Streichquartett Nr. 7 F-Dur op. 59 Nr. 1

Beethoven dedicated the first of his “middle” string quartets, numbered opus 59, to his patron Count Andriy Kyrillovich Razumovsky, who was himself an amateur violinist and played in a string quartet. They were composed in 1806 in Beethoven's accommodation in the Pasqualati House, where he also created a number of other works between 1804 and 1815. The complex structure of the quartets sometimes earned them a frosty reception among Beethoven’s contemporaries. The second movement of the Quartet in F major, the beginning of which is reproduced in this recording, was a cause of particular irritation among listeners. The “Allegretto vivace e sempre scherzando” begins with a harmonious, rhythmic figure based on the root note. However, while this figure is continued in the melody, the harmony remains inconsistent throughout.

This recording was made by the Léner Quartet in 1927, as part of celebrations to mark the centenary of Beethoven’s death. The Hungarian string ensemble was founded by first violinist Jenő Léner (1894–1948), together with his former fellow students József Smilovits, Sándor Roth and Imre Hartman. The group remained active from 1918 to 1948, although its composition changed frequently from 1942 onwards. The quartet made its name in concert series designed to mirror the development of chamber music, and was also the first ensemble to record all of Beethoven’s string quartets in full. Their playing exhibited a fondness for pronounced vibrato and portamento, a trait that can also be heard in this recording.
(Constanze Köhn)