Quatuor n°2 Op. 28 pour quatre violoncelles

Among Jean Absil’s chamber music works is a remarkable group of compositions written for unconventional ensembles, including the Quatuor No. 2, Op. 28, composed in 1937 for four cellos. This unusual instrumentation—entirely devoid of any other instruments—reflects Absil’s sonic experimentation during the interwar years.

The work is structured in contrasting movements, in the manner of a classical quartet, though some surviving sources suggest four. From a musicological standpoint, Absil fully exploits the potential of the cello ensemble’s timbral unity. He writes across the entire register of the instrument: some passages dwell in the resonant low range of all four parts, creating a warm harmonic foundation, while others elevate a single cello in lyrical solos in the upper register, accompanied by sustained chords or broken arpeggios from the rest. Varied tone colours—pizzicato, muted playing, and sul ponticello effects—add richness and stave off monotony. The style is marked by tight polyphony, as Absil, a master of counterpoint, frequently weaves imitative lines among the voices, resulting in a dense texture reminiscent of Villa-Lobos’s cello choirs or organ fugues. Harmonically, the work remains grounded in extended tonality and modality, echoing the influence of Paul Gilson (his mentor) and post-Romantic French idioms, while incorporating measured modernist boldness: parallel fourths and fifths lend an archaic colour at times, while dissonant tensions hint at contemporary idioms. The overall aesthetic oscillates between grave, noble lyricism—so naturally evoked by the cello—and a formal challenge: how to achieve musical dialogue with four identical instruments and no harmonic support.

The Cello Quartet, Op. 28, was likely composed for the renowned Quatuor de violoncelles de Belgique, an ensemble of soloists from the Belgian National Radio Orchestra. The première may have taken place during a broadcast concert in 1937 or 1938, allowing the work to reach a broader audience despite its unconventional scoring. Contemporary critics noted the sui generis nature of the piece—“a quartet without violins that nevertheless sings with eloquence,” one Brussels journal observed. Absil was praised for his ability to avoid the potential pitfalls of sombre monotony, drawing expressive nuance from each cello. Yet, beyond its specialised circle, the work remained little performed.

After the Second World War, it all but vanished from the repertoire, overshadowed by Absil’s four conventional string quartets. Only in the early 21st century did sporadic revivals begin to emerge, especially in conservatoires, where cello professors recognised the piece as a valuable ensemble study for advanced students. To date, no commercial recording exists, which contributes to the piece’s continued obscurity. Nonetheless, the rediscovery of this Cello Quartet reveals an audacious and inspired Absil, capable of conjuring unexpected richness from a monochrome ensemble—an original and worthwhile addition to the cello ensemble repertoire.