CMXXXIII. SHOSTAKOVICH, Dmitri: String Quartet #14 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 142

CMXXXIII. SHOSTAKOVICH, Dmitri (1906-1975)

String Quartet #14 in F-Sharp Major, Op. 142 (1973)
1. Allegretto
2. Adagio (attacca)
3. Allegretto
Jerusalem Quartet
(26:22)

His intention had always been to write a set of 24 quartets in all the major and minor keys. He dispensed with six majors immediately (C, A, F, D, B-Flat and G) before finally diving into a minor-keyed Seventh in F-Sharp Minor, followed by the terrifying Eighth in C Minor.

Returning to major for the Ninth (E-Flat) and Tenth (A-Flat), he then alternated between major and minor for the remaining five.

A pattern can be discerned from 12-15 -- a major key followed by its relative minor -- (12th: D-Flat Major, 13th: B-Flat Minor, 14th: F-Sharp Major, 15th: E-Flat Minor) ...

The last of the four dedications to the members of the Beethoven Quartet -- the cellist, Sergei Shirinsky.

1. Allegretto

The dedicatee kicks things off. When the first violin finally enters (bar 18), Shostakovich very simply creates the harmony with static f-sharp in the viola and the cello descending by the steps ...

Cranks up the intensity ...

And ending:

2. Adagio (attacca)

D Minor-ish! Very sparse texture:

The cello gets another nice solo to pizzicato accompaniment:

3. Allegretto

The attacca is pretty clever -- from G/Gm to F-Sharp Major ...

The three-note motif (rest-1/8th-1/8th-1/8th) is set up for a lovely, shifting solo in the first ...

Reminiscent of parts of the Fourth Symphony ...

The 3-note motif gives way to a gentle movement to the final F-Sharp Major 

chord -- spaced so elegantly with the cello on top with the high fifth!