String Quartet No. 2 (Janáček)

Leoš Janáček's String Quartet No. 2, "Intimate Letters", was written in 1928. It is generally referred to as Janáček´s "manifesto on love"cite album-notes |title=Leoš Janáček/Vítězslav Novák: String Quartets |albumlink= |bandname=Janáček Quartet |year=2000 |notestitle= |url= |first=Jaromír |last=Havlík |authorlink= |coauthors=(transl. Gráfová, Sarah) |pages=p. 3 |format=CD |publisher=Supraphon |publisherid=SU 3460-2 111 |location=Prague |mbid= ] .

Background

The "Intimate Letters" quartet was the second to be composed after a request from the Bohemian Quartet who, in 1923, requested Janáček to compose two string quartets for them. Unusually for a classical work, the nickname "Intimate Letters" ("Listy důvěrné" in Czech) was given by the composer, as it was inspired by his long and spiritual friendship with Kamila Stösslová, a married woman 38 years his junior. The composition was intended to reflect the character of their relationship as revealed in more than 700 letters they exchanged with each other:

:"You stand behind every note, you, living, forceful, loving. The fragrance of your body, the glow of your kisses – no, really of mine. Those notes of mine kiss all of you. They call for you passionately..."

The première of the work took place on 11 September, 1928, a month after Janáček died. The composition was performed by Moravian Quartet."cite album-notes |title=Leoš Janáček/Vítězslav Novák: String Quartets |albumlink= |bandname=Janáček Quartet |year=2000 |notestitle= |url= |first=Jaromír |last=Havlík |authorlink= |coauthors=(transl. Gráfová, Sarah) |pages=p. 3 |format=CD |publisher=Supraphon |publisherid=SU 3460-2 111 |location=Prague |mbid= ] .

Structure

It consists of four movements:
# Andante
# Adagio
# Moderato
# Allegro

The viola assumes a prominent role throughout the composition, as this instrument is intended to personify Kamila. Indeed, in the second movement the composer contemplates the vision of Kamila giving birth to a son.

The work is essentially tonal albeit not in the traditional sense. For example, the work closes with six D-flat major chords (Janáček's favourite chord), but with the added dissonance of an E-flat.

References