String Quartet No. 1 is the first of seventeen works in the genre by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, originally written in Nova Friburgo in 1915 and extensively revised in 1946. A performance lasts approximately eighteen minutes.
Villa-Lobos composed his First Quartet in Nova Friburgo, Brazil in 1915, originally under the title Suíte de Quartetos de Corda: Suíte Graciosa and in just three movements: "Cantilena" (Andante), "Cançonetinha Grega" (Allegretto), and "Brinquedo". This version, the manuscript of which is dated 5 March 1915, was given its first performance privately at the home of the Brazilian composer, pianist, and teacher Homero de Sá Barreto (1884–1924), on 3 December 1915. The score of this version, which was never given a public performance, is dedicated to the Quarteto de Friburgo, for whom it was written. In 1946, believing the original manuscript to have been lost, Villa-Lobos rewrote the score, adding three movements and retitling the work String Quartet No. 1. This version was performed in Rio de Janeiro for the first time by the Iacovino Quartet on 7 August 1946. [1]
The quartet consists of six movements:
The six short movements of this quartet take the form of a suite, alternating cantabile and dance movements. [2]
The lively and humorous second movement, titled "Brincadeira" (Joke), features effects of pizzicato, battendo coll'arco (striking the strings with the back of the bow), and harmonics, both natural and artificial. [3]
Throughout the third movement the melodic material is confined entirely to the viola and first violin. [4] The composer describes this movement as "a deliberate and elevated caricature of romantic arias, transcending the delicious idea of a romanza sung by a baritone accompanied by a small provincial orchestra". [5]
The fourth and fifth movements suggest passages in the Bachianas Brasileiras , particularly the violin melody in "Melancolia" resembles the "Canto do capadócio" from Bachianas No. 2. [6]
In order of date of recording:
Cuarteto Latinoamericano is a string quartet. Founded in Mexico in 1981, the Cuarteto has toured throughout Europe, the Americas, Israel, China, Japan, and New Zealand. They have premiered over one hundred works written for them. Winners of two Latin Grammy Awards for Best Classical Album, they have also been awarded the Diapason d'Or, the Mexican Music Critics Association Award, and three "Most Adventurous Programming" Awards from Chamber Music America.
Bernardo Bessler is a Brazilian violinist, conductor, teacher, and producer.
Música de feria is a composition for string quartet by the Mexican composer and violinist Silvestre Revueltas, written in 1932. Though not so titled by the composer, it is sometimes referred to as his String Quartet No. 4. A performance lasts a little more than nine minutes.
String Quartet No. 2 (Magueyes) is a chamber-music work by the Mexican composer and violinist Silvestre Revueltas from 1931. The score is dedicated to Aurora Murguía and a performance of it lasts between ten and eleven minutes.
String Quartet No. 2 is the one of a series of seventeen works in the genre by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, and was written in 1915. A performance lasts approximately twenty minutes.
String Quartet No. 3 is the third of seventeen works in the medium by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, and was written in 1916. A performance lasts approximately twenty-three minutes.
String Quartet No. 4 is the fourth of seventeen works in the genre by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, written in 1917 and revised in 1949. A performance lasts approximately 23 minutes.
String Quartet No. 5 is the fifth of seventeen works in the genre by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, written in 1931. A performance lasts approximately 17 minutes.
String Quartet No. 6 ("Brazilian") is one of seventeen works in the genre by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, and was written in 1938, in between his early and late periods. Villa-Lobos considered naming it "Quartet Popular No. 2" as opposed to "Brazilian," and while the work is indeed one of his more nationalist pieces, it also bears direct connections to the Viennese tradition of string quartet composition. A performance lasts approximately 24 minutes.
String Quartet No. 7 is the seventh of seventeen works in the genre by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, written in 1942. With a performance lasting approximately 37 minutes, it is the longest of Villa-Lobos's string quartets
String Quartet No. 8 is one of seventeen works in the genre by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, written in 1944. A performance lasts approximately twenty-five minutes.
String Quartet No. 9 is part of a series of seventeen works in the medium by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, and was written in 1945. A performance lasts approximately 25 minutes.
String Quartet No. 10 is one of a series of seventeen works in the genre by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, and was written in 1946. A performance lasts approximately 23 minutes.
String Quartet No. 11 is a 1947 string quartet, part of a 17-work series in the medium by Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos. A performance lasts approximately 27 minutes.
String Quartet No. 12 is the part of a series of seventeen works in the genre by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, and was written in 1950. A performance lasts approximately twenty-two minutes.
String Quartet No. 13 is one of a series of seventeen works in the medium by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, and was written in 1951. A performance of it lasts approximately twenty minutes.
String Quartet No. 14 is the one of a series of seventeen works in the medium by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, and was written in 1953. A performance lasts approximately seventeen minutes.
String Quartet No. 15 is one of a series of seventeen works in the medium by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, and was written in 1954. A performance lasts approximately nineteen minutes.
String Quartet No. 16 is the penultimate of seventeen quartets by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, and was written in 1955. A performance lasts approximately twenty minutes.
String Quartet No. 17 is the last of seventeen quartets by the Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, and was written in 1957. A performance lasts approximately twenty minutes.