Kurt Atterberg (1887-1974)

Kvartett för två violiner, altviolin och violincell [Quartet for two violins, viola, and violoncello]

opus 11

Print

1. Allegro con fuoco, attacca
2. Andante, attacca
3. Allegro furioso

  • Year of composition: 1916, revised in 1954
  • Work category: String quartet
  • Dedication: To 'Spillran'
  • First performed: Föreningen Svenska Tonsättare (FST), (The Society of Swedish Composers)
  • Duration: 12 min

Examples of printed editions

Musikaliska konstföreningen [The Swedish Art Music Society], Stockholm 1919

Location for score and part material

Svensk Musik (STIM), Stockholm, revised manuscript in 1954

Description of work

1. Allegro con fuoco, attacca B minor 3/4, 214 bars
2. Andante, attacca E minor, E-flat major 4/4 (C)
3. Allegro furioso G minor 3/4

Work comment

This work was composed in connection with Atterberg's (along with composers Natanael Berg, Ture Rangström, and Oskar Lindberg), forming the group 'Spillran' [the spoils] (the young Swedes), the remainder of an unsuccessful attempt in 1914 to form a composers' association. It was only in 1918 that the idea was successful when the Föreningen Svenska Tonsättare (FST) [The Society of Swedish Composers] was formed.

Within the Spillran its members also discussed various musical issues. On one occasion, they challenged each other to compose one sterling composition each of a duration of 10 minutes (max.). The Quartet Opus 11 is Atterberg's response to this challenge. (Natanel Berg's contribution was a short Piano Quartet of three movements.)