Eduard Franck (1817-93) was a pupil of Felix Mendelssohn and, like his teacher, was descended from a wealthy German family of bankers (thus, no relation to the famous French composer, César Franck). Although Mendelssohn was very impressed with his student’s work and gave him much encouragement, Franck was extremely self-critical of his music and published very few pieces in his lifetime. Of the two string quartets at hand, only the Op. 54 has a definite composition date (1847), while the Op. 55 remained unpublished until 1899. The C minor quartet’s strident and dramatic style emulates Beethoven’s Op. 95, with a driving bass line in the first movement that briefly evokes memories of the “Jaws” theme before moving chromatically upward. This type of energy returns in the finale, which, though highly varied, seems to follow some undisclosed dramatic program.
The Op. 54 quartet bears more of the lyrical influence of Mendelssohn, but is nonetheless Beethovenian in its design and complexity. A long, slow introduction leads to an allegro that exudes the learned playfulness of Beethoven’s late quartets. A deeply lamenting slow movement follows (with a quote from Bach’s St. John Passion), whose sad atmosphere is immediately dispersed by a light, dancing scherzo. The late Beethoven influence is heard again in the theme and variations finale, where Franck displays considerable technique in approaching the same material from widely different vantage points. The Edinger Quartet’s secure and enthusiastic playing communicates the love these players must feel for this music (they are particularly marvelous in Op. 54’s first movement). Audite’s warm, close recording puts you right in front of the players, making this disc a real treat for quartet lovers.
