My recent listening is the Nicolai Myaskovsky String Quartet. Myaskovsky is quite underrated Russian composer, born and die 8 April 1881 – 8 August 1950. He composed 13 quartets of which only the Taneyev Quartet has the complete cycle of this. In 1990 it is published as Russian Disc and now the Northern Flower had re-issued the same material.
The whole set is of a great music. His melody are introvert, not many catchy movement but many starts with slow movement with extra care and solid build up of melody. I really like the 11th quartet where the 3rd movement , Allegreto pensieroso shows his folk music inserted and haunting in this majestic piece.
The 13th maybe the most popular with also the 2nd movement, Presto Fantastico highlighting the whole piece and excellent Finale to the cycle.
Beside the cello and viola also got many upper melody and serve as something like a 'fugue' like arransement. According to some sources Myaskovsky has many German elements rather than Russian in this respect. The term 'lyricism' should be apply maximum to his quartets.
For a quick preview here the sample of Myaskovsky I can found on net, played by Stravinsky String Quartet , see his page here.
The Taneyev Quartet version is a precious gems, and if any other recent CD on Myaskovsky is the Borodin Quartet :
Louis Spohr is yet another neglected composer from late Classical era. He was a violinist and have a serious output set of Violin Concertos. Clarinet lovers will also reminded to his contribution for the instrument, in a fine Clarinet Concerto. Spohr wrote 36 string quartets. They are in Mannheim styles and as early as published in 1806/7 in a set of two string quartets Op.4
List of Louis Spohr's string quartets:
Two String Quartets Op.4 (1807)
String Quartet No.1 in C Major
String Quartet No.2 in G minor
Op.11 (1806)
String Quartet No.3 in D minor 'Quatuor Brillant'
Op.15
String Quartet
No.4 in E flat Major
String Quartet No.5 in D Major
Op.27 (1812)
String Quartet
No.6 in G minor 'Grand Quartet'
Op.29 (1813)
String Quartet No.7 in E flat Major
String Quartet No.8 in C Major
String Quartet No.9 in F minor
String Quartet No.10 - missing information
Op.43 (1818)
String Quartet
No. 11 in E Major 'Quartet Brillant'
Op.45
String Quartet No.12 in C Major
String Quartet
No.13 in E minor
String Quartet No.14 in F minor
Op.58
String Quartet
No.15 in E flat Major
String Quartet
No.16 in A minor
String Quartet No.17 in G Major
Op.61 (1825)
String Quartet No.18 in B minor 'Quartet Brilliant'
Op.68
String Quartet No.19 in A Major 'Quartet Brilliant'
Op.74
String Quartet
No.20 in A minor
String Quartet No.21 in B flat Major
String Quartet
No.22 in D minor
Op.82
String Quartet No.23
String Quartet
No.24 in G Major
String Quartet
No.25 in A minor
String Quartet No.26
Op.84
String Quartet No.27 in D minor
String Quartet No.28 in A Major
String Quartet No.29 in B minor
Op. 93
String Quartet No.30 in A Major 'Quartet Brilliant'
Op.132
String Quartet No.31 in A major
Op.141 (February 1849)
String Quartet No.32 in C major
Op.152 (June-July 1855)
String Quartet No.34 in E flat Major
String Quartet No.35 in E flat Major
Op.157
String Quartet No.36 in G minor
But his string quartets, so far has only one set of recording. The New Budapest String Quartet recorded 12 CD, published by Naxos :
The influence both of the Viennese classics and of virtuoso violin music is clearly evident in Spohr's own works for string quartet. The virtuoso tradition is emphasized in two potpourris and two sets of variations with string trio accompaniment, composed during the years 1804 to 1808, and in his eight virtuoso quartets, written between 1806 and 1835. His first quatuor brilliant, opus 11, which he described in a letter to his publisher, Kühnel, as "of the Rode type" was followed by five more which were published with the same title. These are in three movements, without a minuet or scherzo, after the pattern of Rode's prototypes. A seventh, opus 30, was similarly designated on the autograph score despite its four movements, and opus 27 too, though it was published as Grand quatuor, is in the same tradition, being referred to in Spohr's autobiography as a Solo-Quartett.
Spohr has a distringuised melody line that runs and repeated throughout the cycle. If you are familiar with his Violin and Clarinet Concertos , you will find similarity there. If you like music from classical era, this set of string quartets is a valuable addition.
Louis Spohr String Quartet No.15 in Eb - I. Allegro vivace
It is a love/hate when regarding Paganini. Some musicologist said Paganini composed the best repertoire for violin concerto, but some simply dismissed this claim as they view Paganini was more technical superior than in composition. True or not true, Italian violinist was the only one to recorded the complete six concertos by Paganini for us to judge. Salvatore Accardo played the concerto with his own cadenza. His version said to be much mature , said a reviewer : Accardo doesn't plays his fastest and doesn't show off his amazing technique like most of the other violinist (although he is able to play twice as fast as he shows here...) but he devotes all the technique to the needs of music and this is what's so amazing about him. He prizes precision and lyricism mostand his fascinating technique is just the servant, not the lord of music.
Some quotes and infos of Salvatore Accardo :
Salvatore Accardo and his musical influences David Oistrakh was my teacher, during the years we developed a great friendship. Oistrakh, Stern and Heifetz: I have learnt many things from them and now I teach my expertise to my students.
Heifetz told me that if I could play scales like I did, I could play anything I would. I learned from him that technique is a medium to play music.
Salvatore Accardo and Paganini Paganini for a violinist represents something wonderful, because he has discovered all it has to be discovered from the technical point of view. Paganini’s contemporaries couldn’t believe it was possible to play like he did, for them it was something inconceivable. They would prefer to think he was possessed by the devil instead.
In my opinion it is important the way Paganini’s music is performed, with the due respect on the original score. Most of the violinists instead would like to make changes and to play different from what it is written by Paganini. This doesn’t’ happen to Mozart’s pieces, for example.
A total of 3 discs to store all Paganini's six concertos :
Disc 1
No.1 in D, Op.6 - 1. Allegro maestoso
No.1 in D, Op.6 - 2. Adagio
No.1 in D, Op.6 - 3. Rondo (Allegro spirituoso)
No.2 in B minor, Op.7 - 1. Allegro maestoso - Cadenza: S. Accardo
No.2 in B minor, Op.7 - 2. Adagio
No.2 in B minor, Op.7 - 3. Rondo à la clochette, 'La campanella'
Disc 2
No.3 in E - 1. Introduzione (Andante) - Allegro marziale - cadenza: S. Accardo
No.3 in E - 2. Adagio (Cantabile spianato)
No.3 in E - 3. Polacca (Andantino vivace)
no.6 in Em - Orch.: Federico Mompellio - 1. Risoluto - Cadenza: S. Accardo
no.6 in Em - Orch.: Federico Mompellio - 2. Adagio - Cadenza: S. Accardo
no.6 in Em - Orch.: Federico Mompellio - 3. Rondò ossia Polonese
Disc 3
No.4 in Dm - 1. Allegro maestoso - cadenza: S. Accardo
No.4 in Dm - 2. Adagio flebile con sentimento
No.4 in Dm - 3. Rondo galante (Andantino gaio)
No.5 in Am - 1. Allegro maestoso - cadenza: Remy Principe / S. Accardo
No.5 in Am - 2. Andante, un poco sostenuto - attacca:
No.5 in Am - 3. Finale. Rondo. Andantino quasi Allegretto
Unknown female violinist (at least I can't find more info on net) done Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor which I listened to for years. Her name is Helena Spitkova and I listening to CD of Music for Million series, published by Sonia Classic. The orchestra is Philharmonia Slavonica by Alberto Lizzio. This interpretation is my very first for Mendelssohn's and it is served as a standard for me. A good standard I must say.
Mendelssohn concerto is my most favorite for this genre. I like the idea to have a very balance between violin virtuoso (hey, we want that since this is a concerto right??) , an orchestration, a melody line and overall finish. Some works very close to this, Paganini's no.2 'La Campanella' is close to this, but general believe is Paganini's lack in orchestration but strong in melody and virtuosoic. The other extreme, which I also really like, are Joseph Joachim 'Hungarian' violin concerto, very virtuosic but the melody a bit loose and Brahm's violin concerto get a GREAT orchestration, but not purposely to show violin playing in its great.
For now, please listen to this buried gem, performed by Helena Spitkova. Please comments to me if you know more about her. VIDEO
I just finished compiled a massive Violinist’s Tree. This is a tree telling who teachs who in world of violinist. Started from the day of Viotti to current young violinist like Sarah Chang , Hillary Hahn and Julia Fischer. The source of this information is Wikipedia only. Here you can see that Hillary Hahn is the grand grand grand of Viotti who is grand grand grand student of Archangelo Corelli. I try to search all available big name of violinist and perhaps missed lots of name. I will try to revised this tree in other time, but now please see what I’ve done.
There seems to be two type of violinist school, the Leopold Auer School and Eugene Ysaye School. Their offspring can be read in the Tree. Note also where Shinichi Suzuki was, who famous for his Suzuki method. For newer generation there is Dorothy DeLay and Ivan Galamian of Julliard, who I can’t find reliable source for her teacher, DeLay were responsible for most of today great violinist, just google her name to find out more about her student.
Feedback and comments are more than welcome, and thanks for reading. See attached picture, in this Tree solid line means direct teaching relation while dashed line mean influenced and/or connected to.
addendum 1: Rodolphe Kreutzer teacher was Anton Stamitz, who teached by his father Johann Stamitz. I meantioned this because Kreutzer is a bit important of branch.
ver 2, added Shlomo Mintz,Anne Akiko Meyers,Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Salvatore Accardo, Antal Szalai, Ilya Kaler, James Ehnes and many more.
addendum 2: Added tree for Pablo Sarasate and Kreisler, also for Zakhar Bron School who produce Chloe Hanslip and friends, note that I can't find who is Zakhar Bron's teacher(s). Added Elmar Oliveira also.
addendum 3 : Added tree for Frank Peter Zimmermann and Emmy Verhey. Both are coming from Herman Krebbers who studied at Oskar Back school.
addendum 4 : Added tree for Anne Sophie Mutter, Cho-Liang Lin, Philipe Quint and new star Arabella Steinbacher. Also added violin teacher Robert C. Lipsett who students are Leila Josefowicz,Hahn Bin etc.
addendum 5: added in famous female violinist Jelly d'Aranyi (1893-1966), student of Jeno Hubay. Beriot, Vieuxtemps,Sauret, Tor Aulin Swedish Violinist.
addendum 2023: added Ray Chen, Maria Duenas, and other violinist
here the updated tree for 2023.
Violinisit Tree 2023 - click the picture for high resolution
Ever wonder what is Beethoven trying to say in his Late quartet no.15 in A minor? In this quartet the third movement alone gone to 18 minutes. And this is exactly what this youtube video lecturing about: Backed by Stanford University's Ensemble in Residence, the St. Lawrence String Quartet, Robert Kapilow, composer and radio commentator, explores the notion of illness as a potent source of creativity (e.g., appreciation for existence) through Beethoven's "Heiliger Dankgesang," which Beethoven wrote in thanksgiving after recovering from a life-threatening illness.
This is a lecture video about that third movement, the name is a bit different from one source to another :
3.Molto Adagio — Andante — Heiliger Dankgesang eines Genesenen an die Gottheit, in der lydischen Tonart (wikipedia)
3. Canzona di ringraziamento offerta alla divinità da un guarito, in modo lidico (Molto adagio) - Sentendo nuova forza (Andante) (Hagen SQ)
In brief, Robert Kapilow pointed out that in this movement the structure is :
Preludes with 8 notes each represented illness condition, this is the main theme. Go to fast melody represented ‘back to life’ condition ---- A connector Repeat the preludes with some minor variations Repeat fast melody ‘ back to life’ II with variations ---- A connector A Fugue with melody taken from the prelude but only 5 notes adopted from original 8 notes Merge with fast melody and again adopted three notes from prelude melody And finally only take 2 notes from prelude as climax.
Boccherini Op.39 Quintet for Contrabass and String Quartet , Op.44 no.4 La tiranna.
My first entry to this blog and it’s quite a difficult to decide what will be the title.
I listened to a new CD of Boccherini. I got a numbers of his works now. But this is special one. The works is for String Quintet with addition of Contre Bass instead of other viola or cello.It’s opus 39 no.1 to no.3. And this is quite the first one I heard and only three of Boccherini’s hundreds of quintet and quartet with this formation, although people will ask, why as a string instrument, contre bass seems left out of competition in string quartet.
As pointed out from many reviewers in Amazon, this is a delightful piece. Full spirit of chamber music. The additional bass can be two things. One this is nowhere we can heard the dominant bass as in the composer like to say,’Hey, here the bass.” But this is more a smooth background bass-ing around and of course sometimes a great bassing line plays a bit. So overall the three works is basically a integrated normal string quintet. And like many of Boccherini’s the main point is the melody line which is creative and beautiful.
The quintet sets close by a miniature string quartet Op.44 no.4 La tiranna. The title quickly suggested about some Espanola here and it’s obvious this is the case. From the first opening, the Espanola guitar ‘strumming’ pattern is being used and again a smooth melody flows through the piece from beginning to the end. Breathtaking beautiful pieces.
I strongly recommend this for any Boccherini fans , old or new. For the performer, Ensemble 415 is a group playing period chamber repertoire. They has a website where you can check for their other CD. Somebody mentioned the name 415 referred to the frequency adjusted to chamber setting, instead of the standard A440 Hz.
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recorded 12 CD, published by Naxos :
and they are doing it a bit slower than in the video.
