String Quartet

SKU: BT.EMBZ14512

Composed by Gyorgy Kurtag. Contemporary Music. Book Only. Composed 2008. 34 pages. Editio Musica Budapest #EMBZ14512. Published by Editio Musica Budapest (BT.EMBZ14512).

Begun in 1999, the work, which is Kurtág s fourth string quartet, had been completed in 2005. In this suite of 6 movements Kurtág reuses music from other compositions, most often from his long-running Játékok for piano. 6 Moments musicaux was dedicated to György Kurtág junior, the first entire performance of the work took place by the Keller Quartet in February 2006 during the five-day 80th birthday celebration for Kurtág in Bordeaux.

Kurtág begann 1999 die Komposition seines vierten Streichquartetts und beendete sie 2005. In dieser Suite aus sechs Sätzen verwendet Kurtág die Musik von anderen Kompositionen, größtenteils aus seinem großzügigen Klavierserie, Játékok wieder. Die Sechs Moments musicaux wurden György Kurtág junior gewidmet, die Premiere fand im Februar 2006, im Rahmen der fünftägigen Feierlichkeiten zum 80. Geburtstag Kurtágs in Bordeaux statt, Ausführende waren die Mitglieder des Keller Quartet.

Chamber Music String Quartet

SKU: PR.114410380

Composed by Lowell Liebermann. Saddle, Tape Junction. Set of Score and Parts. With Standard notation. Composed 1998. Opus 60. 48 + 92 pages. Duration 30 minutes. Theodore Presser Company #114-41038. Published by Theodore Presser Company (PR.114410380).

UPC: 680160015160. 9.5 x 13 inches.

My second String Quartet was written twenty years after the first, Opus 4 from 1978. The First Quartet is an obsessively contrapuntal work in one movement, which was no doubt influenced by my studies with David Diamond. I had always intended to return to the medium once I left the astringency of my earlier style, but it was only when the National Federation of Music Clubs commissioned a major chamber work, with unspecified instrumentation, to celebrate their 100th Anniversary that I was enabled to do so. The Second Quartet is in four movements: Moderato, Allegro isterico, an Andante theme with 11 variations, and the closing Allegro, which then returns to the tempo of the first movement. An audience member at the premiere told me that she heard echoes of recent tragic events such as the Oklahoma bombing in this work. While I had no such programmatic intent while writing the quartet, it was not an entirely incorrect assessment of the work's intended emotional impact. The quartet is pervaded by a sense of seriousness, even mournfulness. The second movement's scherzo is an aggressively animated piece of musical machinery. The third movement's Variations unfold into a greater variety of moods than the others - but the moments of lyricism are countered by aggressive or ironic outbursts. The final movement's attempt at triumph quickly subsides into a return of the first movement, before being transformed onto a sense of resignation and acceptance as the chromaticism of the opening theme is transformed into a pure and diatonic C-Major. The work received its world premiere by the Shanghai Quartet at the 100th Anniversary Congress of the National Federation of Music Clubs at the Congress Hotel in Chicago on August 19th 1998.
My second String Quartet was written twenty years after the first, Opus 4 from 1978.  The First Quartet is an obsessively contrapuntal work in one movement, which was no doubt influenced by my studies with David Diamond.  I had always intended to return to the medium once I left the astringency of my earlier style, but it was only when the National Federation of Music Clubs commissioned a major chamber work, with unspecified instrumentation, to celebrate their 100th Anniversary that I was enabled to do so.The Second Quartet is in four movements:  Moderato, Allegro isterico, an Andante theme with 11 variations, and the closing Allegro, which then returns to the tempo of the first movement.An audience member at the premiere told me that she heard echoes of recent tragic events such as the Oklahoma bombing in this work.  While I had no such programmatic intent while writing the quartet, it was not an entirely incorrect assessment of the work’s intended emotional impact.  The quartet is pervaded by a sense of seriousness, even mournfulness.  The second movement’s scherzo is an aggressively animated piece of musical machinery.  The third movement’s Variations unfold into a greater variety of moods than the others – but the moments of lyricism are countered by aggressive or ironic outbursts.  The final movement’s attempt at triumph quickly subsides into a return of the first movement, before being transformed onto a sense of resignation and acceptance as the chromaticism of the opening theme is transformed into a pure and diatonic C-Major.The work received its world premiere by the Shanghai Quartet at the 100th Anniversary Congress of the National Federation of Music Clubs at the Congress Hotel in Chicago on August 19th 1998.

String quartet

SKU: BO.B.3388

Composed by Jordi Cervello. Instrumental Sets. Duration 10:12. Published by Editorial de Musica Boileau (BO.B.3388).

English comments:
A Bach for string quartet is another evocation of the past, in this case of J.S. Bach's works for violin. Written in 2004, it is a recreation of two of the most important movements in the series of Sonatas and Partitas: The Adagio of the third Sonata and the Prelude of the third Partita (BWV 1005 and 1006, respectively). Jordi Cervello was a violinist and, as such, it should come as no surprise that he once again makes use of compositions written for his instrument. The Adagio, here in common time (the original by Bach is in three-four time), keeps up the constant rhythmic figure of the dotted quaver and semi-quaver throughout the movement, with a calmness that is shrouded in mystery. The second movement, Preludiando, retains the same lively spirit as the original, but explores different moods. Moments of calm, vigour and even some dramatic points give it a new dimension thanks to the fact that it is written for a quartet and to Cervello's original treatment of harmony and counterpoint.

Comentarios del Espanol:
A Bach para cuarteto de cuerda es otra evocacion del pasado, en este caso de la obra para violin de J.S. Bach. Escrita el ano 2004, se trata de una recreacion de dos de los movimientos mas importantes de la serie de Sonatas y Partitas: El Adagio de la tercera Sonata y el Preludio de la tercera Partita (BWV 1005 y 1006 respectivamente). Jordi Cervello fue violinista y, como tal, no debe sorprender que una vez mas se sirva de material compositivo procedente de su instrumento. El Adagio, aqui en compas de cuatro (el original de Bach es de tres) conserva en todo el movimiento la constante figura ritmica de corchea con puntillo y semicorchea, dentro de un clima sereno pero rodeado de misterio. El segundo movimiento, Preludiando, conserva el mismo espiritu vivo del original, pero recorriendo diferentes estados de animo. Momentos de calma, de vigor e incluso dramaticos dan nueva dimension gracias a la escritura cuartetistica y al original tratamiento armonico y contrapuntistico de Cervello. A Bach se estreno en La Pedrera de Barcelona dentro del ciclo Celebracions de la Fundacio Caixa de Catalunya en el ano 2006 con el Quarteto Prometeo.