Egon Wellesz (1885–1974) was a distinguished Austrian composer, teacher, and musicologist. A pupil of Arnold Schoenberg and Guido Adler, he taught at the University of Vienna until the Anschluss in 1938, after which he settled in England. There he became Reader in Byzantine music at Oxford. Though briefly interned as an enemy alien during WWII, he continued lecturing and later resumed composing, producing nine symphonies and numerous chamber works and operas. His style evolved from serialism to a more diatonic idiom, often echoing Mahlerian breadth. A key figure in the International Society of Contemporary Music (ISCM), he fostered Anglo-European musical dialogue. Egon Wellesz died in Oxford and was buried in Vienna.

I am beholden to the detailed liner notes provided with this CD.

The earliest work on this disc is the String Quartet No.2 in G minor, op.20 dating from 1915-16. At this time, Wellesz was a lecturer in music history at the University of Vienna. Certainly, the slow-paced opening Sehr Ruhig (very quiet) gives little indication of the upheavals in Europe at that time. This is typically calm and thoughtful music that only occasionally give rise to passion and angst. Tonality is present, but a little stretched from the key centre. The second movement is a robust Kräftig bewegt (strongly moved). The liner notes explain that it is in the form of a rondo, predicated around “a striking main theme” with a hint of Baroque. The episodes are often truncated, use previously heard tunes and subtly transition from one to the other. The Scherzo comes next. It is short, rhythmic, and pithy with a surprisingly lovely trio section. This relaxed mood is retained in the finale, Ruhevoll (Peaceful). There are some dramatic moments here though, before the work closes with a unison pizzicato, played forte-fortissimo. The stylistic parameters of this quartet reflect Wellesz’s early modernist voice, shaped by post-Romantic lyricism and Schoenbergian influence. It is the most approachable of the three Quartets recorded here.

The String Quartet No. 5, op. 60 was begun during the summer of 1943 and completed on 9 January the following year. It marked his return to composition after a prolonged hiatus following his exile to Oxford. This Quartet is steeped in a mood of regret and nostalgia, a tone Wellesz himself acknowledged when he described it as having been written “in a dark time” and intended as “a farewell to my former life and the friends of my youth and manhood.” This sense of leave-taking is most poignantly expressed in the finale, a slow elegy bearing the subtitle In Memoriam. Despite its austere idiom, the quartet contains many passages of striking beauty. Although Wellesz draws on Schoenbergian theory, he does so with considerable freedom, adapting serial procedures to suit his own personal needs. The music often hints at tonal centres, yet these are frequently unsettled by dissonant inflections. Formally, the quartet is in three movements. The first opens with a Maestoso that leads into an Allegro energico, structured loosely around conventional sonata principles. This is followed by a Scherzo marked Allegretto comodo, whose tense character provides significant contrast and momentum. The final movement, In Memoriam, is the emotional heart of the work - its breadth and duration equal to the combined length of the preceding two movements. It serves not only as a personal farewell to past times, but also as a broader tribute. As Caroline Cepin Benser in her monograph has observed, Wellesz intended it as a memorial to the circle of composers associated with Schoenberg, whose creative lives had been disrupted by political forces. The title gained further significance after the accidental death of Anton Webern in September 1945.

Between 1945 and 1956, Wellesz composed five symphonies, his only English opera Incognita, and a number of notable chamber works - including the Sixth and the present String Quartet No. 7, Op. 66. The listener will be conscious that this latter offering is more “tonal” in its impact than No.5. It was written rapidly between 3 March and 2 April 1948. The liner notes suggest that formally it is rooted in classical tradition. It is presented in two movements. Once again, duration wise they are unbalanced with the concluding Adagio and Fugue being three times as long as the opening Allegro moderato. The Quartet opens with a smiling theme which is balanced by a haunting second subject. The second movement is intense and occasionally quite scary. The exposition of the fugue, begun by the solo cello, is laconic. Yet, it does end positively with a “joyful” Allegro energico banishing any angst. Overall, this is a striking work that establishes Wellesz’s evolving mastery of form and expression in the post-war years. Its emotional breadth - from lyrical charm to brooding introspection and eventual exuberance is palpable.

Established in Vienna in 1998, the Aron Quartett has garnered acclaim for its performances of 20th-century repertoire, with a particular affinity for the Second Viennese School, while also embracing classical traditions. The ensemble has toured internationally and released several recordings, notably featuring Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s string quartets and Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s piano quintets.

I have already mentioned the comprehensive liner notes accompanying this disc. They are printed in German and English. I do wish the font were a wee bit larger: there is no obvious source for sleeve note downloads of CPO CDs. The booklet includes a couple of characteristic photos of the composer. The cover is taken from Austrian artist Egon Schiele’s Felderlandschaft (Field Landscape) dating from 1910.

This new release marks the beginning (hopefully) of a complete cycle of Egon Wellesz’s ten (nine in the catalogue, but maybe includes 4 Stücke, op.103, 1968) string quartets, tracing his aesthetic journey from early modernist lyricism to post-war tonal refinement. The Aron Quartett delivers nuanced, idiomatic performances that illuminate Wellesz’s evolving voice. While an earlier recording of Quartets 3, 4, and 6 by the Artis Quartett (Nimbus NI 5821, reviewed here, and here) offered valuable insight, this new cycle promises a broader, more unified portrait of Wellesz’s compositional legacy.

Track Listing:
Egon Wellesz (1885-1974)
String Quartet No.2 in G minor, op.20 (1915-16)
String Quartet No.5, op.60 (1943)
String Quartet No.7, op.66 (1948)
Aron Quartett: Ludwig Müller (violin); Barna Kobori (violin); Georg Hamann (viola), Christophe Pantillon (cello)
rec. June 2019 (No.5); October 2019 (No.2); December 2022 (No.7) Konzertsaal der Musikschule Bräuhausgasse, Vienna.
CPO Records CPO 555 617-2