SKU: HH.HH187-FSP

ISBN 9781905779178.

Like so many of his compatriots, the Czech born Vaclav Pichl spent much of his working life in Vienna (where the Empress Maria Theresa, preferred him to Mozart), but with a period working for Dittersdorf (in what is now Rumania) and nearly twenty years spent in Milan. His compositions were performed at EszterhA!za by Haydn, who had a set of Pichl's new quartets copied in 1780 (he wrote over 30 quartets in all).His compositions were performed at EszterhA!za by Haydn, who had a set of Pichl's new quartets copied in 1780 (he wrote over 30 quartets in all).

SKU: HL.49030619

ISBN 9790001138284.

SKU: HL.14031816

8.5x11.75x0.3 inches.

Though conceived as four separate movements, my second string quartet has a single motif which is common to them all. This is the three-note Muss es sein? from Beethoven's last quartet, Op. 135. But whereas Beethoven's theme is notated G E A flat, thus giving it an F minor connotation, I have sued an alternative spelling - G E G sharp - which suggests an ambiguous E minor-major. This ambiguity, in fact, becomes the tonal basis of the whole work, only to be resolved at the end of the final movement. Each movement begins with a variant of the basic motif on the cello. The first has the original form of the theme, while the second has a majorised version which is also expressed as a chord. The third movement, with its scherzoid middle section, reverts to the major-minor ambiguity of the first, and the finale begins with the majorised version as an ostinato accompaniment on pizzicato cello. The slow movement is sub-titled In memoriam DSCH and concludes with a quotation of Shostakovich's motto - D E flat C B - which is basically the same as Beethoven's with the addition of one note. This is not to imply that the work contains no other thematic material. One important theme, a rising fifth and a second, is also common to three of the movements, and is ultimately derived from my first quartet, Op. 1 of 27 years earlier, to which this second contribution to the form is in many ways like a sequel. Like the earlier work, too, this quartet is dedicated to my wife.