Presented by Leo Samama.
The Danish-German composer Friedrich Kuhlau (1786-1832) was a transitional figure between and next to Beethoven, Schubert and Mendelssohn. Kuhlau’s only String quartet in A minor dates back to the last year of his life, 1831. Friedrich Kuhlau was born in Hannover, educated as a pianist and composer in Hamburg and fled in 1810 for Napoleon’s troops to Copenhagen. He was appointed as court composer after some years and made name as a composer of elegant, virtuous works (in particular for flute!) and of operas and stage music with a strong Danish national approach. The string quartet is his final completed work.
The string quartets by Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857) are part of his early works, which from the perspective of chamber music still lean a lot on Haydn and the early Beethoven. In the Second string quartet in F major from 1831 we can also sense the music of Louis Spohr in the background.
Friedrich Kuhlau – String quartet in A minor, opus 122 (1831)
1. Introduzione: Andante sostenuto-Allegro assai poco agitato, 2. Adagio con espressione, 3. Scherzo: Allegro assai, 4. Finale: Allegro molto
Performers: eSBe String Quartet
CD: CPO
Mikhail Glinka – String quartet in F major (1830)
1. Allegro spiritoso, 2. Andante con moto, 3. Menuetto: Allegro brilliante, 4. Rondo: Allegro moderato
Performers: Taneev Quartet of Sankt Petersburg Philharmonia
CD: Viennasound
