John Ireland (Pianoforte)
The Virtuoso String Quartet: Marjorie Hayward (Violin); Edwin Virgo (Violin); Raymond Jeremy (Viola); Cedric Sharpe (Violoncello)

It is an interesting measure of the rapid march of music in our time, that Ravel - regarded less than a generation ago as the arch-apostle in France of modern impressionism - is now accepted as the foremost representative there of the older order, upholding the tradition which can be logically traced from the classics through Saint-Saens and Faure.

This Quartet, dedicated 'to his dear Master, Faure,' is an early work; revised by Ravel, it appeared in its present form in 1910. The chief difficulty which it presents to the ordinary listener is the sense it is apt to give him of being fragmentary; only after repeated hearings does its conciseness become clear. The first movement, however, is fairly easy to follow, and its two main tunes, the first appearing at the beginning on the first violin, and the second, also on the first violin a little later, are quite straightforward melodies which are easily recognized throughout the movement. The second begins with a very quick figure which gives place soon to a little fragment of song-like tune on the first violin, and though the time and the mood change frequently, these two, as well as another melody broadly played by the first violin, will be heard to have the chief say in it. The third movement is for the most part in a very slow time, although it, too, changes here and there to a livelier mood. The melody which listeners will find it easiest to keep in mind is one which the viola plays at the beginning of the movement. The last movement begins stormily, and soon there is a calmer section with a broad melody in which all the instruments share. On alternations of these two the short movement is made up.