723BTC719719BBM/string_quartet_in_d_majorSTRING QUARTET IN D MAJORFor string quartet1

Feb-Mar 1974

Chamber8 May 19318212 Jun 1931822Feb-Mar 1974

For further details see individual movements.

19

The original slow movement (composed 15-18 May 1931) was discarded, although the draft survives in the archive (see Sources).

The work was given a private run-through by the Stratton Quartet on 16 March 1932. It was revised by the composer in 1974 as a first step towards returning to composition after his heart surgery the previous year. At Britten's request the Gabrieli String Quartet gave the work a run-through on 20 March 1974 in the Library at The Red House so that he could evaluate his revisions.

0019318 May - 2 Jun 193140215723

Allegro maestoso

10

9-29 May 1931

0723/19447232151211944audio723_1-incipit.mp3audio/mpeg1

Endellion String Quartet. ( EMI CMS5651152).

216723

Lento ed espressivo

20

29 May-2 June 1931

0723/29457232161212945audio723_2-incipit.mp3audio/mpeg1

Endellion String Quartet. ( EMI CMS5651152).

217723

Allegro giocoso

300723/39467232171213946audio723_3-incipit.mp3audio/mpeg1

Endellion String Quartet. ( EMI CMS5651152).

100717230BBM/string_quartet_in_d_major0

String quartet in D major

100711ms-sourcesManuscript SourcesString quartet in D majorBBM/string_quartet_in_d_major8 May-2 Jun 1931

Published in 1974.

7 items

Feb-Mar 1974

10071007BBM/string_quartet_in_d_major100817231BBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/10

Holographs

100810ms-sourcesManuscript SourcesHolographsBBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/18 May 1932-19747 items10081008BBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1100917232BBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/10

Composition draft

100910ms-sourcesManuscript SourcesComposition draftBBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/18 May-2 Jun 1931

Annotated draft with dates and signatures.

19 pages of 20 page manuscript [1r-19v]

Pencil; 26.6 x 35.5 cm. Paper manufacturer = A L. See Title Page of Collected Volume.

'STRING-QUARTET / in D major / [signature] / May 8th- Jun 2nd 1931'.

10091009BBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/1101017233BBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/20

Discarded draft material

101010ms-sourcesManuscript SourcesDiscarded draft materialBBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/28 May-2 Jun 1931

Discarded draft material from BBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/1, including the original slow movement (movement II).

1 manuscript; 6 pages [1r-6v

Pencil; 26.3 x 19.1 cm [page 1], 26.3 x 35.5 cm [page 2-6]. Paper manufacturer = A L.

10101010BBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/2101117234BBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/30

Instrumental part

101110ms-sourcesManuscript SourcesInstrumental partFirst violinBBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/311-12 Jun 1931

Signed first violin part with annotations, mostly added during the work's revision in 1974. Britten has included a large revised section on pages 8v-9r. Rehearsal numbers have been included throughout.

1 manuscript; 10 pages [1r-10v]

Black ink, pencil and red pencil; 23.8 x 30.1 cm. See Title Page of Collected Volume.

'VIOLIN I / STRING QUARTET / IN D MAJOR / [SIGNATURE]'.

Feb-Mar 1974

10111011BBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/3101217235BBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/40

Instrumental part

101210ms-sourcesManuscript SourcesInstrumental partSecond violinBBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/414-16 Jun 1931

Signed second violin part with annotations, mostly added during the work's revision in 1974. Rehearsal numbers have been included throughout.

1 manuscript; 8 pages [1r-8r]

Black ink, pencil and red pencil; 23.8 x 30.1 cm. See Title Page of Collected Volume.

'VIOLIN II/ STRING QUARTET / IN D MAJOR / [SIGNATURE]'.

Feb-Mar 1974

10121012BBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/4101317236BBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/50

Instrumental part

101310ms-sourcesManuscript SourcesInstrumental partViolaBBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/517-26 Jun 1931

Signed viola part with annotations, mostly added during the work's revision in 1974. Rehearsal numbers have been included throughout.

1 manuscript; 8 pages [1r-8r]

Black ink, pencil and red pencil; 23.8 x 30.1 cm. See Title Page of Collected Volume.

'VIOLA/ STRING QUARTET / IN D MAJOR / [SIGNATURE]'.

Feb-Mar 1974

10131013BBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/5101417237BBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/60

Instrumental part

101410ms-sourcesManuscript SourcesInstrumental partCelloBBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/6between 26 Jun-7 Jul 1931

Signed cello part with annotations, mostly added during the work's revision in 1974. Rehearsal numbers have been included throughout.

1 manuscript; 9 pages [1r-9r]

Black ink, pencil and red pencil;26.6 x 35.5 cm. Paper manufacturer = A L. See Title Page of Collected Volume.

'VIOLONCELLO/ STRING QUARTET / IN D MAJOR / [SIGNATURE]'.

Feb-Mar 1974

10141014BBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/6101517238BBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/70

Revision sketches

101510ms-sourcesManuscript SourcesRevision sketchesBBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/7Feb-Mar 1974

Untitled page of revision material at the top of which Britten has written 'insert bottom of page 29' assumably in reference to the composition draft for this work. Includes some annotations by both Britten and Rosamund Strode.

1 manuscript; 1 page [1r-1v]

Pencil; 28 x 38.3 cm.

10151015BBM/string_quartet_in_d_major/1/782119301931580000000704973822193019316200000007049974072301000Concert performance7 Jun 1975897Snape Maltings Concert Hall, Aldeburgh Festival.

Gabrieli String Quartet.

08971930193591300000007065584172300000Broadcast7 Jun 1975898BBC Radio 3 (relay of first performance).

Gabrieli String Quartet.

089819301935920000000706547720BTC718718BBM/twelve_variations_on_a_theme12TWELVE VARIATIONS ON A THEMEFor pianoTwelve variations1Solo piano27 Mar 19318175 May 1931818800193127 Mar - 5 May 193138722BTC720720BBM/untitled_piece_in_bflat_major_17UNTITLED PIECE IN B FLAT MAJORFor voice and piano0Solo vocalunfinishedca. 8 Jun 1931820101931ca. 8 Jun 1931