Felicien Cesar David String Quartet by Quatuor Cambini

Felicien Cesar David
Performer: Cambini String Quartet / Quatuor Cambini
Label: Ambroisie
Released: March 6, 2012 at Amazon
Pieces:
String Quartet No. 1 in F minor
String Quartet No. 2 in A major
String Quartet No. 4 in E minor (unfinished)

Buy from Amazon HERE

Here is another less known Classical Era string quartet recorded and published. Félicien-César David (April 13, 1810 – August 29, 1876) was a French composer. Mainly an opera composer. He was pupil to Cherubini. He wrote first string quartet in 1868 in Fm and then three in 1869 in A major, E major and E minor (incomplete). The pieces fall in between late Classical and Romanticism, which I think very much close to Romantic style. He was disciples of Cherubini and Antonin Reicha, friends of Mendelssohn, Listz, Berlioz and others where he usually sung in the gathering.

Comes with the most interesting background story of young David, who travel to Eastern desert, the Eqypt land for his involvement in missionary works. The Saint Simonianism movement was where he join and this enabling him to travel far east. Felicien David composed these quartets under influence of his adventures on that account. The works is melodious Romantic music, with lots of oriental elements. Check the most Eastern tunes in String Quartet no.2 in A major the third movement. It is a shame the string quartet No.4 in E minor was not finished, the single movement can concluded the CD into one word, superb.

Once again it is done by Quatuor Cambini. Based in Paris the line up of Quatuor Cambini Julien Chauvin (violin), Karine Crocquenoy (violin), Pierre-Éric Nimylowycz (viola) & Atsushi Sakaï (cello) had previously released other less known composer named Teixidor and Canales string quartet in good shape.

Here the blurbs from Presto Classic:
The 19th century French composer Félicien David is remembered almost exclusively for his operas-comiques “La Perle du Brésil” and “Le Désert” as well as his oratiorio “Moïse au Sinaï”. However, whereas many of his contemporaries and compatriots such as Gounod, Bizet and Massenet concentrated on writing for the opera house David maintained a lifelong interest in instrumental music. His output includes twenty-four short string quintets, four symphonies, two nonets for brass, four string quartets and three piano trios.

While the influence in his songs and operas was largely Eastern (he spent a considerable amount of time living in Egypt), his chamber music has its roots in the Germanic tradition.

LISTEN TO SAMPLE HERE

Felicien David String Quartets by Quatuor Cambini Paris