Search - Lennox Berkeley :: Berkeley: String Quartets Nos. 1-3

Berkeley's String Quartets

John R. Hines | 04/02/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"These pieces are in the typical Berkeley style which consists of

(1) Distinctive meolodies with athletic leaps of sixths and sevenths

tempered with minor seconds with a smooth sense of forward

direction. The emotional tone tends to be cool but focused, like

touring a European city for the first time.

(2) A harmonic sense that is sharp and clear. Major sevenths and minor

ninths are tempered with major or minor thirds. There may be some

flirting with polytonality (Particularly his favorite of A major

and F major) but the music is grounded in a simple, if not

conventional tonality. One has a sense that harmony and melody

are cut from the same cloth.



These string quartets are very highly charged, aggressive, and potent. Instead of the city tour we are getting the engineering tour with hard hats. I loved it and recommend it to all, even if you never wore a hard hat before."