Evening star., 1939-02-24
Roth Quartet
Heard in Sd
Concert
Offer Boccherini.
Schumann and
Beethoven Works
BY ALICE EVERSMAN.

Choosing for the final number of
their program the last quartet
which Beethoven wrote, the Roth
String Quartet concluded its third
concert Of the present series under
the Gertrude Clarke Whittall Foun-
dation at the Library of Congress
last evening. The three quartets
programmed had marked variety
OF style and were the result of
widely different sources OF inspira-
ton. They were the carefree Quar-
tet in G Minor, Op. 80, No. S." by
Boccherini: the lovely Schumann
Quartet in A Major, Op. Al, No. g."
and Beethoven's Quartet in F
Major, Op. 135,' his last work in
this form.
The prolific Boccherini had 1O2
quartetS to his credit besides the
considerable output of other types
OF music. This earlier work of his
Is written in that same easy vein,
graceful and melodic, with just suffi-
cient touch of more serious thought
to place value on it in chamber
music literature, which marked 9TH
ers from his pen heard before at the
Library. The ineXhaustible quality
of his invention, the ingenious turn
Of phrase, always original, the
brightness of his musical thought
and the perfection of his workman
ship make understandable the great
influence which he exerted on this
branch of music. The introduction
Of a few solo passages for the first
violin somewhat resembling the
Bach "Chaconne" in the last move
ment and leading into the finale
brought unique effect to the con-
clusion.
In point Of f1uency of execution,
the Schumann Quartet equals that
Of Boccherini for it was composed
within weeks time. But the music
stemmed from the composers rich,
inner life at the period of its writing
which caused him to compose $50
songs the previous year and the
three qusrtets of opus Al during one
month of the succeeding year. In
spired by study of like works by
Mozart and Beethoven, Schumann
readily found the thematic material
which he so beautifully incorporated
in this quartet.
It abounds in melody which he
uses again and again with many sub
tie changes. The rhythm is sharp
and distributed at various times be-
tween three instruments while the
fourth expands the melody. But
more than the mechanical form is
the particular glow of feeling that
permeates the whole, eliminating in
warmth and depth in the third
movement.
While one can visualize summing
up of Beethoven's life in the short
quartet which ended his compost
ton in this style, there is actually
less romantic reason both for its
content and its brevity. He had
made bargain with his publisher
and when the full price was not
forthcoming cut down the length of
his quartet to fit the amount re-
ceived. The quartet ends with one
of those delightful humorous bits
that the master could put into musi-
cal speech so cleverly and which in
this case is development of canon
which he jotted down on the words
"Es muSs Sein"
There is less of the full ll-flowing Joy
In creation in this quartet in spite
Of its smooth form. Not until the
lento is to be found that peculiar
depth which Beethoven sought
within himself so often. But the
soul agitation is absent and in its
place is resignation and peace.
The members of the Roth group,
playing on the Stradivari instru-
ments, gave another of their polished
performances throughout the pro-
gram. The manner in which they
complement each other both with
tone blending and in carrying out
ideas provides perfect medium for
the transmission of this type of
music. A large audience was present.