beauty.

2nd movement, A minor.
Form: Theme and variations
PAIR 1. A minor:
05:20 r.15 Theme: An epic character combining elements of a song and a march. Variations explore intimate and poetic sentiments.
05:53 r.16 Variation 1: The second period is shortened, accompanied by cello pizzicato.
PAIR 2. B-flat minor:
06:27 r.17 Variation 2: The theme migrates to the first violin with a dissonant countermelody. Culminates in an outburst.
06:50 r.19 Variation 3: The theme returns to the viola while the first violin performs a countermelody variant. Culminates in a codetta.
PAIR 3. D major:
07:36 r.21 Variation 4: The theme is played by the first violin in a high register, accompanied by spring-like triplets. Haydn-esque idyllic joy is interrupted by comical moments.
08:00 r.22 Variation 5: Expressive theme resonates in the high register of the cello, interrupted by dissonant exclamations and a quotation.
PAIR 4. A minor:
08:50 r.24 Variation 6: The theme returns with a gentle accompaniment, presenting a different aspect with a sense of farewell and dusk-like music.
09:23 r.25 Variation 7: Final variation serving as a conclusion to the movement.

3rd movement, C-sharp minor.
Form: Ternary
SCHERZO:
10:06 r.27 Theme: A miniature, fleeting scherzo with a muted quartet. Whimsical melodic turns and buzzing-like repeated sounds create a ghostly and fantastical character.
TRIO, F-sharp major:
10:49 r.35 Clearly defined theme with a lyrical song-waltz character.
SCHERZO:
11:40 r.42 Scherzo reprisal: Very short and unfinished, transitioning into the coda (r.44) with the opening measures of both themes.

4th movement, C major.
Form: Sonata
EXPOSITION:
12:10 r.46 Primary Subject (C major). Lively background with a high register melody presented in three parts.
12:52 r.52 Secondary Subject (E-flat major): Theme unexpectedly appears in the high register of the cello with a "heavy gait" and sudden meter changes.
DEVELOPMENT:
13:19 r.56 Primary Subject.
13:38 r.59 Secondary Subject.
13:46 r.60 Primary Subject: Starts with the cello and developed in the first violin.
14:04 r.64 Secondary Subject.
RECAPITULATION:
14:13 r.65 Primary Subject (C major): Compressed recapitulation limited to the first sentence.
14:25 r.67 Secondary Subject: Tonally unstable, starting in E major and quickly shifting to F major.
14:46 r.70 Primary Subject: Remaining sentences of the primary subject return suddenly.
CODA:
15:03 r.74: Dynamic and meaningful culmination of the finale. External sentences of the primary subject presented in a condensed format.

N.B. This is a condensed analysis, the full scale analysis is in the pinned comment.