Jacob Bernhard Struve (1767-1826) was born in Stockholm. He initially studied botany at Struve, arrived at Uppsala University, and then at Kiel University, hoping to become a doctor of medicine. In the early 1790s, Struve traveled to Vienna and studied harmony, composition, and counterpoint with Adalbert Gyrowetz. It is thought that he subsequently studied in Paris and London before returning to Sweden. In 1797, he was voted unanimously into the Royal Swedish Academy of Music, later becoming a supervisor. His service at the Academy was as a teacher of voice and piano. He left the Academy for a year to serve as an organist in the town of Norrköping but returned to Stockholm the next year. In 1818, Struve applied unsuccessfully for the post of permanent teacher in the piano and organ class. From 1818 until his death in 1826, he played an important part in the city’s musical life, most notably as a member of the Harmoniska sällskapet (the Stockholm Harmonic Society), which he helped to form in 1820.
Struve composed six string quartets, five have survived, the parts to which have been preserved in the Harmonic Society collection. Other than his d minor string quartet, which was probably composed during his time in Norrköping in 1816-17, based on its dedication to the ‘Amateurs de Norrköping’, it is not known when the rest of the quartets were composed. Some scholars believe that they date from the time Struve was studying with Gyrowetz during the 1790s, while others posit their composition starting around 1820 when the Harmonic Society of Stockholm was founded. In any event, there is no doubt that Struve was influenced by Gyrowetz, a Haydn friend and admirer. This can be seen in the fact that he composed in the Vienna classical style as pioneered by Haydn and did not adopt that of the then-popular Quatuor Brillant, in which the first violin is wholly dominant. (q.v. the quartets of Spohr and the French contemporaries) Rather, Struve’s quartets have interesting and varied parts in which all four instruments complement one another. His quartets display a striking degree of expertise to which no other contemporary Swedish composer comes close.
His String Quartet in c minor is the only one that has an Adagio introduction, which leads to the main section, Allegro, characterized by powerful downward broken chords. The second theme features the viola and cello, and in the development section, imaginative modulations play an unusually prominent role. The Andante which follows is in C Major. It is a theme and set of interesting variations. In one, there are octave couplings between the first violin and viola as well as the viola and cello. In another, there is a lovely, expressive adagio solo for the cello. In third place is a Haydn-esque Menuetto with a contrasting trio. The finale begins with a somewhat sad Adagio introduction. The main section, Allegro assai, is energetic and has a dance-like feel due to its 6/8 time.
Our entirely reset new edition is based on a copy of the manuscript preserved in the Harmonic Society of Stockholm. It was edited by Professor Donna Zenner. We feel confident that this classical era string quartet, with its freshness and originality will give great pleasure to chamber music lovers everywhere.
