Lex van Delden (1919-1988)
String Quartet No. 1, Op. 43 (1954)
1. Allegro - 00:00
2. Fantasia. Lento, quasi improvisato - 04:27
3. Scherzo capriccioso. Allegretto - 10:28
4. Finale. Presto - 12:45
Utrecht String Quartet
dedicated to het Hollands Strijkkwartet
Lex van Delden was a Dutch composer. He studied medicine at Amsterdam University, but as a Jew he was forced to interrupt his studies during World War II. Van Delden was self-taught as a composer. Between 1947 and 1982 he was music editor of the daily paper Het parool, and published many articles in Dutch and foreign periodicals. During his life he held several administrative posts in Dutch musical life, including chairmanships of the Society of Dutch Composers (GeNeCo) and the Office of Music Copyright (BUMA). The first of Deldens works to attract attention was the cantata Rubáiyát, awarded the music prize of the City of Amsterdam in 1948. His Harp Concerto and Impromptu for solo harp were awarded prizes by the Northern California Harpists Association in 1953 and 1956. Many of his compositions were commissioned by the Dutch government, the City of Amsterdam and Dutch radio. Van Delden expresses his strong social concern in his works: In memoriam was written in response to the flood disaster of 1953, while Canto della guerra and Die vogel vrijheid are condemnations of war and slavery respectively. His compositional style is overtly tonal and based on conventional forms. He often builds a work from one fairly concise idea; the tenacity to this starting point generates a conflict which provides the impetus for the music. The resolution generally takes the initial idea through a mosaic of variations.
