String Quartet No. 1 (Szymanowski) Explained

String Quartet No. 1 in C major, Op. 37, is a composition for string quartet by Karol Szymanowski. It was the first of the two string quartets composed by Szymanowski. The work is from 1917 during his middle period.^{[1] [2]} It is notable for its "polytonal" third movement, which contains four key signatures in its written four parts: the first violin with 3 sharps, the second violin with 6 sharps, the viola with 3 flats, and the cello with no flats or sharps.^[3]

Dedicated to the French musicologist Henry Prunières, the work won the first prize in the Polish Ministry of Religious Denominations and Public Enlightenment's chamber music competition. Its first public performance was in Warsaw on 7 March 1924 played by the Warsaw Philharmonic Quartet. Szymanowski planned on including a fourth movement, a fugal finale, but the idea ultimately got scrapped.^[4] A performance usually lasts 17-18 minutes.

Recordings

String quartets who have recorded the piece include:^[5]

• Warsaw String Quartet. Da Camera Magna (coissue? with Pavane) (1982)
• Wilanow String Quartet. (1982)^[6] [Veriton (1979); Polskie Nagrania Edition (1994)]
• Varsovia Quartet. (1982 Vinyl, Pavane Records – ADW 7118) Olympia (1989)
• Carmina Quartet.^[7] (Denon CD, 1992) ^{[8] [9]}
• Goldner String Quartet. Naxos (2000)
• Meccore String Quartet. Polskie Nagrania/Warner Music Poland (2015)

See also

• List of polytonal pieces

References

• Stowell, Robin (2003). The Cambridge Companion to the String Quartet. Cambridge University Press
• Thomas, Adrian (2005). Polish Music since Szymanowski. Cambridge University Press.

Notes and References

1. Thomas p. 5
2. Stowell p. 305
3. Iwanicka-Nijakowska, Anna (September 2007).(30 April 2014). String Quartet No. 1 in C major Op. 37 - Karol Szymanowski. Adam Mickiewicz Institute (culture.pl). Retrieved 12 March 2015.
4. News: String Quartet No. 1 in C major Op. 37 - Karol Szymanowski . 1 August 2021.
5. Będkowski, Stanisław and Hrabia, Stanisław (2001). Witold Lutosławski: A Bio-bibliography, p. 83. Greenwood Publishing Group
6. Web site: Szumanowski . Karol . Karol Szymanowski - The Wilanów Quartet* – Two String Quartets . Discogs.
7. Web site: Carmina Quartett String Quartet . 2024-02-22 . en-GB.
8. Web site: Szymanowski/Webern Works for String Quartet . 2024-02-22 . Gramophone . en.
9. Web site: Szymanowski . Karol . Szymanowski* / Webern* / Carmina Quartet – String Quartets (No.1 In C Major, Op.37 / No.2, Op.56) / Langsamer Satz . discogs.