Musical Romanticism, explored by Pieter de Oude.
Today on Radio Romantica, two beautiful string quartets which are stylistically in line with one another.
Romanticist Brahms completed his first quartet in 1873, when he was forty years old. Just like with his symphonies, he spent longer on actually finishing the piece. Which was mostly because of that damned Beethoven, who Brahms felt was always looking over his shoulder. Zemlinsky in turn had an immense admiration for Brahms. He never copied him, though there is an unmistakable connection. Brahms supported many young composers, including Zemlinsky. Around 1900 the Viennese musical life was roaring and bustling, and both composers participated considerably. Which makes it extra weird that Zemlinsky only started gaining fame with the general public in the seventies of the last century.
Playlist:
- Johannes Brahms – String quartet op.51 no.1
Arcanto Quartet
- Alexander Zemlinsky – String quartet op.4
LaSalle Quartet
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